Inaugural MotoGP Race at Indianapolis

Sept 12-14th, 2008. One of the most exciting weekends to be a motorcyclist. We got to watch the worlds best racers ride the worlds most powerful and fastest motorcycles. The MotoGP is a racing class that races all over the world, from Qatar to Spain to Italy and to the US.

We arrived late on Friday, leaving us enough time to hang around with Darren, Lisa, and Jay. While Chicago was getting dumped on by rain, we had clear skies. The perfect weather to watch the practice and qualifying.

And visiting the grounds to check out the manufacturers new bikes, like the Honda Goldwing...

Sunday was Race Day!!! Over 100k people poured into the Speedway for the first motorcycle race at Indianapolis since 1907.


The motorcycles would reach around 200 mph on the front straight, in the first corner as seen above, they are going over 100 mph. Sunday wasn't the best day for racing, as around noon the skies started to rain, and rain, and rain. It rained so much they brought out the saftey car to test out the track and look for puddles....needless to say they found one....

Eventually the rain stopped and the crews were out with blowers clearing off the track.

Once the officials deemed it decently dry, the 150cc racers had their impressive race. The 150cc race bikes weigh about 150 lbs and can reach a top speed of around 130mph. The technique needed to ride these bikes quickly and safely is mind boggling. The throttle has two settings, off and "Full Speed Captain".

The GP race was impressive, Valentino Rossi (Italy) and Nicky Hayden (US) battled out for the lead the whole race.



Unfortunately the rain and worse the wind came back and wrecked the Yamaha tent.

The race was called after lap 20 of 28, Rossi won the First Indianapolis MotoGP and celebrated.

All in all, the weekend was incredible. The bikes are the loudest most exciting things I've ever seen and heard. Even Tara enjoyed watching the pros go at it. Next time Laguna Seca 2009!!!