Red Bull Indianapolis GP Events Calendar
August 11, 2012 | By Paul Kelly
The Red Bull Indianapolis GP weekend is jam-packed with activities, both at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and around the Indianapolis area. From Aug. 17-19, all three classes of the MotoGP World Championship – MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 – and the AMA Vance & Hines XR1200 Series practice, qualify and then race on the 16-turn, 2.621-mile road course at IMS.
Motorcycle riders, fans of events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and hardcore MotoGP fans enjoy the highest level of motorcycle racing on the fastest, most sophisticated race bikes in the world at the track and also check out the many cool scenes and events around town away from the track.
Here is a calendar of the great events and features of action at the Speedway and around Indianapolis during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP weekend, creating The Ultimate Motorcycle Race in America.
All events on Aug. 17-19 at IMS are free for Red Bull Indianapolis GP ticket holders that day except for the Motorcycle Track Lap on Friday, Aug. 17 and the IMS Kids Club event Saturday, Aug. 18. For more information on the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, visit the official website at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/redbullindianapolisgp.
Aug. 17: Red Bull Indianapolis GP Practice. On-track action for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP gets underway Friday, Aug. 17 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with two practice sessions for each of the three World Championship classes and practice and qualifying for the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series. The Moto3 machines will take to the 2.621-mile circuit at 9:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m., with the superstars of MotoGP at 10:10 a.m. and 2:10 p.m. and Moto2 at 11:10 a.m. and 3:10 p.m. The rumble of Harley-Davidson thunder will be heard and felt during AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series practice at 12:10 p.m. and qualifying at 4:10 p.m. There will be 5 ½ hours of on-track, high-speed action among the four classes.
Web: www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/redbullindianapolisgp
Aug. 17: Riders For Health Auction. Fans can bid on a wide variety of motorcycle-related items during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP at the Riders For Health Charity Auction from 5-6:40 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17 on the 6th Street Stage located in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway infield. All MotoGP riders also participate in fan question-and-answer sessions during the auction. All proceeds benefit Riders For Health, an international non-profit organization that provides medical care to rural African villages using motorcycles and motorcycle ambulances.
Web: www.riders.org/us/default.aspx
Aug. 17: Motorcycle Track Lap. Race Day Reserved Seat ticket holders who have purchased a special track lap will ride one lap on the same 16-turn, 2.621-mile MotoGP road course at IMS on which superstars such as Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden practiced upon earlier that day. Track laps take place from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17.
Web: www.imstix.com
Aug. 17-18: Live Music at IMS. Live music will fill the 6th Street Stage in the IMS infield Friday, Aug. 17 and Saturday, Aug. 18. Jasmine Cain will play her high-energy rebellious rock at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17 and 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18. Indianapolis’ own Lynda Sayyah will perform her unique blend of pop, rock and R&B at 3:15 p.m. Friday, while Brent James & The Contraband will rock the stage at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Web: www.jasminecain.com/, www.lyndasayyah.com, www.brentjamesmusic.com
Aug. 17-18: Motorcycles on Meridian. From 7 p.m.-midnight Friday, Aug. 17 and Saturday, Aug. 18, South Meridian Street in downtown Indianapolis will be filled with the sound of engine roars and the sight of leather-clad riders. Motorcyclists will gather on Meridian all the way from Monument Circle to South Street to share interests and celebrate the Red Bull Indianapolis GP at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The fifth annual Motorcycles on Meridian, presented by the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, is for people with and without bikes. Interested parties with no steel horse of their own are welcome to walk around at this free event and marvel at the impressive choppers and sport bikes. On these two nights in August, the motorcycle culture of Indianapolis is open for everyone to enjoy.
Local establishments offer drink and food specials during Motorcycles on Meridian, and live music also will be featured. Ghost Beach, Hotfox and other bands will play a free show from 7-11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18 on the Red Bull Stage at 125 S. Meridian St.
Riders should enter the 2012 Motorcycles on Meridian through Monument Circle, continuing to Meridian Street.
Aug. 17-18: XDL Sportbike Freestyle Championship. This high-energy, high-thrill motorcycle stunt event takes place from 4-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17 and 4-10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18 at the Indiana War Memorial in downtown Indianapolis. XDL is the top level of the sportbike freestyle scene and features the best riders from the United States and the rest of the world. The competitions feature non-stop thrills and spills as the athletes unveil the latest tricks in an action-packed format.
Web: www.xdlshow.com/
Aug. 17-19: Ducati Island. One of the most popular fan attractions at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, Ducati Island is a celebration of all things Ducati. The Italian manufacturer features a large display inside Turn 1 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including current and historic Ducati machines, custom Ducati bikes, Ducati apparel and accessories, entertainment, fan giveaways, entertainment, fashion shows and the always popular Ducati Girls. Ducati riders from a variety of series sign autographs, and there are a variety of special perks for Ducati owners, including gear check, special parking and more.
Web: www.ducatiusa.com/news/ducati_island___motogp_indianapolis_2012/2012/06/07/2517/index.do
Aug. 17-19: Grid Girls. Gorgeous women are a longtime hallmark of MotoGP events. Whether it’s beautiful girls dressed in team colors on the grid before the race or models at Ducati Island, there are plenty of pretty sights everywhere at IMS during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP.
