Robots Love Motorcycles on Meridian St.
Take Me to Your GP Human
Ladies Love GP
Wow, what a weekend jam packed with MotoGP activities and experiences! It’s taken me a couple days now to recover and get back in to the normal daily office grind.
I shared with you all the Moto Taxi team training day experience in last week’s blog. After getting household duties squared away early in the week, MotoGP weekend activities started cranking up to full speed last Wednesday afternoon.
One of my favorite shopping venues in downtown Indianapolis is Nordstrom in Circle Centre Mall. Once again, they were eager to get into the Red Bull Indianapolis GP spirit by displaying a dozen Valentino Rossi replica helmets out of my collection in their Espresso Café and around the store. They also placed my 2008 Yamaha YZF R1 Fiat replica motorcycle in one of their display windows for a very special Red Bull event. During the course of Friday and Saturday’s “Motorcycles on Meridian” festivities, a local Red Bull artist painted an exciting mural inside the Nordstrom’s display window to the delight of thousands of motorcyclists and onlookers, proclaiming “Everybody Loves the Red Bull Indianapolis GP.”
Thursday morning started off over on West 16th Street at the Brickyard. One of my Moto Taxi team mates and I were tasked with picking up the Ducati Desmosedici two-seater MotoGP bike at the track along with a crew of Ducati mechanics, Dorna MotoGP photographers and Alpinestars representatives. Two more of our Moto Taxi members joined us with two of the KTM 990 Adventure demo bikes, and we all headed to downtown Indianapolis for a Red Bull Indianapolis GP kickoff event.
Former MotoGP race winner Randy Mamola piloted the Desmosedici two-seater through downtown Indianapolis with NHRA Top Fuel dragster racer Antron Brown hanging on for dear life. The Ducati may not be as fast as one of Antron’s Top Fuel dragsters, but it definitely does bigger wheelies! Our two KTM-mounted Moto Taxi riders carried the two Dorna photographers, documenting the parade to the Red Bull Energy Station on South Meridian Street across from Nordstrom
Friday dawned a bit overcast with a forecast that brought back memories of a very wet inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP in September 2008. Never fear, Tucker Rocky Distributing had outfitted the entire Moto Taxi team with new gear from their Speed and Strength line that promised to keep the team totally dry and comfortable throughout whatever Mother Nature could throw our way.
With a slight dousing Friday afternoon, Saturday arrived bright, clear and cool, and turned out to be a glorious day of 
practice and qualifying. The Moto Taxi team was kept fairly busy, ferrying fallen riders back to their garages after demonstrating the highly technical protective gear they wear to tens of thousands of onlooking fans. We wrapped up Saturday with another downtown Indianapolis media event with fellow Moto Taxi member Jeff Henderson and me accompanying the Red Bull Beatcar, a very curious musical vehicle, through the throngs of motorcyclists on Meridian Street to the Red Bull Energy Station.
7 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009. The day of the 2009 Red Bull Indianapolis GP main events dawns with the promise of a crisp, cool day of glorious sunshine from every forecaster on every local TV and radio station in central Indiana. The Moto Taxi team assembled for a morning photo op on the “Yard of Bricks” and preceded to our assigned areas around the 2.61-mile, 16-turn GP course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the first bikes hitting the pavement for warm-ups at 9:40 a.m. The day of events clicked off right on schedule without the slightest hint of Mother Nature’s fury that made for a memorable inaugural event last year.
Each event yielded some interesting results with some favorites getting an unwelcomed ride with the Moto Taxi team and other local favorites climbing that famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway victor’s podium in celebration of a top-three finish. Be sure to check out www.redbullindianapolisgp.com for a complete summary of this year’s events, stories, photos and experiences.
Once again, I completed the perfect Red Bull Indianapolis GP weekend with the perfect Monday morning activity. For the second year in a row, Ducati North America, Ducati Indianapolis and Sport Bike Track Time sponsored a track day out at Putnam Park Road Course in Mount Meridian, Ind. What better way to wrap up a week of motorcycle experiences. It’s too bad the 2010 Red Bull Indianapolis GP, August 29, 2010 is 12 long months from now!
I’ll see you all next week at www.redbullindianapolisgp.com.
Greg
Big fish stories…
OK, I’m a week into my summer vacation and so far not a single “chore” on the decade old “need fixing” list has been done. Now that’s what I call a good start to a lazy month of July! I think the only constructive thing I’ve accomplished so far is writing “The Experience” blog for my friends out on West 16th Street the past two weeks.
I have managed to spend a fair amount of time on two wheels in-between spouts of rain, storms and cutting grass. Two Sundays ago, Ducati Indianapolis and Commonwealth Motorcycles in Louisville, Ky., hosted a track day out at Putnam Park Road Course. I picked a nice, twisty back road route out to Mount Meridian, Ind., and spent the afternoon watching the guys play.
