The second of two races taking place on American soil this season will be held this Sunday at one of the most revered motorsport venues in the world, the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway, whose distinctive layout places significant demands on Bridgestone MotoGP™ tyres. Read more.
Archive for August 15th, 2012
(NEWS RELEASE)
INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012 – Yamaha Factory Racing rider Ben Spies is one of five Americans who will compete in MotoGP class at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 17-19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Spies, 28, from Longview, Texas, is in his third full season in MotoGP. He has recorded two career podium finishes at Indianapolis, placing second in 2010 with Tech 3 Yamaha and third in 2011 with Yamaha Factory Racing. He also won the pole in 2010 at IMS.
Spies was the 2010 MotoGP Rookie of the Year after winning the World Superbike championship in 2009. He won three consecutive AMA Superbike titles in America from 2006-08 before moving to the world stage.
Q: How has your summer break gone? Any time for interesting vacation spots or fun?
BEN SPIES: I have really just been enjoying being back at the house and seeing friends and family and catching up on what I have missed the last few months. I have had a good break so far, and I am ready to get back to racing.
Q: You have won a pole and finished on the podium twice in three career starts at Indy. What about this track suits you riding style or the Yamaha package so well?
SPIES: I think it is a combination, but it also seems to suit my style pretty well. There are a lot of left and right turns where it is pretty physical, and my size helps me out quite a bit. And this year I am looking more forward to it, seeing that Yamaha is a really good bike and we have a lot more power than we have had the last couple of years against the other bikes. We are a lot more competitive and looking forward to a good weekend and trying to get on the podium again.
Q: This season has been a tough one and some weird things have happened: broken sub-frame, broken swingarm, broken helmet visor and food poisoning. Have you ever had a season during your career with so many strange things going on?
SPIES: No. This has definitely been the worst season so far. But it can only go on so long, and we have been putting together some decent results. And when we have been in position, we would have put in some decent results if we hadn’t had failures and basically out of anybody’s control. Out of the tires, we had a broken seat in the first round and then a swingarm that broke and then the visor problem that I had. It is a lot of problems that are no one’s real fault, and it has been a lot of bad luck, and we have also showed good potential, too. So I think when it comes together, we can be right there.
Q: Is it safe to say that you are more relaxed entering Indy than at any race in 2012 because you announced before Laguna that you were leaving Yamaha after this season and because this has been a really good track for you, a good place to turn around your year?
SPIES: I knew before the announcement came out it was a decision that I had made a while ago, and I know change can be good sometimes, and that is what I wanted. I have a few things on the table, but we are waiting to see which is the best option for next year. I wanted to get that out of the way, and I knew I wasn’t going to be staying there next year, and I have had good memories and good races with Yamaha, and it is nothing against them. I just didn’t think that we have been matching very well or working well together, and I want to be in a good environment for everybody, and that is why I made the decision and got it off my chest. Now I don’t have to worry about anything, and I can just go out and get on the bike and ride.
Q: Riders often talk about a boost from racing at home. Do you feel it? Is the sensation even more pronounced at Indy because of the history here?
SPIES: Yes, for sure. Going to Indy, I mean, it’s Indianapolis. It has the bricks and everything, and it has all the history. When you go there and it is your home crowd, you always hope your best race is your home race. Sometimes it is not always like that, but you always want to put it on for the fans. You have the fans, and even though there are so many riders out there and so many other riders that they respect, you want yourself up there the most, and you can feel it, for sure. When you are in practice sessions and you pull off the side to do your practice start and all the fans are just jumping and hollering, it gives you that satisfaction, and you want to come through for them.
Q: It seems that the Yamaha M1 has adjusted to the new Bridgestone tires better than the Honda or the Ducati this season. What about the bike has helped it blend better with the tires than your rivals?
SPIES: That is something that no one really knows because there has been so many changes with the tires this year and the 1000cc’s. It has just been kind of a shot in the dark, and it seems like our bike is more consistent with them. I wouldn’t say it is better, but I would say it is more consistent and it works pretty well. But we have also had our fair share of problems with them, too, and I think everyone has had some trouble.
Q: Do you have a timetable for announcing your 2013 plans?
SPIES: Yes, I know when I will announce something and when I announce it. Everybody will know, and then I am not going to feed any more rumors or get anything started. I am just going to wait on it and keep people wondering a little bit.
