This year’s Red Bull Indianapolis GP will take the time to recognize women motorcycle riders. Many events have been organized throughout the race weekend that are just for women. Some selected lady riders have been kind enough to share their riding stories with us. They come from different riding groups and organizations from all over the country, but they all share the passion of speeding through the streets on two wheels. This week’s story comes from Lynda!
Name? Lynda
AKA? Mrs. Dorfmeyer
What riding group are you associated with? I belong to AMA, MSTA, HOG and Ladies of Harley. I am mostly an independent rider, but support the sport and the industry.
How long have you been riding? On the back…a loooong time. I completed the Abate course here in Indy on 7/27/2003: so on the front it has been 8 years.
How did you get involved with your organization? My husband Rick is a charter member of the AMA, he also got me involved with the MSTA. He also introduced me to the world of motorcycle racing…Who knew? I was always a big race fan…but somehow I missed the motorcycle part????
What are some of your favorite biking events you have traveled to? I have so many….All 3 MotoGP’s at the Brickyard, I probably qualify as an evangelist for that event. MotoGP in Laguna Seca. Continental Tire 4 day excursion to the conti-drome and the back roads of Germany. Bonneville Salt Flats to see my sweetheart set a Land Speed Record on the Rayce Teams (Bloomington Powersports)Project 212 Honda cbr600, that they built in Tim Halsmer garage. The Tucker Rocky BFD in Ft. Worth, via Colorado and Arizona, the 4000 mile odyssey on the sportster with my sweetheart Rick, Craig and Jesusa Voris. Cheraholla skyway in the rain, Arizona 191 (formerly Rte 666) passed a sign that read 20 mph curves, next 60 miles). Oh yeah… we rode to Washington DC for the 1st 9/12 Rally….WOW.
Lynda
What was the first bike you owned? Honda Rebel-Circa 1988
What is your dream bike? Whatever I am riding.
What drives you to be a biker? / What is the greatest reward you get from biking? I think I come by it honestly, my grandmother flew fighter planes (the P51) in the WASP (Women’s Air Service Patrol) in WWII. Her wings are in the Smithsonian in DC. My wings are on my Harley Davidson and the patches/pins on my vest.
My father was asking me the same question one day while driving down the interstate. We passed a van with a golden retriever with his head out the window, ears flapping, tongue hangin out… As we passed that van, I said to my father, ” Do you see that dog? He replied, Yes…I said “I GET THAT”. He has commented that he cannot understand how his college educated daughter aspires to be a “biker chick”. Riding is something I do COMPLETELY for me. I do not care about what anyone else thinks…that is mine. The rewards? I have met some unbelievable people, that is THE unexpected gift! Peace, a sense of adventure, the wildness of my youth…Harley says it well…Screw it lets Ride. !!!!
Any great memories of events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway or memories of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP? My memories of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway go way back. I come by being an IMS fan honestly also. My father’s 1st job was at the Motor Speedway: he sold newspapers and sno cones when he was 12 or 13 (which we figured was around 1950 or so). He also worked the scoreboard, near the short chute, which consisted of 3 telephone poles placed in a triangle, with boards joining them. He had score cards and earphones and was responsible for keeping the crowds informed on the first 5 drivers. I have been coming to the motor speedway for the 500 since I was about 12 or 13 also. The Brickyard 400, Formula 1 and NOW the Redbull Indianapolis Moto GP! Too many exciting memories to write down!
I had an opportunity to be on the inside while this event was being put together, due to Rick’s friendship with Mel and his employer being Tucker Rocky, one of the sponsors of the MotoGP. I can honestly say that I will NEVER forget the first time I saw those guys test riding on the track…I COULD FEEL IT, and HEAR it. There is nothing like watching those bikes live and in person. Then coupled with it being held at IMS the shrine of racing…well it doesn’t get much better.
I think my next fondest memory is being able to see the expression on the people’s faces when I would ask, that first year, “Is this the first time you have ever been to the Brickyard/IMS”? People would light up, grin from ear to ear, and proceed to tell me how long they have wanted to come here, that there is no place like it in the world, and then you put bikes on the track…….well…you get it I am sure….a line from the movie The World’s Fastest Indian comes to mind… “Paying homage to the Gods of Speed”.
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Want to learn more about the Red Bull Indianapolis GP?Click here.
This year’s Red Bull Indianapolis GP will take the time to recognize women motorcycle riders. Many events have been organized throughout the race weekend that are just for women. Some selected lady riders have been kind enough to share their riding stories with us. They come from different riding groups and organizations from all over the country, but they all share the passion of speeding through the streets on two wheels. This week’s story comes from Tamara.
