More Previews Of The Red Bull Indianapolis GP/AMA Pro Road Races At Indy (Updated)

More Previews Of The Red Bull Indianapolis GP/AMA Pro Road Races At Indy (Updated)

© 2013, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

After the holidays, Barberá and Aoyama resume action at Indianapolis, third American race The World Championship arrives for the third time this year in the United States to give way to the second half of the season. After enjoying some well deserved days off, the Avintia Blusens MotoGP members travel to Indianapolis with renewed energy and with the aim of keeping improving in every race. Barberá, who arrives at Indy as second CRT after his victory at Laguna Seca, will continue fighting for being the best CRT and shortening the differences with his main rival by working hard and closely with the team. Also hard work the one carried out by his teammate Aoyama, although unfortunately Hiroshi has had to focus his efforts more on his physical state than on his own bike. Hiroshi faces the second part of the championship hoping the injuries respect him, that the total recovery of his hand can be confirmed and to be able to return to be among the best ones of his class. The Spanish Avintia Blusens MotoGP team wants to keep being protagonist among the CRT teams and, for that reason, both technicians and mechanics travel to Indianapolis being ready to put all their efforts into the second half of the season that begins this weekend. 8 Héctor Barberá: I arrive at Indianapolis in top shape and with my batteries recharged. This break has been very good for me, it has allowed me to get energized and ready to the maximum to face the second part of the World Championship with a lot of energy. At Laguna Seca we achieved the victory so I have good memories of racing in America. Last year I was not at Indianapolis because of an injury, but I am looking forward to riding there again, although it is a difficult and technical track. The whole team is very motivated and we expect to receive evolutions soon to take another step forward and move closer to the Aprilia bikes. 7 Hiroshi Aoyama: After these days off we return to action at a special circuit like Indianapolis. It is a technical track in which you must have a good set-up to be able to be competitive. In the last race I could not keep a good pace because of the hand injury, so I have made the most of these days to work hard on the recovery and on arriving at this race as good as possible physically. At Laguna Seca, when I could do short sessions, I had good feeling with the bike so I can not wait to try at Indy again because my injury will be much better. More, from a press release issued by Blusens Avintia Moto2 Team: Elías and Smith return to action at Indianapolis after the summer break The Blusens Avintia Moto2 riders, Toni Elías and Kyle Smith, will return to action this weekend at the Indianapolis circuit, after having enjoyed a few days of holidays before facing the post-summer tour that takes them back to the United States to then visit the tracks of Brno and Silverstone for the first time this season. Elías knows how it feels to win in Moto2 at the American circuit since he climbed to the top of the podium the year in which he got the world title of the category and, despite the fact that the expected aims have not been attained so far, Toni travels to Indianapolis with high morale and he is motivated to make the second part of the season the opposite side of the first one. Meanwhile, Kyle Smith will arrive at the American circuit without never having been in it before and with the handicap of having to discover its layout in the first free practice sessions to get ready for the qualifying. Kyle, that usually adapts well to tracks of this style, expects to work without set-up problems to be competitive in the race. Smith knows that he has the talent to achieve good results and he wants to prove it as soon as possible. 24 Toni Elías: These days off I have been with my family and friends and the truth is that they have been very useful to switch off a bit. The season is not being easy, we have worked hard and in the end a break time is needed. I have gone on excursions to the mountains, I have gone surfing at the beach, I have not stopped going cycling… Anyway, always doing sports but with the relaxation given by holidays. Now we are back to work and I do so with enthusiasm and with the hope that the second part of the season is much better. Now we go to one of my favorite circuits in which I have already won, so it is a good place to start again. 9 Kyle Smith: As you can imagine, these holidays have been phenomenal for me. I have practiced climbing, I have gone cycling and I have also spent a few days training in Andorra. I have made the most of these days to be with my friends enjoying the good times. Now it comes the time to return to the races and discover the legendary circuit of Indianapolis. I hope to adapt quickly to its layout and be competitive. I want to score points and I want to do it right now. More, from a press release issued by Marc VDS Racing Team: Gosselies, Belgium: After a four-week summer break, the Moto2 Championship battle kicks off once again this weekend, with Scott Redding and Mika Kallio both determined to start the second half of the season with a strong showing at the Indianapolis Grand Prix. Redding heads to the world famous Brickyard with a 23 point advantage over Pol Espargaro in the Moto2 Championship standings; a lead he is keen to extend this weekend at a track he counts as one of his favourites after securing his first intermediate class podium at Indianapolis three years ago. Fourth at