Q: You are different than some riders in that you have many outside interests. You own and ride for a pro cycling team. You are an owner of a popular restaurant in Dallas. Did this wider perspective help you feel more comfortable with you decision to leave a factory ride with Yamaha? Your motorcycle racing career is going to continue in 2013, but you also realize there’s more to life than motorcycle racing?
SPIES: Motorcycles aren’t the only thing. That comes in with not just the property that I do. I have a buddy, and we invest and we build houses. I have a couple restaurants now and with the cycling team and trying to get my hand in a couple of other things. But just realizing that due to family and other things like that, racing is my job, but it’s not the first thing, and it is not the most important thing in life. Not many riders realize that until it is almost too late, and they have wasted a lot of what could have been. I have realized that pretty early and taking as much of advantage as I can.
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Tickets: Tickets for the 2012 Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP event, scheduled for Aug. 17-19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, are on sale now at www.imstix.com, by calling (800) 822-INDY or (317) 492-6700 or by visiting the IMS Ticket Office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.
Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.
Information on camping at IMS during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP is available at www.imstix.com. Hotel package information can be found at www.visitindy.com/redbull.
IMS once again will provide multiple gear check locations for Red Bull Indianapolis GP fans to check helmets, leathers and any other motorcycle gear at the track. Fans can place any gear in plastic bags to be securely stored and picked up upon exiting the facility for the day, and a gear check location in the Vendor Marketplace will allow fans to store any large purchases made during the day. The gear check service is free and available all three days of the event.
(NEWS RELEASE)
PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association has announced the men’s and women’s teams for the 2012 Trial des Nations in Moutier, Switzerland, on Sept. 30.
The U.S. men’s team will include riders Cody Webb from Royal Oaks, Calif., Bryan Roper from Glendale, Ariz., Karl Davis Jr. from Ormond Beach, Fla., and Eric Storz from Ventura, Calif. For the U.S. women’s team, the competitors are Louise Forsley from Bernardston, Mass., Caroline Allen from Norton, Mass., and Rachel Hassler from Albuquerque, N.M.
The team will be managed by Kip Webb. Martin Belair will serve as the delegate to the hosting nation’s FIM affiliate organization.
“MotoTrials is one of motorcycling’s most enduring disciplines, and its popularity is growing,” said AMA Off-Road Manager Chuck Weir. “Events such as the Trial des Nations play a key role in that popularity by bringing together the best trials riders in the world. It is an honor for AMA racers to compete at this event, and we’re looking forward to a strong showing in Switzerland this September.”
Webb said the bar is high at the Trial des Nations but that the American squad has what it takes to compete.
“The Trial des Nations is a fantastic opportunity for our American riders to compete on a truly international level,” Webb said. “The experience gained from this competition proves invaluable for our riders, helping them improve their skills as well as bringing home new techniques that are shared with other American riders furthering advancement.”
The sport of trials involves riders navigating their motorcycles over seemingly impossible terrain. The Trial des Nations began in Europe in 1983 as a way to bring the best trials riders from each country together to compete as teams, and it has evolved into one of the most anticipated motorcycle events of the year. Each competing country fields two teams: a men’s team consisting of four riders and a women’s team consisting of three riders.
About the American Motorcyclist Association
Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists’ interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations, and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the AMA honors the heroes and the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.
(NEWS RELEASE)
INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012 – Fans attending the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on August 17-19 are encouraged to plan for heavy traffic and follow the KNOW YOUR ZONE driving routes and parking program established by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Fans should plan their routes ahead of time for an easier, more efficient drive to the track. The KNOW YOUR ZONE program is designed to help Speedway guests identify the best driving routes to parking lots located near their respective seating locations.
Fans attending the three-day Red Bull Indianapolis GP at IMS will find infield parking limited due to the road-course setup used for the event. Fans wanting to park within the 2 ½-mile oval are encouraged to enter from 30th Street and enter the North Tunnel Gate/Gate 10, where they will be directed to park in the infield near Turn 3 of the oval. This includes all motorcycle traffic, except for fans riding motorcycles with reserved seats who purchased parking passes for the IMS Hall of Fame Museum parking lot. All parking lots north of 25th Street along Georgetown Road will be closed for this event.