Name? Tamara
Bike’s name? My bike’s name is Cherry.
What riding group are you associated with? 317 Ryders MC
How long have you been riding? Since 2010
How did you get involved with your organization? My husband, Jimmie “Tic Tac” McMillian, initially joined in 2008. I challenged myself to take the riders course, passed the written test and obtained my motorcycle endorsement.
Tamara
What are some of your favorite biking events you have traveled to? Tail of the Dragon (in Tennessee) and the Cherohala Skyway, in North Carolina, were the most memorable riding trips. They both challenged my endurance, bike handling and riding in colder temperatures.
What was the first bike you owned? Cherry, the bike I currently own- 1998 Honda Shadow Aero – 1100
What is your dream bike? A chromed out Harley Davidson Road King in a girlie-color like orange, tan, or cream.
What drives you to be a biker? / What is the greatest reward you get from biking? As a professional woman, it has been empowering to own and ride my own bike. It takes a lot of courage and skill to ride your own motorcycle. I feel very strong and independent whether I ride 15 minutes or 5 hours. The greatest reward I get is when other women and girls compliment me or give me the thumbs up when I ride. I want to be a symbol of a women mastering a challenging hobby in a feminine way.
Any great memories of events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway or memories of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP? Moto GP- I have attended all of the MotoGP races in Indianapolis. I love the vendor/bike area the most because I can see the latest bikes, technology and accessories up close. I even took pictures of my “dream bike”.
I enjoyed the Midwest Breakout Ride in April of 2011 that was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was a joy to see all of the bikers and their families from several states appreciate the track and IMS facilities.
Anything else you would like to add? One of the best riding experiences I have is when I ride with my husband. We can ride for hours and talk to each other through our scala riders attached to our helmets as we explore the wonderful roads in our country.
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Want to learn more about the Red Bull Indianapolis GP?Click here.
This year’s Red Bull Indianapolis GP will take the time to recognize women motorcycle riders. Many events have been organized throughout the race weekend that are just for women. Some selected lady riders have been kind enough to share their riding stories with us. They come from different riding groups and organizations from all over the country, but they all share the passion of speeding through the streets on two wheels. This week’s story comes from LaTanya.
Name? LaTanya
AKA? Ms Tan
What riding group are you associated with?317 Ryders MC
How long have you been riding? New rider, 1 year
How did you get involved with your organization?I was invited to 317 Ryder events, parties, rides, etc. and eventually became a member
LaTanya
What are some of your favorite biking events you have traveled to?PRO convention in Tampa Fl., Spring Breakout ride in Mobile AL
What was the first bike you owned? Kawasaki 636
What is your dream bike?Harley Davidson – Soft Tail
What drives you to be a biker? / What is the greatest reward you get from biking?The excitement and the speed of riding, the greatest reward you get from biking is the freedom you experience on the open road.
Any great memories of events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway or memories of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP?Riding around the track with my motorcycle club
Anything else you would like to share? Taking ABATE has been a great tool in survival techniques.
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Want to learn more about the Red Bull Indianapolis GP?Click here.
This year’s Red Bull Indianapolis GP will take the time to recognize women motorcycle riders. Many events have been organized throughout the race weekend that are just for women. Some selected lady riders have been kind enough to share their riding stories with us. They come from different riding groups organizations from all over the country, but they all share the passion of speeding through the streets on two wheels. This week’s story comes from Jodi, the co-host of Steel Horse TV.
Name? Jodi
What riding group are you associated with? No particular group per say! I’m the co-host of Steel Horse TV.
How long have you been riding? 4 years
How did you get involved with your organization? I got involved with Steel Horse 5 years ago when I was working for WNDY-TV. I was in charge of selling advertising for the show at the time.
Jodi is the co-host of Steel Horse TV
What are some of your favorite biking events you have traveled to? Biketober Fest in Daytona was a blast but I don’t spend a lot of time at these big events. I really love interacting with the people and beneficiaries at the local rides that Steel Horse covers. It would really be hard to name a favorite because they are all for such a great cause!
What was the first bike you owned? 2001 Sportster 1200 Custom
What is your dream bike? Screamin Eagle VROD
Jodi is the co-host of Steel Horse TV
What drives you to be a biker? / What is the greatest reward you get from biking? The freedom to ride! Throwing all your cares out the window and taking off to see the back roads that we so often miss because we are in such a hurry to get where we are going. I love riding to get lost! Eventually you will always run into a road you know but the scenic countryside is a beautiful place to be “lost!”
