Female Racer Myers To Test MotoGP Bike At IMS; Young Americans Get Moto2 Chance
August 18, 2011 | By Paul Kelly
AMA SuperSport racer Elena Myers will turn several laps on the Suzuki GSV-R MotoGP bike Thursday, Aug. 25 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the eve of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP.
Myers’ laps are scheduled for 4 p.m. (ET) on the 16-turn, 2.621-mile road course. The Red Bull Indianapolis GP takes place Aug. 26-28 at IMS.
She originally was scheduled to ride the Suzuki MotoGP bike at the postseason test in 2010 at Valencia, Spain, and Suzuki MotoGP Team Manager Paul Denning is fulfilling his promise to provide seat time to Myers.
“Words cannot describe how excited I am to ride the Suzuki GSV-R at Indy during the MotoGP weekend this year,” Myers said. “We had talked about it last year, but things didn’t work out, so here’s a big thanks to everyone involved for making this possible. When I sat on the bike last year, it felt like it was made to fit me. So actually being able to spin a few laps on it will be quite the treat. I’m really looking forward to the weekend.”
Myers, 17, finished fifth in the AMA Pro SuperSport West Division this season despite missing two races due to injury. She scored a podium finish at Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, Ala.
California native Myers made history last season by becoming the first woman to win an AMA Pro road race, winning the AMA SuperSport round at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. That victory helped her finish second in the SuperSport West standings in 2010.
“We are delighted to be able to give Elena this opportunity to get some understanding of how Suzuki’s MotoGP bike feels and operates,” Denning said. “She is a very talented racer – not ‘for a girl’ – she’s just fast, full-stop!
“MotoGP is the pinnacle of every racer’s ambition, and there aren’t so many people who have ridden the very latest 2011 GSV-R – Bautista, Hopkins, Aoki and now Elena! I would guess she’s also the only female racer to have ever ridden an 800cc MotoGP machine? Either way, we really hope she enjoys the experience.”
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Young Americans get Moto2 chance: Promising young American riders JD Beach and Jake Gagne will compete in the Moto2 class, the final step before the premier MotoGP class, in the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 26-28 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Beach, a 19-year-old native of Snoqualmie, Wash., will replace Tommaso Lorenzetti on the No. 73 FTR bike for the Spanish Aeroport de Castello team, managed by former Moto2 racer Alex Debon. Gagne, from Ramona, Calif., will compete as a wild card on the No. 32 FTR fielded by the American GPTech team, managed by former racer Geoff Maloney. Gagne will turn 18 on Aug. 27 at Indianapolis.
Both Beach and Gagne are champions of the Red Bull Rookies Cup, a European-based series designed to groom future MotoGP stars. Beach won the title in 2008, Gagne in 2010.
Beach and Gagne also competed in the Red Bull U.S. Rookies Cup and Riders Cup races at the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP in 2008, with Gagne winning the Rookies Cup race.
2010 AMA Daytona SportBike champion Martin Cardenas also is a late addition to the Moto2 lineup at Indianapolis, replacing fellow Colombian Yonny Hernandez on the No. 10 Blusens-STX FTR.
Moto2 riders compete on machines with spec 600cc Honda engines and Dunlop tires. Kenny Noyes, from Borrego Springs, Calif., is the only full-time American rider in the class.
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Cycle World staging Concours, seminar: Cycle World magazine is returning a popular event and bringing a new event to the Red Bull Indianapolis GP this year.
The fourth annual Cycle World Editorial Seminar will feature a panel of MotoGP experts, led by Cycle World Managing Editor Matthew Miles, for an hour-long roundtable discussion at noon Saturday, Aug. 27 on the Red Bull Energy Station Stage in the IMS infield.
Among the scheduled guests are 1993 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz, legendary Cycle World Technical Editor Kevin Cameron, motorcycle journalist and current Ducati MotoGP press officer Chris Jonnum, veteran AMA racer Steve Rapp and more.
Fans can ask questions through the Cycle World Twitter feed, @CycleWorldStuff, and are encouraged to use the hashtag #CWseminar.
The Cycle World Red Bull Indianapolis GP Rolling Concours is a unique event Friday, Aug. 26 at IMS for vintage motorcycle owners and fans of vintage bikes.
Open to machinery from 1986 and earlier, participants must complete a round-trip ride Friday from IMS through the Indianapolis area, including a stop for lunch, to be eligible for judging later that day at the track.
Judging will take place in six classes: Classic I (1959 and older), Classic II (1960-75), Modern Classic (1976-86), American Classic (pre-1975), Japanese Classic (pre-1975) and Street Special (café racers, bob-jobs, etc.)
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2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP tickets: 2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP tickets are on sale now.
To buy tickets, visit www.imstix.com, call the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or visit the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street. Ticket office and phone hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.
The 2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP is scheduled for Aug. 26-28 at IMS.
Race Day general admission tickets cost $40, with Friday general admission $10 and Saturday general admission $20. A three-day general admission ticket is $60. A Friday-Saturday general admission ticket is $25.
Children ages 12 and under will be admitted free any of the three days of the event when accompanied by an adult with a general admission ticket.
Race Day reserved seat prices will start at $70.