The track opens at 7 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 19 for the for the Moto3 race at 11 a.m., the Moto2 race at 12:20 p.m., the Red Bull Indianapolis GP at 2 p.m. and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series race at 3:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to leave early Sunday to arrive at IMS in time to experience pre-race activities and the start of the races.
“All Roads Lead to Indy” driving routes have been created by the Indiana State Police and match KNOW YOUR ZONE colors at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
•Orange: The southern end of IMS.
•Red: The northern end of IMS.
•Green: Between the Orange (southern) and Red (northern) zones.
For more information about the KNOW YOUR ZONE program, including details about special ticket and parking packages, visit www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/knowyourzone.
Eastbound U.S. 136 will have two lanes of through traffic and a designated left-turn lane to northbound I-465 and westbound I-74. Westbound Crawfordsville Road will have two lanes of through traffic and a designated left-turn lane to southbound I-465.
IMS officials, INDOT and law enforcement officials want fans to be aware of new ramp configurations where Interstate 74 and U.S. 136/Crawfordsville Road meet the I-465 loop. I-74 no longer ends at Crawfordsville Road, as the former cloverleaf exit has been redesigned since last year’s race to provide safer, higher-speed ramps connecting I-74 with I-465. To view an illustration of the new interchange, please visit www.Accelerate465.in.gov.
INDOT encourages visitors to follow posted signs. On Race Day, INDOT’s Traffic Management Center will advise race fans for the safest and quickest route to the track via lighted dynamic message signs. Motorists who choose to exit I-465 or I-74 directly into Speedway should follow the signs to the new U.S. 136/Crawfordsville Road ramps, which are controlled by signalized intersections.
Drivers can learn the locations of work zones and highway restrictions by calling INDOT’s TrafficWise at 1-800-261-ROAD (7623) or viewing an online map at www.TrafficWise.IN.gov. The Indiana State Police will offer updates on traffic and parking on Twitter: @indstatepolice, and Facebook at: Indiana State Police – Public Information Office.
No coolers larger than 14 inches by 14 inches by 14 inches can be brought into the facility during any of the three days of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP.
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Tickets: Tickets for the 2012 Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP event, scheduled for Aug. 17-19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, are on sale now at www.imstix.com, by calling (800) 822-INDY or (317) 492-6700 or by visiting the IMS Ticket Office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.
Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.
Information on camping at IMS during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP is available at www.imstix.com. Hotel package information can be found at www.visitindy.com/redbull.
IMS once again will provide multiple gear check locations for Red Bull Indianapolis GP fans to check helmets, leathers and any other motorcycle gear at the track. Fans can place any gear in plastic bags to be securely stored and picked up upon exiting the facility for the day, and a gear check location in the Vendor Marketplace will allow fans to store any large purchases made during the day. The gear check service is free and available all three days of the event.
(NEWS RELEASE)
INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012 – Rock music performers Jasmine Cain and Brent James & The Contraband will team up with local pop/rock singer Lynda Sayyah to entertain fans Friday, Aug. 17 and Saturday, Aug. 18 as a prelude to the 2012 Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Sunday, Aug. 19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
A native of Sturgis, S.D., Cain has become a leading figure for female rock performers in the motorcycle culture, serving as the headliner for the Easyriders Bike Show & Rodeo for three consecutive years. Cain has also served as the main act at the Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, which is featured nationally in a television series airing on TruTV.
Cain is the songwriter, lead vocalist and bass player for her band that has produced three self-released albums: “The Inside” in 2004, “Lock & Keys” in 2008 and “Highway Prophet” in 2011.
Named the Just Plain Folks Music Association’s 2009 Female Artist of the Year and awarded the JPF 2009 Song of the Year for “Give Me Love,” Cain was named Nashville’s Music City Mayhem Female Rock Vocalist of the Year in 2011 and 2012.
Cain will perform from 1-2:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, and from 10:30-a.m.-noon Saturday, Aug. 18 the 6th Street Stage in the IMS infield near the Interactive Display Area.
Indianapolis’ Lynda Sayyah will perform from 3:15-4:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17 on the 6th Street Stage. She has an impressive five-octave singing range and is often compared to superstars Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera.