Any great memories of IMS or the Red Bull Indianapolis GP? I would have to say the first year when we had a hurricane!
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Want to learn more about the Red Bull Indianapolis GP?Click here.
As you may know, the Red Bull Indianapolis GP track got a makeover earlier this summer. The circuit has been repaved, and who better to break it in than Nicky Hayden? He took the inaugural lap on the IMS circuit in 2008, so it only made sense that we ask Nicky back to be the first on the new surface.
On the newly paved IMS circuit
The public filed in to watch Hayden’s test from the Turn 2 viewing mounds as he took the track around 9:30. Nicky tested until around 12:30. The new surface seemed to treat him well. I thought I would get used to the site of his bike being almost completely horizontal as he took the turns, but I didn’t. Each time he rounded a turn was unreal!
After the test Nicky said the track was better than expected! He said “it’s pretty much perfect”, and “IMS went above and beyond” the drivers’ expectations. He also thinks it will make things safer during the race. If Nicky Hayden approves, I guess that makes the new pavement a success!
The test definitely left us eagerly awaiting the Red Bull Indianapolis GP that happens on August 28. I know I’m looking forward to seeing more motorcycle action on the IMS circuit, aren’t you?
Check out the video footage from today’s run below.
3:51 p.m. CONGRATULATIONS TO DANI PEDROSA WINNER OF THE 2010 RED BULL INDIANAPOLIS GP!
Top 3:
Dani Pedrosa (SPAIN)
Ben Spies (USA)
Jorge Lorenzo (SPAIN)
Nicky Hayden placed 6th.
3:36 p.m.- Colin Edwards is out now and Mika Kallio takes a long slide in Turn 10, retiring him from the race.
3:27 p.m.- Ducati Team is down- Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden has a loose knee slider- currently in 6th. Marco Mandri is out. Ben Spies is in second and Dani Pedrosa is in first and has a pretty good lead on the pack.
3:00 p.m.-2010 Red Bull Indianapolis GP !!
2:32 p.m.- Red Bull Sky Divers! Land in the infield:
Coming in hot- I see three!
2:24 p.m.- Top 3 Moto2 Results:
Toni Elias
Julian Simone
Scott Redding
Toni gets sprayed!
1:14 p.m.-Fan of the Day: The 2010 Red Bull Indianapolis GP Fan of the Day is Monica Condict! We found her out in front of the Yamaha Tent, sporting her Yamaha shirt.
Fan of the Day- Monica Condict
First time at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
Monica’s first experience was at the inagural race 3 years ago when there was huge rainstorm. “I just remember how fast Rossi was going [in the rain]. I can’t believe they didn’t stop the race!”
Favorite Rider and why:
Monica’s favorite rider is Valentino Rossi. “I just like his attitude and he rides a Yamaha!” Monica also rides a Yamaha, a yellow and pastel blue 1973 RD 350.
Favorite Indiananpolis GP memory:
She said watching the inagural race in the rain, having to go get panchos and then driving home in the rain on her bike was most memorable.
What would you like to see next year at the race:
Monica was happy to have the race come back to Indy next year. For those who have never been to a MotoGP race, Monica says, “You can’t even imagine it until you’ve seen it in person!”
11:03 p.m.- Another Ducati Fashion show kicking off at Ducati Island NOW until 11:30. Complete schedule of events happening at Ducati Island located: here.
10:26 a.m.- Camping Lots: We got to talk to some campers out in Camping Lots this morning, which was packed with hardcore race fans. Two guys we met rode down from Chicago on their bikes, with all their camping necessities -tent, clothes, sleeping bag and even a phone charger that hooked up to the bike’s battery! It reminded us of backpacking, but on a motorcycle- pretty cool. Other fans had more ellaborate set-ups including cars, RV’s etc. We snapped a few photos, check it out. Might be something to consider next year! Camped here before? Let us know what you think!
Good Morning from the Campgrounds!
9:40 a.m.- MotoGP Warm up has begun! Rossi drops it and is now back on track- Third time he has fallen all weekend.
7:00 a.m.- GATES ARE OPEN! Looks like it will be another beautiful day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP!! Warm up for MotoGP starts at 9:40 a.m.
Tickets are still available Race Morning! Fans wanting to attend the race need to go to the ticket office at the corner of 16th Street and Georgetown Road or to one of the satellite ticket offices, located outside of Gates 3, 6, 9,10 and on the Backstretch . Tickets start at $40 for general admission for Race Day. All children 12 and under will be admitted free with a general admission ticket holder. All ticket offices will open at 7 a.m. and remain open until 3 p.m.