Indianapolis 12 months ago, Kallio heads to Indiana this time around with his sights set firmly on the podium. The 30-year-old Finn currently lies fifth in the Moto2 Championship, but with just seven points separating him from Esteve Rabat in third, a good result this weekend could see Kallio leapfrog both Rabat and Dominique Aegerter in the standings. Livio Loi returns to action in the Moto3 class this weekend and the 16-year-old Belgian is determined to increase his points tally during the second half of the season. Loi scored a point in his debut at Jerez earlier this year, but set up issues have hampered his progress since. Indianapolis is a new track for Loi, but he’s been learning his way around the circuit using the latest MotoGP ’13 game on the PlayStation, playing as himself of course! With more than 250,000 seats in the grandstands the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the biggest permanent sporting arena in the world, but the circuit has been criticised in the past for the bumpy and patchy nature of the MotoGP track, which runs inside the world famous oval. The track underwent extensive resurfacing work almost three years ago, but the variation in tarmac means that grip remains unpredictable. Scott Redding #45: “After a few weeks off I’m looking forward to getting back to work this weekend in Indianapolis. The summer break has been all about bikes – mountain bikes, motocross bikes and a few days at the Colin Edwards Bootcamp in Texas – but now it’s back to the Moto2 bike to get the second half of the season underway. I’m feeling fresh, relaxed and the track has been good to me in the past, so we’ll see how we go. We need to be back at the top of our game, like we were at the beginning of the year, and get the second half of the season off to a flying start with a good result this weekend in Indianapolis.” Mika Kallio #36: “I dropped a place in the championship because of the rear tyre problems in Sachsenring but the gap to third is still small and a good result this weekend would allow me to close the gap to, or maybe even pass, Rabat in the standings. I’m not a big fan of the Indianapolis track, partly because of the layout, but mainly because there are so many different types of tarmac and the amount of grip changes from corner to corner, which makes things difficult. The track can also be hard on tyres, which makes the selection for the race critical. Despite this, I was fourth in Indy last year and I hope I can improve on that this time around.” Livio Loi #11: “I want to be more consistent during the second half of the season, picking up more points in the remaining races. It will be difficult this weekend in Indianapolis, as it’s my first time at the track. I’ve spent some time during the summer break on the PlayStation, so I know the layout, but there’s still a lot for me to learn once I actually get to the circuit. If we can make another step forward with the bike and all goes well in practice and qualifying, then I think it will still be possible to finish in the points on Sunday.” More, from a press release issued by Bridgestone: Bridgestone MotoGP™ Preview – Round 10: Indianapolis Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft & Hard. Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric) Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Soft (Main), Hard (Alternative) The third and final MotoGP™ round to be held in the United States this year takes place at the historic Indianapolis Motorspeedway; a circuit steeped in history that was introduced to the calendar in 2008. The Indianapolis MotoGP course is 4.216 kilometres in length and incorporates three different elements which give it a unique flavour among the championship’s venues. The track incorporates part of the famous oval course, an infield section that was used when Formula 1 raced here, and also a short stretch of tarmac that was created for MotoGP. Overall, the circuit is tight and twisty which places an emphasis for good rear grip for accelerating out of the many slow corners. The circuit runs in a counter-clockwise direction and there are ten left-hand turns compared to six right-hand turns, so asymmetric rear slicks with harder rubber on the left shoulder are supplied at Indianapolis. The final section of the circuit through turns twelve to fourteen is a sequence of fast left-handers which generate very high rear tyre temperatures. To manage this extreme demand on the rear tyres, all rear slick options for this race are in Bridgestone’s heat-resistant construction. Front slick compounds for Indianapolis are the soft and hard compounds. The soft compound offers greater edge grip on a track surface that can be quite slippery in places, while the hard compound option is designed for use when ambient and track temperatures reach high levels, which is a common occurrence at this circuit. The main wet tyre for Indianapolis is the soft compound option. Hiroshi Yamada – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department “After the paddock enjoyed its Summer break, it is great to get the second half of the MotoGP season underway this weekend at such an iconic venue as the Indianapolis MotorSpeedway. The championship is delicately poised and with three back-to-back races coming up, the next few weeks will be a major factor in deciding who will be this year’s MotoGP World Champion. Despite the lack of racing in the past few weeks, it has been a busy time for Bridgestone as after our latest success at the Suzuka 8hours a couple of weeks ago, we have been supporting MotoGP tests both in Japan and Europe. At Indianapolis we will also be holding our second Bridgestone Golf Performance