The Official Blog of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Donald Davidson talks about race morning, 2010

A dog in the car?

Donald Davidson discusses Mario Andretti’s win in 1969

Donald Davidson discusses Timing and Scoring in 1926

3:51 p.m. CONGRATULATIONS TO DANI PEDROSA WINNER OF THE 2010 RED BULL INDIANAPOLIS GP!

Top 3:

1. Dani Pedrosa (SPAIN)
2. Ben Spies (USA)
3. Jorge Lorenzo (SPAIN)

Nicky Hayden placed 6th.

3:36 p.m.- Colin Edwards is out now and  Mika Kallio takes a long slide in Turn 10, retiring him from the race.

3:27 p.m.- Ducati Team is down- Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden has a loose knee slider- currently in 6th. Marco Mandri is out. Ben Spies is in second and Dani Pedrosa is in first and has a pretty good lead on the pack.

3:00 p.m.-2010 Red Bull Indianapolis GP !!

2:32 p.m.- Red Bull Sky Divers! Land in the infield:

1. Toni Elias
2. Julian Simone
3. Scott Redding

Toni gets sprayed!

1:14 p.m.-Fan of the Day: The 2010 Red Bull Indianapolis GP Fan of the Day is Monica Condict! We found her out in front of the Yamaha Tent, sporting her Yamaha shirt.

First time at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

Monica’s first experience was at the inagural race 3 years ago when there was  huge rainstorm. “I just remember how fast Rossi was going [in the rain]. I can’t believe they didn’t stop the race!”

Favorite Rider and why:

Monica’s favorite rider is Valentino Rossi. “I just like his attitude and he rides a Yamaha!” Monica also rides a Yamaha, a yellow and pastel blue 1973 RD 350.

Favorite Indiananpolis GP memory:

She said watching the inagural race in the rain, having to go get panchos and then driving home in the rain on her bike was most memorable.

What would you like to see next year at the race:

Monica was happy to have the race come back to Indy next year. For those who have never been to a MotoGP race, Monica says, “You can’t even imagine it until you’ve seen it in person!”

11:03 p.m.- Another Ducati Fashion show kicking off at Ducati Island NOW until 11:30. Complete schedule of events happening at Ducati Island located: here.

10:26 a.m.- Camping Lots: We got to talk to some campers out in Camping Lots this morning, which was packed with hardcore race fans. Two guys we met rode down from Chicago on their bikes, with all their camping necessities -tent, clothes, sleeping bag and even a phone charger that hooked up to the bike’s battery! It reminded us of backpacking, but on a motorcycle- pretty cool. Other fans had more ellaborate set-ups including cars, RV’s etc. We snapped a few photos, check it out. Might be something to consider next year! Camped here before? Let us know what you think!

9:40 a.m.- MotoGP Warm  up has begun! Rossi drops it and is now back on track- Third time he has fallen all weekend.

7:00 a.m.- GATES ARE OPEN! Looks like it will be another beautiful day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP!! Warm up for MotoGP starts at 9:40 a.m.

Tickets are still available Race Morning! Fans wanting to attend the race need to go to the ticket office at the corner of 16th Street and Georgetown Road or to one of the satellite ticket offices, located outside of Gates 3, 6, 9,10 and on the Backstretch . Tickets start at $40 for general admission for Race Day. All children 12 and under will be admitted free with a general admission ticket holder. All ticket offices will open at 7 a.m. and remain open until 3 p.m.

6:01 p.m.- Not sure what you’re doing tonight, but if you have no plans, head downtown for Motorcycles on Meridian. Downtown Indy is transformed by hundreds of motorcycles, a party atmosphere and people everywhere. See you down there. It kicks off at 7pm.

5:45 p.m.- PHOTOS ARE IN FROM QUALS! Take a look: here. Can’t believe two Americans will start on the front row tomorrow- Ben Spies and Nicky Hayden! The last time two American riders were on the front row for a MotoGP race was the Grand Prix of Portugal in 2006, when Colin Edwards qualified second and Nicky Hayden third.

5:05 p.m.-Contest Concludes: The answer was 1,888 motorcyles parked on the backstretch at IMS today! Wow! The 1,888th bike was owned by Russell Stephen from Martinsville, Indiana, who rode in on a 2006 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14. The bike had 50k miles on it already!

4:53 p.m.- Enjoy some live music on this perfect afternoon. Crash with Yamaha World Superbike Rider James Toseland will start playing in a few, on the SPEED Stage.

4:23 p.m.- Contest Time: Hope you are following us on Twitter @IndyTalk and friends with us on Facebook! Right now we are running a contest to see who can guess how many motorcycles have been parked on the backstretch today. Let you know how many motorcyles there were and who won by the end of the day!

3:30 p.m.- Ducati Fashion Show on Ducati Island! Super cool.

