Sept. 12-14
For tickets: 800-822-INDY,
317-492-6700 or at the IMS Ticket Office in the Administration Building at 4790 W. 16th St.
www.indianapolismotorspeedway.org

Qatar. Shanghai. Le Mans. Catalunya. San Marino. Sepang. Indianapolis. Sharing the worldwide spotlight for the first time in MotoGP’s nearly 60-year history, Indianapolis Motor Speedway receives a visit from the elite motorcycle racing series in the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix Sept. 14. While some historians point out that motorcycles were actually the first vehicles to compete at the famed track in 1909, these purpose-built racing prototype bikes will compete on the newly reconfigured road course instead of the oval originally used for the Speedway’s first bike races 99 years ago.

The first ceremonial lap took place months ago when 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden set aside his Honda RC212V in favor of a 1909 Indian. But don’t expect this highly competitive series to produce a parade. Featuring the world’s top motorcycle manufacturers — such as Ducati, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha, Aprilia and KTM — MotoGP delivers dazzling displays of gravity-defying handling, dizzying cornering speeds and scintillating competition.

The basics

Sanctioned and supervised by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme since 1992, MotoGP is the oldest motorsport World Championship in existence. Its season features 18 Grands Prix in 14 countries.

Consisting of three categories, the races begin from a standing start according to qualifying times. Typical distances range from 95km to 130km, for a 40- to 45-minute sprint, with pit stops only for emergencies.

The three classifications are MotoGP for bikes with maximum engine displacement capacity of 800cc in four-stroke engines (reduced from 990cc in 2007); 250, an intermediate category with maximum engine displacement of 250cc in twin cylinder engines; and 125 with maximum engine displacement of 125cc in a single cylinder engine. Viewed as entry level, the minimum age for the 125 class is 15, with a maximum age of 28. Riders in the 250 class must be 16 and in the MotoGP class the minimum age is 18.

Ten teams currently participate in the MotoGP class, including the factory teams of Repsol Honda, represented by riders Hayden and Dani Pedrosa; Fiat Yamaha, with points leader and five-time world champion Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, reigning 250cc world title holder; and Ducati Marlboro, with reigning world champion Casey Stoner, who crashed out while leading at San Marino Aug. 31, and Marco Melandri.

The names

Longtime followers may recall the legends of the sport, such as nine-time world champion and later F1 driver “Mike-the-Bike” Hailwood and Americans Eddie Lawson, who won four titles in the 1980s, and Freddie Spencer, whose historic 1985 double title-winning (250cc and 500cc ) season has never been repeated.

Today’s riders are just as talented and memorable, but perhaps none more so than Rossi, a flamboyant Italian whose winning stats dwarf those of Formula One superstar Michael Schumacher. Nicknamed “The Doctor,” Rossi is renowned for his comic antics, an intense rivalry with Stoner, his florescent yellow helmet and stunning skill. He comes to Indianapolis fresh from three consecutive victories.