Pagoda Sunrise at IMS
6:01 p.m.- Not sure what you’re doing tonight, but if you have no plans, head downtown for Motorcycles on Meridian. Downtown Indy is transformed by hundreds of motorcycles, a party atmosphere and people everywhere. See you down there. It kicks off at 7pm.
Motorcycles on Meridian
5:45 p.m.- PHOTOS ARE IN FROM QUALS! Take a look: here. Can’t believe two Americans will start on the front row tomorrow- Ben Spies and Nicky Hayden! The last time two American riders were on the front row for a MotoGP race was the Grand Prix of Portugal in 2006, when Colin Edwards qualified second and Nicky Hayden third.
Crossing the Bricks for Quals
5:05 p.m.-Contest Concludes: The answer was 1,888 motorcyles parked on the backstretch at IMS today! Wow! The 1,888th bike was owned by Russell Stephen from Martinsville, Indiana, who rode in on a 2006 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14. The bike had 50k miles on it already!
4:53 p.m.- Enjoy some live music on this perfect afternoon. Crash with Yamaha World Superbike Rider James Toseland will start playing in a few, on the SPEED Stage.
4:23 p.m.- Contest Time: Hope you are following us on Twitter @IndyTalk and friends with us on Facebook! Right now we are running a contest to see who can guess how many motorcycles have been parked on the backstretch today. Let you know how many motorcyles there were and who won by the end of the day!
3:30 p.m.- Ducati Fashion Show on Ducati Island! Super cool.
Ducati Fashion Show- Bikini
2:55 p.m.- Quals Fast Five:
Ben Spies
Jorge Lorenzo
Nicky Hayden
Andrea Dovizioso
Dani Pedrosa
Two Americans on the front row- Spies and Hayden! Crashes by “The Doctor” -Valentino Rossi and Marco Simoncelli. The crowd cheers the riders in, beautiful day at the track by the way- not a cloud in the sky!
Ben Spies Takes the Pole at IMS
1:25 p.m.- Monster Umbrella Girls: We love Umbrella Girls! We got the chance to talk with Leslie and Savanna two Monster Umbrella Girls, here is what they had to say about their job:
Umbrella Girls- Leslie and Savanna
What is your favorite part about your job?
“We like interacting with the fans and ‘Umbrella Girl’ is a cool title to have.”
Does that umbrella get heavy?
“YES, it can get really heavy and sometimes the wind blows us around so it’s harder to hold.”
Favorite riders?
“Ben Spies and Colin Edwards.” -Both riders for Monster of course!
These Monster girls were not scary at all, so hope you will stop by and grab a photo with them!
12:12 p.m.- Fan of the Day: Mike Gunn’s mohawk reminded us of rider Nicky Hayden and when we saw his hair-do near the SPEED stage we took the opportunity to interview him for Fan of the Day. Meet Mike Gunn:
Fan of the Day- Mike Gunn
When was your first experience at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
Gunn’s first experience was last year for the Red Bull Indianapolis Motor GP. He said he had such a great time, he was back again this year for more.
Favorite Rider and why:
“I like Ben Spies and Nicky Hayden, cause they are two American riders.” We asked if his hair was inspired by Nicky and to our surprise he said it wasn’t- Mohawks must just be in!
Favorite Indiananpolis GP memory:
Gunn explained his favorite memory was going to Motorcycles on Meridian downtown last year. He explained how he really enjoyed the overall atmosphere. Gunn is a rider himself- 2008 Wazi FR1 – white in color just like Spies.
What would you like to see next year at the race:
Gunn wanted to see new bikes released before the race, so then they could show them off on event weekend.
11:16 p.m.-MotoGP Fast Five after Practice Two:
Casey Stoner
Dani Pedrosa
Andrea Dovizioso
Jorge Lorenzo
Nicky Hayden
Top nine with all within one second of eachother! Crashes during this practice occured by Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi.
8:14 a.m.- Hope everyone had fun at Motorcycles on Meridian last night. We had a blast, we met so many cool people and saw plently of amazing bikes- It is great to see people so passionate. We loved hanging out at the Red Bull Energy Station and got to listen to live music by Crash.
Meridian Street was full of bikes before 10 o’clock and swarming with people, incredible! Funs not over yet though, Motorcycles on Meridian will be happening again tonight same time and place: click here for more information. We interviewed lots of riders and will post the video as soon as possible! Stay tuned! To tide you over, check out these amazing photos on our Flickr page.