It’s always fun to hear the stories from the day of exploring the limits of man and machine. One of the guys from Ducati Indianapolis experienced his first knee plant during the day. We’ve all seen the pro’s dragging their knees around a road race course but the first time you plant and drag your knee pucks on a set of race leathers is a big story to share with your friends. If Mike could only get his elbows on the pavement, we could call him “Elbowz II.”
This past weekend saw the MotoGP teams journey over the big pond to central California with the running of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix on July 5 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Our local MotoGP hero, Nicky Hayden, had the best event yet in his maiden season aboard a Ducati, qualifing in eighth position and finishing fifth behind his teammate, Casey Stoner in fourth place. Check out the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix Race Report by Paul Kelly at www.redbullindianapolisgp.com.
The big story of the Laguna Seca weekend was the unveiling of the 2010 Ducati 848 Nicky Hayden Edition by Ducati North America. This US-exclusive model features an American inspired paint scheme, aptly fit for its introduction on the 4th of July and personally autographed on the gas tank by Nicky himself. You can visit the Nicky Hayden Web site to get all the details; www.nickyhayden.com.
Well, like all big secrets, this one was all over the motorcycle forums for weeks before with photos popping up during the preceeding week. Given my passion for very special motorcycles, several friends were immediately teasing me that this could be the next addition to the collection. The power of digital photo editing dangled one big fish that took several of my buddies hook, line and sinker. Gotcha, Paul!
I think my stable of bikes is max’d out for now, and I’m not sure Greta over at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum would let me order any more specialty license plates! If you want to check out the 2010 Ducati 848 Nicky Hayden Edition, rumor has it Ducati Indianapolis is uncrating one today up in Zionsville, Ind., and that’s not a “big fish” story.
I’ll see you all next week with more vacation experiences at www.redbullindianapolisgp.com
Greg
A weekend of fast pursuits
Wow. The weather gods blessed central Indiana with a spectacular string of perfect days this past Memorial Day weekend. Of course, all the local weather forecasters were patting themselves on the back for their forecasting prowess.
Friday, May 22, saw record crowds out at The Brickyard on W. 16th Street in Speedway for the Indianapolis 500 Miller Lite Carb Day. Now there’s an interesting bit of memorabilia in today’s world of automotive technology. Indy cars haven’t had carburetors for decades now. Even all my motorcycles are carb-less with advanced electronic fuel injection systems, as are most all the vehicles we drive today. Some things should never change for nostalgia’s sake!
Another major event occurred across North America Friday evening with the national premier of the new Ducati Streetfighter sport bike. Our friends up at Ducati Indianapolis in Zionsville, Ind., hosted an unveiling party at the dealership complete with lots of Italian food and beverages. Oh, did I mention gastronomic delights again? Remember, that’s always an important part of many of my experiences!
Friday evening was also a memorable experience for me. I took delivery of a new Italian stable mate for my other two Italian stallions. To commemorate their third World Superbike championship with Troy Bayliss last year, Ducati released a commemorative edition of their 1098 R model early this year: 1098 R Bayliss LE. OK, I’m weak, no willpower, no restraint and no level of conservatism when it comes to exotic two-wheeled toys. Yes, I bought one and picked it up this past Friday evening during the Ducati Streetfighter premier party. Number 217 of 500 is now residing comfortably in my garage!
Saturday dawned clear and bright with a forecast any weatherman would be proud to proclaim. With lots of fan activities around town surrounding the Indianapolis 500 out at the Brickyard, our friends up at Ducati Indianapolis continued their event-filled weekend with a demo day. Friday evening saw the unveiling of the new Ducati Streetfighter, and Saturday was the opportunity to test-ride one, along with an assortment of other Ducati models. My duties for the day consisted of leading or trailing groups of test rides and attempting to keep these swarms of Ducatista aboard demo bikes within the “rules of the road.” This was kind of like herding cats!
To wrap up the perfect weekend of Ducati experiences, Ducati Indianapolis and Commonwealth Motorcycles in Louisville, Ky., hosted a track day at Putnam Park Road Course in Mount Meridian, Ind. While 33 drivers were experiencing the 2009 Indianapolis 500 at the Brickyard, a larger group of sport motorcycle enthusiasts were fulfilling their own pursuits for speed on Putnam Park’s 10-turn, 1.766-mile (2.843 km) road course.
I spent Sunday morning exploring various twisty back roads on my new Italian steed, eventually finding my way out to Mount Meridian in western Indiana to hang out with the folks at the Ducati track day. Riding up to the Ducati Indianapolis pit area, I was greeted with several of the guys approaching me with rolls of tape to prep my new 1098 R Bayliss LE for a little track action. No, I held my ground and averted the temptations to break in my new toy on a racetrack. See, I do have a little bit of self-restraint!