Sayyah appeared on the CW4’s first episode of “The Next Pussycat Doll” and has collaborated with rapper Hum V. in producing their single, “Look In My Eyes,” that was formerly the No. 1 requested single on Indianapolis Top-40 radio stations. Sayyah speaks English, Spanish and Arabic and plans on releasing albums in all three languages.
Brent James & The Contraband will bring its classic rock sounds to the 6th Street Stage from 4-5:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18.
An up-and-coming rock performer and songwriter, James won the top prize in 2010 at the Broadcast Music, Inc., Florida Music Festival in Orlando, and has been featured on Crazed Hits, Enemy Radio and ReverbNation. James has spent this summer writing songs and touring with Papa Roach, Hinder, Alice Cooper, Stone Temple Pilots and Candlebox.
The concerts are included in the regular $20 general admission for the RBIGP practice session Friday, Aug. 17 and qualifying Saturday, Aug. 18. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult.
***
Tickets: Tickets for the 2012 Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP event, scheduled for Aug. 17-19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, are on sale now at www.imstix.com, by calling (800) 822-INDY or (317) 492-6700 or by visiting the IMS Ticket Office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.
Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.
Information on camping at IMS during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP is available at www.imstix.com. Hotel package information can be found at www.visitindy.com/redbull.
IMS once again will provide multiple gear check locations for Red Bull Indianapolis GP fans to check helmets, leathers and any other motorcycle gear at the track. Fans can place any gear in plastic bags to be securely stored and picked up upon exiting the facility for the day, and a gear check location in the Vendor Marketplace will allow fans to store any large purchases made during the day. The gear check service is free and available all three days of the event.
In an interview with official Australian MotoGP™ broadcaster Ten, reigning World Champion Casey Stoner has criticised Valentino Rossi and his crew chief Jeremy Burgess for not turning Ducati’s fortunes around like they had promised. Read more.
And a link to the source article:
http://tensport.com.au/news/newsarticles/Motor-Racing-Stoner-launces-MotoGP-attack-on-Rossi.htm
(NEWS RELEASE)
On the Road Maintenance During Cannonball Run 2010. (Felicia Morgan Photo)
Here’s a fun once in a lifetime chance. Visit the National Motorcycle Museum on Monday evening September 10 and see over 75 pre-1930 antique motorcycles fresh from 1000 plus miles on the road!
The Cannonball Run 2012 starts in Newburgh, New York and finishes in San Francisco, California. Riders will log over 3500 miles on their way west, and you can stop by the National Motorcycle Museum and check their progress. Watch as riders make adjustments, lubricate and take care of any unexpected mechanical problems. No trailer queens; these bikes made in Europe, England and America are mechanically restored and ready for the long haul. They will be ridden in the ways of the great Erwin “Cannonball” Baker who set the record of 11 days+ in 1914 on his Indian, earning him the nickname.
At the same time you can take in the host site, the National Motorcycle Museum and the new Allstate Motorcycle Quarter MileStones drag racing exhibit and the Then Came Bronson tribute display. And enjoy over 420 great motorcycles from around the world, a vast collection of memorabilia, plus over a thousand pieces of graphic art like posters, paintings and photos, even a Board Track display and a restored 1920’s Gasoline Station. www.nationalmcmuseum.org
Matt Olsen and the 1928 Harley-Davidson JD he is restoring to ride 3500+ miles, New York to California. (Photo by Miss Brittney)
Also in Anamosa, Iowa:
Saturday, September 8 – East Central Iowa Sidecar Association Rally on the National Motorcycle Museum Grounds
Sunday, September 9 – Anamosa Hillclimb just a mile down the road from the National Motorcycle Museum
Cruise into the National Motorcycle Museum located at 102 Chamber Drive in Anamosa, Iowa. Experience the extensive display of over 420 motorcycles from around the world as well as thousands of photographs, posters, motorcycle memorabilia, a collection of antique toys and bicycles, even a restored 1920’s Shell gasoline station.