Sunset on Motorcyles on Meridian
5:01 p.m.- TGIF! It’s Friday night and the work whistle has blown! Not for us though, we will be downtown for Motorcycles on Meridian and live music by Crash (7 p.m. to 3 a.m.) So bring your bike and come hang out with us, it’s going to be a lot of fun. Meridian Street will be open to motorcycle traffic and parking between Monument Circle and South Street. Hope to see you or your bike there.
3:52 p.m.- New pictures are rolling in from our photographers, pretty cool stuff. Check them out here.
Pagoda Blur
3:07 p.m.- Top Five Riders after the First Practice:
Casey Stoner
Jorge Lorenzo
Nicky Hayden
Dani Pedrosa
Valentino Rossi
Two crashes in this session one by Nicky Hayden and the other by Ben Spies. Moto2 practice kicks off now!
2:48 p.m.- During the first practice Ben Spies, lays the bike down in turn six. Whoops!
1:45 p.m.- MotoGP bikes go on the track in 10 minutes! Check out the Live Timing and Scoring! Live timing and Scoring
1:24 p.m.- Want to know how to race a motorcyle on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway circuit? Kevin Schwantz, the famous American motorcycle racer and 1993 MotoGP World Champion, talks you through it in this video:
12:47 p.m.-Beautiful day at the track, sun is shining and the weather is fine! We ran into Tom Davis on the backstretch applying suntan lotion in the Motorcycle Corral, wearing his MotoGP gear and motorcycle necklace. We thought everyone should meet him-he is today’s Fan of the Day!
When was your first experience at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
First experience was in 1980 for the Indy500, but he has been to every MotoGP race at Indianapolis.
Favorite Rider and why:
Tom’s favorite rider is Nicky Hayden, because “He lives down the street, seems like everyone else is from Europe.”
Favorite Indiananpolis GP memory:
“The first race when Hurricane Ike came rolling through, it was something you wouldn’t believe!” Tom is talking about the inaugural race at Indianapolis when there was a huge rainstorm- but these bikers ride rain or shine!
What would you like to see next year at the race:
“Well you asked- better parking!”
10:47 a.m.- The Pit Walkabout was smashed, great crowd! Take a look at some photos from our morning at the track here.
Pit Walkabout
9:23 a.m.- Welcome to the Red Bull Indianapolis GP Live Blog! We will be keeping you posted on all the latest activities and behind the scenes content we can pump out! Speaking of content- There are a lot of cool things happening around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indianapolis in general for MotoGP. The city is practically motorcycle crazy!
Crowds Entering at IMS
Want to know the minute by minute schedule: click here. Right now the Pit Walkabout is underway until 10:45 a.m. and the Vendor Marketplace is open until 6:00 p.m. Oh yea, make sure you bring your bikes down to Motorcycles on Meridian tonight-starts at 7:00 p.m.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Brand Ambassadors consists of six college students that travel around Indiana promoting the Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400, and the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. The IMSBA program started in June and started out small. There were three IMSBA to begin with and as there was a demand for our presence at community events, the team doubled in size. Since June they have been to every motorcycle dealership in the metro Indy area, the Indianapolis Air Show, Indiana Black Expo, Gen Con, and a good chunk of motorcycle rides that happened throughout Indy. The IMSBA talk to people they see at events, big or small, and inform them about anything and everything IMS related. I will be keeping you up to date with all of the places the team goes to and I’ll let you know where you may be able to run into them!
IMS Brand Ambassadors at the Brickyard Beach Bash
This past weekend you may have seen them at the Indiana State Fair during ABATE’s Motorcycle Day or at the Home and Family Arts building strutting down the cat walk showing off this year’s latest Alpinestars 2010 Red Bull Indianapolis GP gear.
IMS Models at the State Fair for MotoGP gear
The IMS Brand Ambassadors will be at IUPUI and Butler University this week along with a handful of community events leading up to all of the race festivities this weekend. You can spot them in their 2011 white Chevy Camaro that they cruise around in, distinguished by the IMS centennial logo on both sides of the car.
Andi Hauser host of WISH-TV‘s Indy Style, went back to the school this weekend…Schwantz Motorcycle Riding School! Fun fact: Hauser is a huge motorcycle enthusiast- therefore, getting the chance to learn from motorcycle racer Kevin Schwantz was an opportunity she could not pass up. Schwantz is a Grand Prix World Champion and has amassed 25 Grand Prix wins, 21 lap records, 29 pole positions and the 1993 World Championship.
Andi Hauser in Stylish Leathers
Today, Hauser traded in her personal bright yellow Ducati motorcycle, to test drive Schwantz’s classroom fleet of Michelin shod Honda CBR600RRs and Suzuki GSX-R600sa. I caught Hauser in between track sessions, to ask how it was going. She said, “I’m having a blast!”