My congratulations go out to Helio Castroneves for his spectacular month of May, culminating with his third victory at the Brickyard, becoming only the ninth driver in “500″ history to win the race three times. Everyone who participated in Sunday’s track day at Putnam Park Road Course also fulfilled their own pursuit for speed in a safe and controlled environment.
Oh, did you happen to catch a glimpse of an old, gray-haired guy in Al Unser’s pit stop or a flash of a bright orange Nicky Hayden Repsol replica motorcycle on that famous 2.5-mile oval on W. 16th Street at the start of ABC’s broadcast of the Indianapolis 500? I’ll save that story for a future installment of The Experience.
I hope you all had a memorable Memorial Day weekend, and I’ll see you next week at www.redbullindianapolisgp.com.
Greg
When good friends can be a bad influence!
Well, it finally happened.
For the past couple years, I’ve been easing myself back into the sport motorcycle scene after about an 18-year hiatus. My road-racing experiences as part of a privateer team in the AMA Pro Superbike Series and WERA Grand National Series came to an end in the late 1980s. My “need for speed” has lain dormant now for almost two decades.
Over the past months of “The Experience,” I’ve shared with you my journey back into the world of motorcycles and many of my experiences of this yet-another midlife crisis.
An experience I’ve definitely enjoyed has been venturing out to Putnam Park Road Course in Mount Meridian, Ind., to hang out and watch friends participate in motorcycle track days. I’ve also offered some guidance about how to participate in a track day experience but never with the intention of participating myself. Recently I even stood on my soap box and expounded on the importance of appropriate riding and safety gear.
Through all this time, I’ve steadfastly held my ground and resisted the frequent temptations to get back on the track. I thought my long dormant “need for speed” would stay sufficiently suppressed by vicarious enjoyment of watching my buddies on the track.
Well, you all know that last Monday was my first day back to the grind after a month of vacation. What I didn’t share with you in last week’s “The Experience” was that Monday was a pretty short day in the office. A particularly tempting call from a good friend resulted in a quick bailout from the office followed by a ride out to Putnam Park to hang out with the guys from Ducati Indianapolis at their track day co hosted with Commonwealth Motorcycles from Louisville, Ky.
As with past visits to Putnam Park, I was totally content to watch the day’s activities from the sidelines but was immediately bombarded with peer pressure to join the fun out on the track.
I did put up a gallant effort but eventually succumbed to the extreme peer pressure. Some day, I need to learn to JUST SAY NO!
Also, watching from the sidelines has never suited me too well!
After a quick prep job to the bike, I proceeded to join the boys on the track and clicked off over 35 laps on my Ducati 1098 S Tricolore. I wish you could have seen my ear-to-ear grin inside my helmet!
Has this long-dormant “need for speed” bug bitten me again? Has this most recent midlife crisis taken an abrupt turn of course? Time will tell.
I’m not sure who to blame; my boss for letting me bail out early on my first day back to the office or my good friends over at Ducati Indianapolis for forcing me out on the track.
Good friends can definitely be a bad influence!
See you all next week at redbullindianapolisgp.com.
Greg
Lets go racing…
When Mari Hulman George, chairman of the board of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, gave the most famous command in racing for the 91st Indianapolis 500, she said, “Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!” For the first time in the history of this event, “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” three women were among the 33 starters of this traditionally male-dominated race.
Several weeks ago I shared with you the track day experiences of Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) executive Mel Harder and the opportunity these types of events provide for many weekend warriors across the country. A motorcycle track day is a great opportunity for anyone who rides a bike, male or female, young or old, to get out on a closed course and experience a little taste of the competitive spirit of racing and the thrill of speed.
I’ve had several people ask me how to get involved in a track day event. Really all you need is a bike, a good full-face helmet, a set of one or two-piece leathers, a back protector, some over-the-ankle boots and some sturdy, gauntlet-style motorcycle gloves. A typical track day is set up with three different rider skill groups, beginner, intermediate and advanced. Most organizations will offer instruction and training sessions for track day beginners to help make your day an enjoyable learning experience.
If you are located in the Indianapolis area or anywhere in the mid-Great Lakes area, we have a great track located in Mount Meridian, Ind., Putnam Park Road Course. Check out their Web site and schedule for upcoming motorcycle track day events: www.putnampark.com.
A quick check shows an event coming up the weekend of July 26-27, sponsored by Sportbike Track Time. Our local Ducati dealership, Ducati Indianapolis, is co-sponsoring a track day on Monday, July 28. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Monday than skipping out of work and experiencing the thrill of speed at the Putnam Park road course! I’m sure your boss would understand.
So, ladies and gentlemen, start your own engines and let’s get geared up and go racing at the next motorcycle track day in your neck of the woods.
See you all next week at redbullindianapolisgp.com.
Greg