2:55 p.m.- Quals Fast Five:

1. Ben Spies
2. Jorge Lorenzo
3. Nicky Hayden
4. Andrea Dovizioso
5. Dani Pedrosa

Two Americans on the front row- Spies and Hayden! Crashes by “The Doctor” -Valentino Rossi and Marco Simoncelli. The crowd cheers the riders in, beautiful day at the track by the way- not a cloud in the sky!

1:25 p.m.- Monster Umbrella Girls: We love Umbrella Girls! We got the chance to talk with Leslie and Savanna two Monster Umbrella Girls, here is what they had to say about their job:

What is your favorite part about your job?

“We like interacting with the fans and ‘Umbrella Girl’ is a cool title to have.”

Does that umbrella get heavy?

“YES, it can get really heavy and sometimes the wind blows us around so it’s harder to hold.”

Favorite riders?

“Ben Spies and Colin Edwards.” -Both riders for Monster of course!

These Monster girls were not scary at all, so hope you will stop by and grab a photo with them!

12:12 p.m.- Fan of the Day: Mike Gunn’s mohawk reminded us of rider Nicky Hayden and when we saw his hair-do near the SPEED stage we took the opportunity to interview him for Fan of the Day. Meet Mike Gunn:

When was your first experience at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

Gunn’s first experience was last year for the Red Bull Indianapolis Motor GP. He said he had such a great time, he was back again this year for more.

Favorite Rider and why:

“I like Ben Spies and Nicky Hayden, cause they are two American riders.” We asked if his hair was inspired by Nicky and to our surprise he said it wasn’t- Mohawks must just be in!

Favorite Indiananpolis GP memory:

Gunn explained his favorite memory was going to Motorcycles on Meridian downtown last year. He explained how he really enjoyed the overall atmosphere. Gunn is a rider himself- 2008 Wazi FR1 – white in color just like Spies.

What would you like to see next year at the race:

Gunn wanted to see new bikes released before the race, so then they could show them off on event weekend.

11:16 p.m.-MotoGP Fast Five after Practice Two:

1. Casey Stoner
2. Dani Pedrosa
3. Andrea Dovizioso
4. Jorge Lorenzo
5. Nicky Hayden

Top nine with all within one second of eachother! Crashes during this practice occured by Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi.

8:14 a.m.- Hope everyone had fun at Motorcycles on Meridian last night. We had a blast, we met so many cool people and saw plently of amazing bikes- It is great to see people so passionate. We loved hanging out at the Red Bull Energy Station and got to listen to live music by Crash.

Meridian Street was full of bikes before 10 o’clock and swarming with people, incredible! Funs not over yet though, Motorcycles on Meridian will be happening again tonight same time and place: click here for more information. We interviewed lots of riders and will post the video as soon as possible! Stay tuned! To tide you over, check out these amazing photos on our Flickr page.

5:01 p.m.- TGIF! It’s Friday night and the work whistle has blown! Not for us though, we will be downtown for Motorcycles on Meridian and live music by Crash (7 p.m. to 3 a.m.) So bring your bike and come hang out with us, it’s going to be a lot of fun. Meridian Street will be open to motorcycle traffic and parking between Monument Circle and South Street. Hope to see you or your bike there.

3:52 p.m.- New pictures are rolling in from our photographers, pretty cool stuff. Check them out here.

3:07 p.m.- Top Five Riders after the First Practice:

1. Casey Stoner
2. Jorge Lorenzo
3. Nicky Hayden
4. Dani Pedrosa
5. Valentino Rossi

Two crashes in this session one by Nicky Hayden and the other by Ben Spies. Moto2 practice kicks off now!

2:48 p.m.- During the first practice Ben Spies, lays the bike down in turn six. Whoops!

1:45 p.m.- MotoGP bikes go on the track in 10 minutes! Check out the Live Timing and Scoring!  Live timing and Scoring

1:24 p.m.- Want to know how to race a motorcyle on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway circuit? Kevin Schwantz, the famous American motorcycle racer and 1993  MotoGP World Champion, talks you through it in this video:

12:47 p.m.-Beautiful day at the track, sun is shining and the weather is fine! We ran into Tom Davis on the backstretch applying suntan lotion in the Motorcycle Corral, wearing his MotoGP gear and motorcycle necklace. We thought everyone should meet him-he is today’s Fan of the Day!

When was your first experience at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

First experience was in 1980 for the Indy500, but he has been to every MotoGP race at Indianapolis.

Favorite Rider and why:

Tom’s favorite rider is Nicky Hayden, because “He lives down the street, seems like everyone else is from Europe.”

Favorite Indiananpolis GP memory:

“The first race when Hurricane Ike came rolling through, it was something you wouldn’t believe!”  Tom is talking about the inaugural race at Indianapolis when there was a huge rainstorm- but these bikers ride rain or shine!

What would you like to see next year at the race:

“Well you asked- better parking!”

10:47 a.m.- The Pit Walkabout was smashed, great crowd! Take a look at some photos from our morning at the track here.