Hauser was even decked out in sassy leathers–now that’s Indy Style to the extreme! The stylish Hauser posed for a quick picture before hitting the books…I mean, track. Who knew going back to school would be so bada**!
Colin Edwards, a Houston native nicknamed “The Texas Tornado,” will offer candid insight about his performance, competitors and life in the exciting world of MotoGP motorcycle racing before every event in 2009 in “Tornado Warning.”
Two-time World Superbike champion Edwards, 35, is in his seventh year of MotoGP competition, riding this season for Yamaha Tech 3. He is seventh in the season standings after five races this season and will compete with the rest of the MotoGP grid at the Grand Prix of Catalunya on June 12-14 at Barcelona, Spain.
The colorful Edwards will compete in the second annual Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 28-30 at IMS along with fellow American MotoGP star Nicky Hayden, and MotoGP superstars Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo.
Mugello. Was that was another race like Le Mans in which you were caught out by lack of feel for the tires during wet conditions?
Man, everything I said at Le Mans, just ditto it all and put it on this recording because same thing, man. The bike was working good. We were looking like top five. We were looking probably about fourth fastest pretty much all weekend. Then we got some issues with our bike when we got those mixed conditions. I think wet, period, I think we have some issues. I’ve always been a good wet rider. Hell, Valentino’s always been a good wet rider. It seems like we’ve got all the weight on the rear. As soon as you go in the corner, everything is sitting on the rear. It makes it impossible just to roll. The rain is just all about rolling and carrying lots of momentum. The way our bike is set up like speedway. You’re going in, you’re dirt-tracking it in. It’s just hard to ride, man. It’s hard to ride. I’m not going to lie to you.
Is this situation driving you nuts? What can you do about it?
Well, we’re going to have to come up with a different solution as far as rain settings. I thought I had a good idea. Obviously, after the race, we’re racking our brain on how to make it better and some of the things we’ve done or some of the things we haven’t tried, but we’ll just have to wait until it rains again. Get out there and see if we can fix it.
With limited testing and practice time, does that really limit what you can change?
The limiting factor is just not having any rain time. That’s the main thing. You get in three or four runs, and you can figure out quite a bit of stuff. It’s just a matter of having zero rain time to figure it out.
Other than the wet setup issue, were you happy with your rally at Mugello? You ended up getting steady points again.
I’m really happy with the way I’m riding. That’s the thing: I’m riding really good, even in the wet. I was kind of impressing myself with some of the saves I was making. I was like, “Holy moly, I can still ride a motorcycle.” It’s just wild, just gnarly in those conditions. You have the thing speedway-ing in, and you’re just dirt-tracking the whole time. Dry conditions, yeah, I feel great. The bike feels good. We got points, yeah, yeah, yeah. But we need something better than that. And we should have something better than that. Motegi, we definitely missed an opportunity. Le Mans, we were looking good, and Mugello we were looking good.
Well, it doesn’t rain much in Barcelona, so that’s got to help.
Yeah, yeah. It’s usually 900 degrees there or something.
You mentioned that you followed Valentino in qualifying at Mugello. What did you learn from riding behind him?
You know, it’s the same as me at Laguna. You got little things here and there, lines might be a little different than they look. I think that’s the main thing. I was following him, just trying to, I don’t know, little secrets or whatever. But it’s typical Valentino. He comes in late, squares it off late, he hits the curbs very late. His style is really no different than anywhere else. But it was good, anyways, just to follow him and get some knowledge.
Is shadowing someone like that usually frowned upon, even if you’re former teammates or on the same bike? If there’s a guy who shadows one of the top riders repeatedly, will they pull him aside and said, “Dude, don’t do that?”
Yeah. Well, the only person I followed in the whole of practice and qualifying was Valentino. You have some riders that are just constantly looking for somebody to drag them around. I never follow anybody. Valentino never follows anybody. You know, unless you get lucky and pull out there, and they’re there. And if they want to let you follow them, well then, they’re going to let you follow them. I’ve never had a problem with Valentino. He’s followed me, and I’ve followed him. We don’t really play the games so much with one another that bad.
Barcelona seems to be a different animal from Mugello. More flowing, longer-radius turns. Does it require a different setup than Mugello?
I don’t think it’s that much different. Our bike is not really having to turn it upside down this year. Everything should be pretty good from the get-go.
What do you need from a bike to do well at Barcelona?
Just balance. I think everywhere with these 800s, just having a good balance. When you get into the corner, you just want everything to be balanced. Weight distribution, front and rear. That’s pretty much the 800s, all summed up. Barcelona, for sure, there are some long-radius corners where you’re leaned over for a long time, so you can’t be having too much crazy transfer on the front or on the rear. You just need to have it settled pretty evenly.
