2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP Preview

            
            The Red Bull Moto GP is back at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the fourth time. Last year the race was won by Spaniard Dani Pedrosa.  In 2008 Valentino Rossi won and in 2009 his Yamaha teammate, Jorge Lorenzo, took the victory.

            

            This year Australian rider Casey Stoner comes into the race as the MotoGP points leader. Stoner already has six wins this year, but in two Indy starts his best finish is 4^th. Stoner said today in a press conference about the race on Sunday, “It’s a very challenging track, it’s not a normal brake, enter and exit the corner circuit, there are some tricky little sections to it and there are some faster sections that take more guts than some corners”.

Casey Stoner

            

            There are three Americans in the field and all consider this track to be a “home track”. The most successful of these Americans is Kentucky native, Nicky Hayden. Hayden won the 2006 Moto GP championship and has numerous wins but none at Indy. In three starts Hayden has finished second, third, and sixth. Ben Spies (from Tennessee) and Colin Edwards (from Texas) also represent the U.S.A. but neither has experienced the achievements that Hayden has. I thought this quote by Edwards about racing at IMS was interesting, “The track isn't too technical or demanding”. That’s quite contradictive of Casey Stoner’s thoughts on the track.

            

            If you’re looking at favorite for the race you can never count out Valentino Rossi. Rossi is a 9-time series Champion and goes by the nickname, “The Doctor”. Rossi won the inaugural race in 2008, crashed out in 2009, and finished 4^th last year.  Other popular choices include the only two drivers to win at Indy besides Rossi, Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo. They sit 5^th and 4^th, respectively, in the points standings.

Valentino Rossi(left) and teammate Nicky Hayden on their Ducati's

            

            Well I’ve talked about four of the top five in the points standings so why leave somebody out? Sitting in third place is Italian Andrea Dovizioso. He actually seems the most consistent of any driver at IMS. In three starts he’s finished 5^th, 4^th, and 5^th.

            

            I’ll wait to pick my favorites to win until Saturday night. Just like any race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where a driver qualifies places a serious part in how great their shot at winning is.

            

            Remember a few months ago when I wrote about how IMS was having the road course re-paved? Well this is the first time anybody will be driving on the new asphalt. Lap times and speeds are expected to be higher than they usually are. It’ll be interesting to watch if that is the case, or if any drivers have to accustom themselves to the new surface.