Challenge with MotoGP riders, IndyCar drivers and other racing personalities taking part in the event which will help raise funds for Riders for Health, so there will be a lot happening both on and off the track.” Shinji Aoki – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department “Indianapolis is comprised of three distinct parts, with an opening section that was designed specifically for MotoGP, the infield section that was used when Formula One raced here, while another part takes in the famous oval course. This characteristic creates different grip levels across the circuit, though a recent resurfacing of the track has taken place to try and make the tarmac more consistent. The layout of the circuit puts greater stress on the left shoulder of the tyres and in particular the section from turns twelve to fourteen generates very high temperatures on the left shoulder of the rear tyre. For this reason we supply asymmetric rear slick with harder rubber on the left shoulder to manage the character of this circuit. The rear slicks for Indianapolis are also in our heat-resistant construction to help manage the high tyre temperatures.” More, from a press release issued by VETMotorsports: VETMotorsports will Continue Its Outreach at Indianapolis this Weekend. (8/15/13) Upper Arlington, OH – Veterans Empowered Through Motorsports, now formally operating as VETMotorsports, will engage disabled combat veterans this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Local combat veterans will be placed into five AMA Pro Road Racing Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson teams; Chili Pepper, Grand Rapid Harley-Davidson, James Gang / Hoban Brothers, M.O.B. and Twisted Speed Racing. “I would have to say that the only negative experience that I had was that it wasn’t long enough,” stated USMC Corporal John Angell, Jr. A three tour veteran of the Middle East, Angell participated as a VETMotorsports crew member at the Miller Motorsports Park round of the Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series. “I truly enjoyed every aspect of the experience,” continued Angell. “Not only would I recommend this opportunity to anyone, but you will have the experience of comradery centered on motorcycles traveling over 120 mph. VETMotorsports and my team (M.O.B. Racing) were very accommodating, and I would do this again if given the opportunity.” Peter Cline, Executive Director and Founder of VETMotorsports, added, “All seven veterans scheduled to participate this weekend at Indianapolis are very excited. VETMotorsports looks forward to working with all the teams, who have been very accommodating all season. With very few races left on the 2013 AMA schedule, and with Indy being a fairly unique event, I’m fairly confident this weekend will be the highlight of this year’s outreach program.” About VETMotorsports: VETMotorsports is a recognized 501c3 tax exempt outreach program. We place combat veterans into motorsports events that are team-oriented, purposeful and goal driven with actual hands-on time. Motorsports by nature is a high energy and adrenaline-filled sport, and by engaging combat veterans we work with established skills and tools they acquired while deployed. VETMotorsports ensures our combat veterans are empowered and engaged; making them central components to our team operations and including as many care givers, peers and family members as possible. VETMotorsports supporters are: Oxford Consulting Group, Drippin’Wet, Ellanet, Midwest Motorcyclist, Motion Pro, Optimum Print Solutions, Portfolio Creative, XR1200 Owners Group. To learn more about VETMotorsports please visit them on the web at www.vetmotorsports.org or follow them on Facebook at http://facebook.com/VETMotorsports, Twitter @VETMotorsports or Pinterest at pinterest.com/VETMotorsports/ Tax-deductible contributions can be made here http://www.crowdrise.com/VETMotorsports More, from a press release issued by Pramac Racing: The Indianapolis MotoGP World Championship re-starts at Indianapolis After the usual and well-deserved summer break, the MotoGP championship and its 24 riders return to action to compete in the 10th round of the Championship, held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana, marking the beginning of the second half of the season. The upcoming calendar sees a concentration of nine races in just three months, including two “tripleheaders” separated by a pair of individual races, and then the usual ending in Valencia. Riders and team members are preparing for the fast pace that awaits them, and which could require even more effort and concentration than before. The Ignite Pramac Racing Team warmly welcomes the recovered Ben Spies, who has been out of action since May, after the Italian GP, due to a required extension of the physiotherapy program that he underwent following the disastrous accident suffered near the end of last season, at the Sepang circuit. The American, who was already present at Laguna Seca as a “special spectator,” is now ready to get on track and resume racing. This second half of the season will be tough and demanding, as the American will need to regain pace and speed while competing against rivals who have already taken part in many tests and races. The grit and determination that has characterized his career will also help in this challenge. The circuit, where Ben finished second and third in front of his home crowd in 2010 and 2011, respectively, is one of the world’s best known, and certainly the most famous “oval.” Built in 1909, the first motorsports event it hosted was a motorcycle race, followed two years later by the first Indianapolis 500 auto race. It