I saw where Dani Pedrosa set a new top speed record for MotoGP at Mugello when he hit 217 mph in the speed trap. When you’re going that fast on a bike, do you realize the speed?
You never think about it. It’s just something that I don’t think any of us think about it. All we’re thinking about is getting from Point A to Point B as fast as possible. Now, granted if, if you have some issues, some setup issues or tire issues or construction might be too soft or whatever, you’ll definitely notice it the faster you go. It might get a little more unstable. But that’s one thing: Man, I’ll tell you, the Bridgestones, they are just unbelievable. If you’re doing 60 mile an hour or 216 mile an hour, the bike feels exactly the same. And that’s all just down to tire technology they have.
The reason I ask is because the top speed down the straightaway this year at Indy was 230 mph, in an IndyCar. You guys are only about 15 mph off, and they’re inside a carbon-fiber shell with a roll hoop and belts, and you’re on a bike.
Well, you can take that carbon-fiber shell. I don’t want anything to do with that. When I crash, I want to get as far away from all that action as possible. That’s the mentality of a motorcycle racer. It’s like: “I want to get away. It’s just me, with a whole road of gravel. Not me and some 2,000-pound vehicle fricking hurling into a wall. I’m out on that gig.
This is the second of three races in Spain. What’s your favorite of the three Spanish tracks, Jerez, Barcelona and Valencia, and why?
Probably Barcelona. Jerez is good, but as far as a track for me and my style, I seem to get along pretty good with Barcelona. The place is good; everything is good about it.
You’re starting to hit the road every two weeks or so on this summer stretch. What’s popular on your iPod, DVD player or reading list during the flights?
Well, basically it consists of stopping by the magazine store and getting a few gun magazines, read up on the new technology and stuff. Other than that, DVDs … I don’t have any. I don’t carry a DVD; I don’t carry a laptop. When I go away for a week and I come back, I carry my backpack. And it’s got deodorant, toothbrush, some magazines, toothpaste, obviously. The essentials that I need to survive and smell halfway decent. When I jump into the motorhome, I’ve got my wardrobe kind of there already. All we ever do is wear team gear. So even if I’m going over to Malaysia or something, I might throw a pair of swim shorts or something into my backpack. But hell, I can do two weeks with just a little carry-on bag, no problem. I try to keep it to a minimum. I just watch whatever movies they have or listen to whatever music is on the radio.
Colin Edwards, a Houston native nicknamed “The Texas Tornado,” will offer candid insight about his performance, competitors and life in the exciting world of MotoGP motorcycle racing before every event in 2009 in “Tornado Warning.”
Two-time World Superbike champion Edwards, 35, is in his seventh year of MotoGP competition, riding this season for Yamaha Tech 3. He is seventh in the season standings after four races this season and will compete with the rest of the MotoGP grid at the Grand Prix of Italy on May 29-31 at Mugello.
The colorful Edwards will compete in the second annual Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 28-30 at IMS along with fellow American MotoGP star Nicky Hayden, and MotoGP superstars Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo.
Le Mans was another race where things looked promising, but a slow start hurt you. But you were flying in the second half of the race. How frustrating has that pattern been this year? You’ve had a couple of races where this has happened.
My dad said the other day, “Man, you just don’t have any luck.” It’s like, “Well, what is luck?” We had circumstances at Le Mans that were just … We tried to put the setting of the bike we knew. We’d only ridden on the tires one time in Japan, and I was fastest on the wets. So we kind of thought we’d put that setting on. And went out, first couple of corners weren’t that great. I dropped back to seventh or eighth, something like that. Went to brake for the bottom two right-handers and ran off the track. Just ran it in too deep, ran it off the track and got back on, and I was almost dead last. That’s a bummer. Those are mistakes that I normally don’t make. But, you know, this is racing. The second half of the race was great. We clawed back lots of time, got some points back. We just have to get over all that stuff. Japan was a different story altogether. We need to focus on where we’re going. I think Mugello is going to be good. I’m looking forward to it. Mugello, Barcelona, Assen, Donington, all of these races, Laguna, all of these races coming up, I’m feeling confident about.
Is there still a silver lining because you’re still seventh in points, probably one good finish away from fifth?
