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TST Does MotoGP!
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Hi guys and gals, Mark checking in. This past weekend I had the amazing opportunity to head out to Indianapolis and check out the MotoGP/Motoamerica races in Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Let me start off by saying what a beautiful and diverse city Indianapolis is, and the track is just as awesome. When I landed in Indy and got off the plane, right in the center of the airport was a Marc Marquez MotoGP spec RC-123V. I knew from that point on this city would be a great spot.
The Indianapolis International Motor Speedway is HUGE, and even that’s a slight under statement. The track was divided into a few different sections such as the Moto Midway, Motoamerica Paddocks, MotoGP Paddocks and The Vendor Section. The big names such as Honda, Yamaha, Ducati, and Suzuki wre all present and had bikes on full display. There was a section for a few different stunt shows and even a lot sectioned off for young kids to ride dirtbikes.
Friday consisted of learning the IMS, locations of different activities, and trying to track down some of the stars. With a handful of practice sessions I was limited on what I wanted to do and what I should do. I stood around the perimeter of the track for a majority of the time watching the racers dive into corners and take off on straight aways. After that it was time to enjoy my time and go behind the scenes. I walked into the MotoGP Paddocks and encountered a pretty large crowd surrounding the Movistar Yamaha Paddocks. I went to the side and found a sweet little building where, to my surprise, Marc Marquez, Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso, Cal Crutchlow, and Nicky Hayden were all staying. Being that the crowd of fans wasn’t too bad, I decided to stay there. I was able to catch all the super stars coming in and out of their rooms, get some autographs and pictures and even watch Marquez and Pedrosa ride away on their custom Honda GROMs.
When Saturday rolled around I knew the track pretty well and was able to get were I wanted to be pretty quickly. I headed directly to the Motoamerica Paddocks and was able to catch Josh Hayes warming up before his race. I was also able to get some pretty nice shots of the MotoGP guys practicing, getting on and off the track, and leaving their paddocks. After my time at the track I decided to hit Downtown Indy and check out Motorcycles at Meridian. For those of you not familiar with it, it’s where all the local and visiting riders can meet up and hang. Sort-of like a smaller Daytona Beach Bike Week. Downtown Indy was beautiful and all of the historic buildings made the view much more enjoyable.
When I woke up Sunday, I was EXHAUSTED. The past two days really wore me out but I knew the early bird would catch the worm. I headed straight to IMS and began my mission of meeting Rossi. I was the first one in line to his paddock and waited over 2 hours for The Doctor to show up. Race time was quickly approaching and I immediately realized he would have no time to stop with the fans. He ended up arriving at his paddock about 20 minutes before the race and in full gear. Luckily, I was able to get some pretty good shots of him the day before so I wasn’t too upset. Josh Hayes even walked into Rossis area and I was able to get a picture with him and an autograph. Bradley Smith was another awesome rider who I had a chance of talking to for a bit and getting some shots of. About 10 minutes before the race I headed to my seats and was able to watch as the start flag was waved. The race itself was unreal. Seeing these guys live was awesome and watching the constant battle between Rossi and Pedrosa was well worth the wait. I was very surprised at the amount of time Marquez stayed behind Lorenzo just waiting for his shot. On the last few laps Marquez made the move and was able to pass Lorenzo and finish the race in first.
All in all I had a great weekend and I would do that 10 times over if I had the chance. I was able to meet some awesome fans, meet the riders up close, and watch a great race live. For any of you readers who are wanting to attend a MotoGP or Motoamerica race, don’t waste your time procrastinating. Get out there, meet the riders, experience the culture and enjoy yourself!