has hosted a MotoGP round annually since 2008. Originally, the track was covered with a mixture of crushed stone and tar, but after the first sporting events of 1909, the surface was changed using 3.2 million bricks, earning the facility its “Brickyard” nickname. In 1937, it was almost completely covered with more-suitable asphalt, apart from a portion in the start-finish line that still uses the traditional bricks. Ben Spies – Ignite Pramac Racing Team “It’s been a rough year to say the least. It feels good to finally be back, and now it’s more like I can get back on the bike and ride, and not tell the little white lies I said to journalists at the beginning of the season, like that we were ready to ride when clearly we were never close to 100%. But now we can get on with the business and a kind of start the season. I’m looking forward to it, as it’s been too much of a break. I haven’t ridden a motorcycle since Mugello, and it’s really been since last year that we’ve been fast on a bike, so we need to get back in form and slowly get there. It’s a good track to come back at, and I have good memories here. I’m just looking forward to getting back on, trying to get faster and faster each session, and seeing where we can end up on Sunday. Then we’ll go from there in the next couple of weeks. The start of the season for me was just nothing. It was like riding a bike in a situation where you just can’t hold on to it. It was horrible, and we ended up doing more damage and setting ourselves too far back. It’s typical of athletes to try to come back too soon, but now I can say we’re ready to ride. We just have to get back up to speed, which might take a little bit but not too long, and we’ll see how it goes.” More, from a press release issued by Pramac Racing: The MotoGP World Championship re-starts at Indianapolis After the usual and well-deserved summer break, the MotoGP championship and its 24 riders return to action to compete in the 10th round of the Championship, held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana, marking the beginning of the second half of the season. The upcoming calendar sees a concentration of nine races in just three months, including two “tripleheaders” separated by a pair of individual races, and then the usual ending in Valencia. Riders and team members are preparing for the fast pace that awaits them, and which could require even more effort and concentration than before. The Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team welcomes back Andrea Iannone aboard his Desmosedici GP13 “lab” bike. The Italian was forced to sit out at Laguna Seca as a result of the injury suffered during practice at the Sachsenring GP. The total rest he was able to have during the first two weeks of this break allowed Andrea to recover quite well, and the rider has recovered much of his arm strength. The circuit is one of the world’s best known, and certainly the most famous “oval.” Built in 1909, the first motorsports event it hosted was a motorcycle race, followed two years later by the first Indianapolis 500 auto race. It has hosted a MotoGP round annually since 2008. Originally, the track was covered with a mixture of crushed stone and tar, but after the first sporting events of 1909, the surface was changed using 3.2 million bricks, earning the facility its “Brickyard” nickname. In 1937, it was almost completely covered with more-suitable asphalt, apart from a portion in the start-finish line that still uses the traditional bricks. Andrea Iannone – Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team “I feel pretty good in general, but the shoulder is obviously not 100%. It was unthinkable to be in shape after such a short time, and at the moment I don’t have an idea of how things will go. Tomorrow I’ll get on the bike and we’ll see what happens. The movements that I normally do on the bike aren’t the same as what I do every day. For sure the Mobile Clinic will help me to find the best treatment to help me get well; maybe I’ll need painkillers and taping, but we’ll see. I regretted not being able to go to Laguna Seca, but I needed those days to recover. Now we start the second part of the season. I hope to not suffer other injuries, that I’ll be prepared to face the three consecutive races, and that the shoulder allows me to ride well.” More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda: BRADL FULLY FOCUSED ON THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON Indianapolis, 15 August: Following a well-deserved break, the MotoGP field reunite this weekend at the famous Brickyard for the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix which will see the LCR racer Stefan Bradl taking the track tomorrow on a Red Bull branded Honda RCV for the popular second American round of the calendar. The first pole position and the podium achieved at the U.S.GP in Laguna Seca some weeks ago and the renewed cooperation with Honda HRC and LCR for 2014 season officially announced today, give the 23-year-old an extra motivation to perform well in the second part of the season. Stefan: “I can say that I will continue with LCR next year, with good support from HRC which is most important, It’s good for me and good for the team. I’m very happy with that. It is also good news for the second half of this season, going at the best speed we can from tomorrow and just trying to do the best job possible…everything is sorted now and it’s a great feeling, so let’s jump on the bike. Even this year I am branded with Red Bull colors and the bike looks fantastic so I must thank Red Bull Management for their great cooperation”.

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