Yeah, if fifth could possibly give anybody encouragement. I don’t like racing for fifth. But the reality of it is you’ve got Valentino, Lorenzo, Stoner and Pedrosa, who are the four fastest guys at the moment. Getting in amongst them, to get on the podiums, you’ve got to beat two of them in the first place. To win a race, you’ve got to beat all four of them. It’s not like they’re making it easier on us. They just keep throwing new faster guys at us. But yeah, I think apart from those four, I think it’s probably a race for who’s best of the rest.
When you see a guy like Melandri break through with a second-place finish at Le Mans with Hayate, does that make you think a similar weekend is possible for you and Tech 3?
I’m not going to say he lucked into it. That was a full race; he rode a good race, ended up second. He seems to shine in those mixed races. He won the one in Australia a couple of years back. I don’t know what it is. He goes good on those mixed conditions-type races, likes that thing. As far as Melandri in the dry, that’s a fish out of water. There was nothing special there. Just being able to push, and I don’t know, a little more risk, had the bike was set up right or whatever it might have been for the rain conditions, he was definitely on fire. But yeah, you don’t look over at that or across and say, “Oh, yeah, he had a good race,” or “He got lucky.” We just kind of keep that to ourselves. But we know what our goal is, and that’s really all we look at.
This might be a touchy subject, but it’s no secret that you and James (Toseland) aren’t on the greatest of terms this season. Has that hurt development or setup at all because you guys aren’t sharing as much information as last year?
Moving on to Mugello. What makes that place so special? Is it the track? The atmosphere? All of it?
It’s a good track, man. Between the track and the fans, it’s one of those places that, oh, man, unless you’ve been to Jerez, it’s hard to explain. It has so much culture, as well. It’s back in the woods, out in the middle of nowhere, seemingly. It’s just awesome. It is a great event. It always has been. All those things combined: culture and history and atmosphere.
Sounds a lot like Indy.
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. It does. It does. It’s (Mugello) definitely one of the races that everybody looks forward to going to just because it’s Mugello. Mugello is Mugello, and it will always be. It will always have that air of mystique around it.
How does your bike set up for that place? It seems like it has a mixture of everything. Long straight, tight corners, fast corners.
All the track really is is just a load of chicanes kind of placed together. You go through Turn 1, and 2 and 3 is a chicane, 4 and 5 is a chicane, 6 and 7 is chicane. Bike agility is the biggest factor to running Mugello. You want to have that thing flicking left to right as easy and as effortless as possible. But with confidence. You can have the bike flick left to right, but it needs to plant itself instantly. If you can get that instant plant, nothing is moving around or too soft, then you’re fine. You get that thing kind of moving and flicking it one way, then the next, and you’ve got to wait for it to settle down, you may as well just go home.
That agility is even more important than power at Mugello even though you have that long straightaway?
Oh, hell, the front straightaway, that’s nothing compared to all the chicanes around there. If you lose a tenth at every chicane around there, well, hell, you’re talking five- or six-tenths of a seconds just done, finished. And you can’t make up a half-second on the straightaway. The straight is definitely good if you’ve got a bit of horsepower to power around somebody. But there are just as many passing spots all over that track. You don’t really need the straightaway just to pass.
How long do you think Jorge Lorenzo can hold off Valentino Rossi, especially because they’re teammates? You have a unique perspective on that: You’ve been Valentino’s teammate.
I’ve got people asking me this question all the time about Valentino. I will never, ever bet against Valentino. I don’t think there’s anybody who will bet against Valentino. His record speaks for itself. He’s good at that waiting game, too. He can sit around, he can’t wait, wait for you to make a mistake, wait for you to get your confidence destroyed a little bit. He plays all those games. So I don’t think it’s a matter of if Jorge can hold him off. I just think it’s a matter of when’s Valentino going to decide to stop farting around and just get on with it. And it’s about this time of the year he usually does it.
That has zero effect. I can always set my bike up how I want it. Like I said before, a lot of our bike settings came from Valentino last year. Kind of getting our getting our package right. And then from that package, a click here, a click there, a little bit of spring. Everything, the geometry is very similar. Touchy subject or not touchy, there’s no animosity, I don’t think, between any of us. We’ve gotten over it and moved on. But I don’t really think I need to say, “Let’s let bygones be bygones, and let’s be buddies,” because the reality of it was we were never buddies. Everybody makes it sound like we’re just not friends anymore. We were never really friends. We were acquaintances. We never went out and had a beer together. We never went to the pub together. We didn’t do any of that stuff. It’s blown up through the media as in … I was nice to him; he was nice to me. But we weren’t friends. We were far from friends anyways. It’s blown up. But I don’t need those people. I don’t have friends like that, anyways, even before he did it. So doing what he’s done has just gave me a great excuse to say, “OK, I know now I don’t need a friend like that.”
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