9:23 a.m.- Welcome to the Red Bull Indianapolis GP Live Blog! We will be keeping you posted on all the latest activities and behind the scenes content we can pump out! Speaking of content- There are a lot of cool things happening around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indianapolis in general for MotoGP. The city is practically motorcycle crazy!

Want to know the minute by minute schedule: click here. Right now the Pit Walkabout is underway until 10:45 a.m. and the Vendor Marketplace is open until 6:00 p.m. Oh yea, make sure you bring your bikes down to Motorcycles on Meridian tonight-starts at 7:00 p.m.

Colin Edwards, a Houston native nicknamed “The Texas Tornado,” will offer candid insight about his performance, competitors and life in the exciting world of MotoGP motorcycle racing before every event in 2010 in “Tornado Warning.” It’s the third consecutive season in which Edwards will offer this exclusive insight for www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com.

Two-time World Superbike champion Edwards, 36, is in his eighth year of MotoGP competition, riding this season for Monster Yamaha Tech 3. Edwards and the rest of the MotoGP riders will continue the season Sunday, Aug. 29 at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (3 p.m. ET, Aug. 29, SPEED).

The colorful Edwards will compete in the third annual Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 27-29 at IMS along with fellow American MotoGP stars Nicky Hayden and Ben Spies, and MotoGP superstars Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo.

[More]

Donald Davidson discusses Bobby Rahal’s win in 1986

There have been two common denominators during the first two years of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP at IMS — great racing and rain.

Who can forget Race Day at the inaugural event in 2008? Remnants of Hurricane Ike decided to pay a visit right around midday, and torrential rain and 60-mph winds came along for the ride. It was surreal to see motorcycles race at 180 mph in those conditions, but it was wet for fans. Really wet.

Rain also was part of the race weekend in 2009, as riders turned laps in light to moderate rain throughout the first day of on-track action.

Anyone who follows MotoGP motorcycle racing knows that rain is part of the deal at some point of the season. The teams slap grooved rain tires on the bikes, and the show goes on. But the rain still can be a bummer for fans more accustomed to the sun-splashed experience of a day at the track in May for the Indianapolis 500 or July for the Brickyard 400.

Well, in honor of the late, great George Harrison, here comes the sun, race fans. The weather looks beautiful for all three days of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP at IMS.

The IMS Public Relations department is required to post an advance weather forecast for media in the Media Center, and I was stoked this morning to pin this bulletin on the board:

EVENT WEEKEND FORECAST

Friday:                          Clear, sunny skies. High near 83° F (28° C). Low near 56° F (13° C).

Saturday:                    Clear, sunny skies. High near 85° F (29° C). Low near 61° F (16° C).

Sunday:                        Clear, sunny skies. High near 90° F (32° C). Low near 63° F (17° C).

It doesn’t get much better than that. So keep the raincoats and rubber boots at home, pack the sunscreen, hat and cooler, and head out to the track for some insane MotoGP racing action this weekend! It’s just 10 bucks Friday, 20 bucks Saturday, and general admission tickets start at 40 bucks for Sunday.

The infield mounds are a great place to work on your tan, sip a beverage of choice and see motorcycle riders skim just inches off the ground at ridiculous speeds. Head to www.imstix.com, and we’ll see you at the track!

It’s finally here: Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP weekend!  As you know, for each race weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway we like to feature a “Fan of the Day.” For this race, we decided to make a special edition Fan of the Day…just cause! So we polled our video gamer fans to find the best MotoGP gamer and ultimate IMS fan. How’d we do that?

First, we polled our social network audiences and then polled the Capcom Forum to find the best gamers. Basically, we asked “Who is the best gamer for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway course and why?”…pretty straight forward, right? And you answered!  Today we feature the first installment of Fan of the Day…with a Gamer of the Day twist. Meet Jeremy from Manchester, Tennessee:

When was your first experience at Indianapolis Motor Speedway? “The 2009 Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP”

Who is your favorite Rider and why? “Ben Spies: He’s a phenomenal rider with a great attitude, and seems to be the most competitive American rider in the field.  If anybody is going to put America on the top step of the podium it will be him.”

What is your favorite Indiananpolis MotoGP memory? “The 2009 Red Bull Indianapolis GP.  We stayed all weekend and had a blast.  Beautiful weather at a great facility and the fastest bikes in the world.  What could be better?”

What would you like to see at the MotoGP next year? “There isn’t much I can think of that isn’t there already.  An American victor would be nice, for sure.”

GAMER QUESTIONS

Favorite bike game: MotoGP 08 Why: It is a very fun game with very realistic power slides.  It really feels like you’re on edge.

Favorite console: PS3 Why: It is capable of better graphics than any other console, free online, bluray player, great exclusive games, more exclusive games, built-in wi-fi.

What do you like best about racing on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in MotoGP 08: The technical nature of the circuit.  It is a very demanding layout that forces you to really be on your game to make a good lap.

Think you have what it takes to be Gamer of the Day? Tell us why!

Talking about W.D. Hawkes