Aug. 17-19: Interactive Manufacturer Displays. Major motorcycle manufacturers, including BMW, Honda, KTM, Suzuki and Yamaha, display their latest products under large, colorful tents in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway infield for fans to see and touch during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. Manufacturer representatives also are available to answer questions from fans interested in putting one of the beautiful new machines in their garage. Motorcycle accessory and equipment companies, such as Bridgestone and Dunlop, also offer displays.
Web: www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/redbullindianapolisgp
Aug. 17-19: Vendor Marketplace. Motorcycle enthusiasts can see and purchase gear from top motorcycle equipment and accessory companies at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP Vendor Marketplace, as the popular display area for aftermarket products returns for a fifth year. The Vendor Marketplace also will feature the largest selection of motorcycle apparel anywhere. The Vendor Marketplace will be open in the Gasoline Alley garages at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17 and Saturday, Aug. 18 and 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19.
Web: www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/redbullindianapolisgp
Aug. 18: Red Bull Indianapolis GP Practice, Qualifying. There will be five hours of on-track action among four classes of competition Saturday, Aug. 18 at IMS as MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 riders participate in practice in the morning and qualifying in the afternoon, and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series practices in the morning and races Saturday afternoon.
Moto3 practice starts the day from 9:15-9:55 a.m., followed by practice sessions for MotoGP from 10:10-10:55 a.m. and Moto2 from 11:10-11:55 a.m.
The starting grids for Sunday’s races will be set in three exciting qualifying sessions Saturday afternoon, each featuring all riders in each class turning unlimited numbers of laps in great action against each other and the clock. The Moto3 machines will take to the 2.621-mile circuit from 1-1:40 p.m., followed by the superstars of MotoGP from 1:55-2:55 p.m. and Moto2 from 3:10-3:55 p.m.
Harley-Davidson motorcycles also will race handlebar-to-handlebar in the first AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series race of the weekend, a 10-lap feature that starts at 4:20 p.m.
Web: www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/redbullindianapolisgp
Aug. 18: Cycle World Industry Panel. Editors and writers from Cycle World magazine will play host to a round-table panel with some of the top riders and figures from the motorcycle industry on the 6th Street Stage in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway infield from noon-1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18. The seminar is open to fans, who can ask questions of the guest lineup, which is scheduled to include Cycle World editors Matthew Miles and Kevin Cameron, 1993 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz, American MotoGP rider Steve Rapp, American MotoGP team owner Richard Stanboli and more.
Web: www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/redbullindianapolisgp
Aug. 18: Cycle World Rolling Concours. Some exquisite vintage and custom bikes – including legendary bikes from Harley-Davidson, Triumph and Indian – will be on display and run Saturday, Aug. 18 during the return of the Cycle World Rolling Concours presented by BikeBandit.com. Participants join the Cycle World staff on a ride from the track to a private lunch before riding back to the Speedway for judging. Bikes must complete the entire ride to be eligible for trophies in a variety of classes, as this unique event celebrates both form and function.
The beautiful machines of the Rolling Concours machines also will be on display Friday, Aug. 17 and Sunday, Aug. 19 in a special area at IMS.
Web: www.cycleworld.com/rolling-concours-2012/
Aug. 18: IMS Kids Club Event. IMS Kids Club members and their parents are welcome to a special event from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18 in the North Plaza Chalet 6B. Fun activities and light snacks will be provided. Kids Club members must wear their red Kids Club T-shirt or Kid-ential. One or two adults must accompany each Kids Club member to the event, and each adult must have a Red Bull Indianapolis GP general admission ticket for Saturday.
Web: www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/kidsclub
Aug. 18: Pit Walkabout. Fans can get an up-close look at the exotic prototype motorcycles raced in the MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 classes as they are being prepared for Race Day during the popular Red Bull Indianapolis GP Pit Walkabout, which takes place from 5:15-6:45 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18 on pit lane at IMS.
Web: www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/redbullindianapolisgp
Aug. 18: AMA Flat Track Racing. The Lucas Oil Legendary Indy Mile Grand National AMA Flat Track race returns to the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Aug. 18 after a one-year hiatus. Heat races start at 7:30 p.m., followed by the main event at 9:30 p.m.
Glorious memories of the Indy Mile go back for decades. Top riders always have coveted a win at this race, long considered the “Crown Jewel” of AMA Pro Racing’s oldest and most tradition-rich professional racing series, the Flat Track Grand National series.
Web: www.familyevents.com/event/222
Aug. 19: Red Bull Indianapolis GP Race Day. The best riders in the world will push their machines to the limit nearly all day on Race Day, Sunday, Aug. 19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with warm-up sessions in the morning and races in the afternoon for all three World Championship classes.
Warm-up sessions will take place at 8:40 a.m. for Moto3, 9:10 a.m. for Moto2 and 9:40 a.m. for MotoGP. Racing for glory and World Championship points will start with a 23-lap Moto3 event at 11 a.m. and follow with a 26-lap event at 12:20 p.m. for Moto2. The world’s best riders, including Americans Nicky Hayden, Colin Edwards, Ben Spies, Steve Rapp and Aaron Yates, will compete in the 28-lap MotoGP race at 2 p.m.
Competition will conclude at 3:30 p.m. with the second 10-lap feature of the weekend for the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series, featuring the tight racing and thunderous roar of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Web: www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/redbullindianapolisgp
Aug. 20-21: Schwantz School. 1993 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz will conduct a sessions of his renowned motorcycle riding school, the Schwantz School, on Aug. 20-21 on the MotoGP circuit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Web: www.schwantzschool.com