The Museum is open seven days a week the year around. Museum members are admitted free. Becoming a member is quick and easy. Admission is $8.00 except during special events. Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. The National Motorcycle Museum is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation. For more information, email us at museum@nationalmcmuseum.org or call 319 462 3925. Plan your visit to the Museum on the web at www.nationalmcmuseum.org
(NEWS RELEASE)
DENVER, Colo. (August 15, 2012) – As if you needed another reason to check out the world-class karting facility at NOLA Motorsports Park, you now have the chance to win a free ticket to check out the first professional motorsports event scheduled on the track’s 2.25-mile road course. From now until October 4, 2012, each karting participant will be entered into a daily drawing for a free ticket to the M1 PowerSports-promoted GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing finale, the Triumph Big Kahuna New Orleans presented by Dunlop Tire and LeoVince (October 5 – 7, 2012).
“The Kart Center and NOLA Motorsports Park is one of the coolest tracks I’ve ever raced on,” said Cameron Gray, CEO of M1 PowerSports. “In fact, I think some of the AMA Pro riders were riding harder on the kart track than they were on the road course when we raced on it in June. As the first major event that will be hosted at the track, we want to make sure that all of the racing enthusiasts in the New Orleans area know about the event and are able to come check it out.”
Each day, the NOLA Motorsports Park Kart Center staff will select a winner at random from the previous day’s list of participants. Once contacted, the winner will have one week to pick up their Triumph Big Kahuna New Orleans 3-Day Ticket otherwise the opportunity will be forfeited. The NOLA Motorsports Park Kart Center offers karting options for everyone, from daily rentals to race series. For more information on the Kart Center, please visit http://www.nolamotor.com/karting/.
For tickets and information about the Big Kahuna Miami, scheduled for September 21 – 23, 2012 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla., visit http://www.m1powersports.com/big-kahuna-miami/. For tickets and information about the Big Kahuna New Orleans, scheduled for October 5 – 7, 2012 as the first professional motorsports event at NOLA Motorsports Park in New Orleans, La., visit http://www.m1powersports.com/big-kahuna-new-orleans/.
About M1 PowerSports, formerly M1 Entertainment: A Denver-based company, M1 PowerSports has been working in motorsports for over 16 years. Originally spawned from Daniels Corporation under the name FAST, the fledgling company was heavily involved in television production for car and motorcycle racing. With the birth of Speedvision, FAST morphed into Race Promotion Management (RPM) and is now operating as M1 PowerSports with many of the same staff still in place. We still sell advertising for Speed, sell merchandise under the brand Moto 1 and promote our own events, keeping us busy year-round! For more information, please call 303-377-3278 or email info@m1powersports.com.
(NEWS RELEASE)
Limited edition poster will be sold at the event and online.
Scott Jones Photography of Oakland, CA has commemorated both of these memorable moments in a limited-edition poster print with matching images of both rides, together with a printed Kenny Roberts signature.
(INDIANAPOLIS) The legendary Lucas Oil Indy Mile AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National at the legendary Indy Mile track at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Indiana has produced some of motorcycle racing’s classic moments. Kenny Roberts’ 1975 Indy Mile come-from-behind win aboard the “too tough to tame” Yamaha TZ750 is among the most famous. In 2009, Roberts re-created that historic ride in a thrilling exhibition run that brought the thousands on hand to their feet.
Scott Jones Photography of Oakland, CA has commemorated both of these memorable moments in a limited-edition poster print with matching images of both rides, together with a printed Kenny Roberts signature. On Saturday, August 18, 2012, at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile, a limited number of these prints will be available for sale for $20. The prints will also be available online at www.IndyMile.com while supplies last. Only 1000 will be printed, and never printed again.
The image of the 1975 ride is shown in black and white. It was made by Bert Shepard. The color image beside it was made by Scott Jones at the 2009 Indy Mile when Roberts’ “ceremonial” laps turned into blazing hot laps aboard the screaming TZ750. The poster prints are 32” x 16” and suitable for framing.
For those interested in a limited-edition of 50 prints hand-signed by Kenny Roberts, Scott Jones Photography may be contacted at http://bit.ly/KRrides. These special prints are Giclée canvas gallery wraps (canvas stretched around a wooden frame with black paper backing and wire hanging hardware installed), ready for display upon delivery.
The Lucas Oil Indy Mile returns as a featured event of the Indiana State Fair, and again coincides with the Red Bull Indianapolis GP weekend. Activities will be begin with gates opening at 2:00pm, timed-qualifying from 3:00pm-5:00pm, opening ceremonies 7:00pm with the first race at 7:30pm.