[Motopilot]

Motorcycles make test runs at Speedway


By Curt Cavin
curt.cavin@indystar.com
October 1, 2003


The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is hosting its first feasibility test of the American Motorcycle Association's Superbike division today, a sign that motorcycle racing could be held at the 2.6-mile road course as soon as 2004.

It is unclear when the Speedway would host the event, but it is possible that it could be during the Formula One weekend, which will be June 18-20.

Speedway president Tony George has been an advocate of staging a motorcycle race at the track since the road course was built for the U.S. Grand Prix in 2000. He has previously talked about bringing the AMA's World Superbike series to Indianapolis.

'This test will help determine if racing motorcycles there is even feasible on its road course,' said Scott Hollingsworth, CEO of the American Motorcycle Association.

Hollingsworth feels it’s possible that some modifications will have to be made to the current road course to accommodate motorcycle racing, according to the AMA Web site.

“In our inspection and conversations with the track, we’ve identified a couple of areas that we’ll need to look at closely,” said Hollingsworth. “Rider input will be invaluable in determining the viability of racing motorcycles at Indy.”


The motorcycles testing at the Speedway compete at several venues including those in Daytona, Fla.; Fontana, Calif.; and the new track in Birmingham, Ala.

The World Superbike series holds races at many of the tracks used by Formula One.

The series races once in the United States, at Laguna Seca, Calif., in July.

[luvtolean]

Curt Cavin seems awfully confused as to what the AMA and WSBK series are. I'm sure he'll figure it out when the check with a bunch of 0's show's up.

[Baketech]

Sounds like Haskovic and Zemke were the test riders....

A couple of short blurbs here:

Test Went Well - Austin Ducati

LAME Pictures

They must not have allowed the journos much access to the track for obvious reasons. These pictures could not have been taken from a worse vantage point......you've probably seen spy photos in R&T that look better.....LOL

[Baketech]

Oddly, the press releases from the Speedway keep re-iterating that this is the first time that they have tested bikes on the GP layout.....which as locals know, is totally false.

Here is an example from one of the local rags...
Quote The speedway calls it a feasibility test for a possible future race, but others can call it history. Today's test marks the first time that motorcycles have turned race-speed laps at the Speedway since seven motorcycle races were held there in 1909 - five days before its first automobile race.

[TAZ]

Baketech : Here is an example from one of the local rags...
Quote The speedway calls it a feasibility test for a possible future race, but others can call it history. Today's test marks the first time that motorcycles have turned race-speed laps at the Speedway since seven motorcycle races were held there in 1909 - five days before its first automobile race.

Yeah, but in 1909, 'race speeds' were like 50 mph!
Was the course even asphalt then?

[Baketech]

TAZ : Quote (Baketech @ Oct. 02 2003, 8:31am)Here is an example from one of the local rags...
Quote The speedway calls it a feasibility test for a possible future race, but others can call it history. Today's test marks the first time that motorcycles have turned race-speed laps at the Speedway since seven motorcycle races were held there in 1909 - five days before its first automobile race.

Yeah, but in 1909, 'race speeds' were like 50 mph!
Was the course even asphalt then?
Actually, I am talking about the road course, where there has been bike testing in recent years....

[deez]

Gp my ass, AMA or WSBK racing, but no GP.

[Baketech]

booth23 : Gp my ass, AMA or WSBK racing, but no GP.

Everybody knows that...

[Motopilot]

I beginning to think none of it will happen. Tony George doesn't sound too enthusiastic. Plus, does anyone think the lack of elevation changes makes for a mundane course?

[sweetonion]

Motopilot : I beginning to think none of it will happen. *Tony George doesn't sound too enthusiastic. *Plus, does anyone think the lack of elevation changes makes for a mundane course?

Maybe....but having to run around half the oval definitely does. IMO

[luvtolean]

sweetonion : Quote (Motopilot @ Oct. 02 2003, 7:49am)I beginning to think none of it will happen. *Tony George doesn't sound too enthusiastic. *Plus, does anyone think the lack of elevation changes makes for a mundane course?

