From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:
AMA SUPERBIKE TEST AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY A SUCCESS
Haskovec and Zemke happy to run on the historic speedway’s road course
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Oct. 1, 2003) — The AMA Superbike test Wednesday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was considered a big success by all involved. Riders Vincent Haskovec and Jake Zemke were thrilled to be the first Superbike riders to turn a wheel around the hallowed racing grounds of IMS and the staff of the Speedway were happy to get input from the riders and AMA Pro Racing officials. The test was run to find out if it was feasible for motorcycles to race on Indy’s 2.6-mile road course and what configuration changes might be needed to accommodate motorcycle racing. The circuit is presently used for the U.S. Grand Prix Formula One race.
Vincent Haskovec and Jake Zemke at the brickyard.
“It was a very productive test,” said Scott Hollingsworth, CEO of AMA Pro Racing. “Jake (Zemke) and Vincent (Haskovec) gave us excellent input and the staff of IMS was very interested in hearing what the riders had to say. Nothing is on the table at this moment as far as having an AMA Pro Racing event at the Speedway. It was simply a feasibility test to see what might need to be done if an opportunity arose to bring a motorcycle race to this venue.”
Haskovec was the first to take the track on the Austin Ducati Superbike Wednesday morning. Zemke came out a short time later on the Erion Honda Formula Xtreme bike. It was an historic occasion to bring motorcycles back to the fabled Brickyard. A little known fact in the Speedway’s history is that one of the very first races at the track was a motorcycle race held in 1909. Haskovec and Zemke later rode together for a number of laps. Both said they relished the opportunity to get a chance to ride at Indy.
“It’s a huge moment for motorcycling,” said Haskovec, a native of the Czech Republic. “I’m very happy I got an opportunity to do this. This place is so huge you feel like you are on top of the world. This is the best track on the planet. It seems like it was really made for motorcycle racing.”
Zemke pitted after his first laps around the Speedway and shivered a little in the crisp fall conditions, but still had a smile on his face.
“It was good,” Zemke said. “It was pretty cold here this morning, but the track felt like it had a lot of grip. The track was really wide and it seemed like run-off was good. The infield feels tight but it felt pretty racy at the same time. I think it might have felt tight simply because the front straightaway is so long here. There’s a cool section right after the back straightway there with some esses. With the tall grandstands the front straightaway felt like you were going through a tunnel. I can only imagine what it would be like with the grandstands full. It would definitely be great to come through here with the grandstands full of people.”
Both riders confirmed that one change needed to accommodate motorcycle racing would be the final turn of the road course. Essentially, the outside retaining wall is too close to run Superbikes at speed in racing conditions. AMA Pro Racing and the IMS were aware of this issue and it was addressed with the riders in meetings before and after both practice sessions. Diagrams of the track were brought out and track officials discussed possible ways to reconfigure that section of the circuit.
“This would be a good place to bring motorcycle competition,” Haskovec said after the final session. “We were going through some different ideas on how to slow down the bikes through the final section and if that can be worked out this will be a great thing for our sport.”
More, from a press release issued by Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
AMA BIKES TEST AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2003 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway and American Motorcyclist Association officials conducted a feasibility test Oct. 1 on the Speedway’s 2.605-mile road course.
Two teams representing AMA Pro Racing’s Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship ran several laps and debriefed with officials from IMS and AMA.
“This test was simply a series of compatibility runs on the road course,” said Joie Chitwood, IMS senior vice president of business affairs. “The AMA took advantage of the fact that the facility is still in its road-course configuration after Sunday’s successful United States Grand Prix Formula One race. There are no serious discussions right now regarding hosting a motorcycle race in the future.”
Jake Zemke, of Paso Robles, Calif., and Vincent Haskovec, of the Czech Republic, turned laps at IMS. Zemke rode an Erion Honda Formula Xtreme bike, while Haskovec was on an Austin Ducati Superbike. Haskovec was the first rider on track, at approximately 11:15 a.m. (EST).
“It was a very productive test,” said Scott Hollingsworth, CEO of AMA Pro Racing. “Jake and Vincent gave us excellent input, and the staff of IMS was very interested in hearing what the riders had to say.
“Nothing is on the table at this moment as far as having an AMA Pro Racing event at the Speedway. It was simply a feasibility test to see what might need to be done if an opportunity arose to bring a motorcycle race to this venue.”
The test marks the first time that motorcycles have turned laps at competitive speeds at IMS since a series of seven motorcycle races took place Aug. 14, 1909. That day of racing was five days before the first automobile races on Aug. 19.