Maybe....but having to run around half the oval definitely does. IMO
Yeah, but they already do that at Daytona and Fontana. *And the oval's really aren't all that safe IMO. *If you lose it as you climb up the oval, there's a hell of a lot of concrete wall...

[sweetonion]

luvtolean : Yeah, but they already do that at Daytona and Fontana. *And the oval's really aren't all that safe IMO. *If you lose it as you climb up the oval, there's a hell of a lot of concrete wall...

I agree, that won't stop them from doing it because, as you said, they already are. I just don't like it much. Look what happened to Aaron Gobert and company. My hope is that Barber will be successfull and spark more development of nice facilities. Speaking of which, what ever happened to Rousch Creek? They seem to have stalled in the construction. Maybe environmental issues or something.

[Baketech]

Quotes from the track:

Quote
Wednesday, October 1, 2003


VINCENT HASKOVEC (Austin Ducati Superbike): (On being the first rider in more than 90 years to ride a motorcycle at competitive speeds on the track): “Oh, man, it feels so special. To come in this place, it is unbelievable. I grew up 11,000 miles from here, and I know about the Indy 500. Everybody knows, all over the world. It is such an honor for me to be here and be the first guy to put a motorcycle on the track.” (On the IMS road course, facility in general): “This is a wonderful place. It’s on top of the speedways, top of the world. You come into this place with huge respect. It just completely filled my thoughts when we talked about coming here. It’s awesome, right here on the straightaway and start/finish line, and grandstands. You come in from the last corner and everything feels like you’re going through a tunnel, and it narrows down. It’s an enjoyable moment, definitely. Even the infield is free flowing. A lot of opportunity to pass, so it (could be) great racing.”



JAKE ZEMKE (Erion Honda Formula Xtreme): “I’ve always watched the Indy 500, Brickyard 400 and F1 race – watched all these races over the years, and I never thought getting the opportunity to ride around Indy on a motorcycle would ever happen. To be one of the first guys to do it is really something neat.” (Thoughts on the track, is it “motorcycle compatible?”): “Yeah, like I said, I’ve watched the F1 races here so I kind of had an idea of what the track was coming into it. The track is really good, really smooth. Having only one race here a year (on the road course), the track doesn’t get tore up. The surface is really smooth. The track’s really wide, which I think would definitely make for some good racing for the motorcycles, for sure. When you get a track that is that wide, there’s always the possibility for different lines through corners. If we have a race here, I think it would just be incredible.” (The oval portion and infield road course portion provide quite a contrast, in terms of speed. What’s your favorite part of the track?): “For us, it’s different because the infield’s so tight. I was in first and second (gears) through the whole infield – just third gear on the infield back straightaway. Then the rest of the track, the last couple corners coming onto the Speedway and the straightaway, it’s just fast as you can go on these things. It’s a pretty different mix between the two, but I think for as far as a road course inside of a speedway, it’s incredible. For the amount of runoff they have in all the corners and the gravel traps, it’s something you don’t see a lot. Especially for courses inside a speedway, you run out of room a lot, so to have a track that has that much runoff room inside a speedway is impressive.”

[BDA116]

Take a look at Miguel's history. Oval tracks are why one leg is shoter than the other.
Sure he is a Daytona master, but ovals have cost him two AMA Superbike titles and almost his career (and life).
I wish they wouldn't run at any of them, Daytona included, but there's too much money to ignore by racing these venues.

[Baketech]

FWIW....MGP already panned the track due to runoff requirements in 2 of the turns, most notably where the road course comes onto the oval.

It was a moot point of course, because even with a record setting crowd, an MGP event could not afford to open the hot dog stands let alone the track facilities....

In the early stages, the Speedway entertained the idea of modifying the course. It fell apart once they started talking about the estimated fan base.....

[deez]

Baketech : Quote (booth23 @ Oct. 02 2003, 9:32am)Gp my ass, AMA or WSBK racing, but no GP.

Everybody knows that...
And knowing is half the battle, GIJOE

[Latebraking]

Uhhh, not so fast

[Motopilot]

Told ya so.