AMA Flat Track: Scenes & Seen at the 2012 Lucas Oil Indy Mile

Round 10 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season saw a diverse turnout among the dignitaries and fans on-hand at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile.  With the 5th Annual Red Bull MotoGP Weekend taking place down at the big speedway less then a half-dozen miles away, racers, former racers and big names alike headed to the Indiana State Fairgrounds to take in The Rolling Thunder Show to see the night's action in what everyone knows is the best racing series on wheels in the world.

One of the busiest pit areas at Indy was the Bryan Smith #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports powered by Eaken Racing Kawasaki/Midwest Performance-sponsored Kawasaki 650R work area.  For the five mile events that team owner/master builder Ricky Howerton is contesting in the 2012 season, the pit area has been abuzz at each of those events for the fans and folks on-hand wanting a glimpse of the machine and workings of one of the most innovative designs and winners in the sport of AMA Pro Flat Track in some time.

And Indy was no different, except for the names of two of those attendees who happened by on the hot August night of Saturday the 18th.  Along with regular mates Jeff Gordon (Speedway Engine Development) and team owner Howerton (and his boys and one of their friends enjoying the limelight) was Indianapolis Motor Speedway Senior VP of Operations, Mel Harder.  Having been in the racing business for some time now, Howerton has amassed a group of friends, competitors and long-time confidants that would set the Broadway lights of racing aglow.

Also along for the night of bench racing and checking out the lastest hot rod on the AMA Grand National Championship Series horizon was former multi-time runner-up in the 500cc Grand Prix World Championship, Randy Mamola.  The former World Grand Prix rider and current MotoGP Ducati Two-Seater pilot seemed to enjoy his time hanging with the hottest team on the circuit and enjoyed checking out the piece of art that Howerton has put to the track this season.

2-Time World Superbike Champion Colin Edwards was the Grand Marshall for the 2012 running of the Lucas Oil Indy Mile.  To the delight of the crowd's roars he talks with AMA Pro Flat Track announcer Barry Boone while his kids enjoy seeing Daddy having a good time at a race, unlike his season as a CRT rider on a struggling team in the MotoGP series.  Edwards was quite the accomplished flat tracker and motocross rider before going WERA and eventually AMA, World Superbike and MotoGP racing and teaches a school at home in Texas on his 'days off' from competing in the top level road racing series in the world.

Thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track, see what the Texas Tornado had to say about his marshalling duties at Indy and how great of a time he was having at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqzD4IMjkdg

Everyone knew that after his appearance at the 2009 Lucas Oil Indy Mile to help support his long-time friend, Kenny Roberts, while he rode some demo laps on the infamous Indy-winning TZ750 flat tracker, that 9-Time World Champion Valentino Rossi would be in the house for the 2012 version.  Rossi didn't dissapoint, bringing along some of his Ducati support crew and hanging with 7-Time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr on stage in the special seating area set-up by the AMA Pro Flat Track team.  Carr reportedly helped to broker a deal that saw Rossi return home with his own Harley-Davidson XR750 that he would have to ride on his practice track back in Italy.  Tommy Hayden was hanging with the group and is mostly obscured in the shot above to Vale's right, wearing a red t-shirt.

AMA Pro Flat Track announcer Barry Boone was tasked with the pleasure of interviewing the living motorcycle racing legend on the podium during a break in the action on the track at Indy.

Cristy Lee with AMA Pro Racing was on-hand to interview some of the big names at Indy.  Here she talks with The Doctor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmGfpJc8v8k

Jared Mees' #9 Rogers Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Saddlemen/National Cycle-sponsored XR750 sits on display in his pit area during round 10 at Indy and was put on a special display stand for fans to come by and get pictures taken on the 2-Time AMA Grand National Twins Series Champion's bike.  Mees pit area offered a very nice, coordinated fan area with hot dogs and munchies being served to the fans who happened by during the walk through.  Mees' 3rd-place later in the eveing helped him pad his tally as he leads the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship overall point standings.

Brownsburg, Indiana-located Vance & Hines' Terry Vance was in the house talking about the XR1200 Series round at IMS and enjoying the superb evening of The Rolling Thunder Show review.

13-Time AMA Grand National Championship-winning tuner and master wrench Bill Werner talks in the pits before the on-track activity gets going at round 10 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile on August 18. Current rider and career-best 2nd-place finisher later in the day, Brandon Robinson takes in the conversation in the Werner-Springsteen Kawasaki Racing/Cometic Gaskets/Wossner/SuperTrapp-sponsored pit area.

Three of the team's machines were displayed early in the day at Indy (Stevie Bonsey's #80 sits in the middle with Robinson's #44 in the rear of the shot.)  But one of the bikes caught my eye for two obvious reasons.  One, the bike in the forefront of the shot, has not only Robinson's #44 on the side plates, but Sammy Halbert's #7 on the front plate.  Two, the bike in the front is the Indy and Springfield Mile-winning machine that Bryan Smith took to the top of the podium during the 2010 season.

Sammy practiced the 'extra' Kawi of the legendary Werner's stable 'just to get a feel for it' during a practice session according to the former Harley-Davidson Racing department employee and a 'we'll see' approach to what could or would happen throughout the evening.  As we know now, Sammy went back to his tried and true South East H-D-sponsored XR750 and beat the #44 by inches to win his first-ever mile event and take the grand slam of flat track along the way.

AMA Superbike Championship rookie Josh Herrin from the Graves Motorsports Monster Energy Yamaha team was in town checking out the great action and talks with AMA Pro Racing's Cristy Lee here on the podium for the 2012 Lucas Oil Indy Mile event on August 18.

2008 AMA Pro Flat Track Rookie of the Year Matt Weidman was in the seat of the Scott Powersports Kawasaki at Indy, after former rider Johnny Lewis #10 and the team split some time before the Peoria TT, held just six days earlier.  The announcement was made just prior to the Peoria round, where Mighty Matt and his super Mom Rachel were both very excited for the New York State resident's chance to pilot one of the top rockets in the series in front of what was a packed house and European contingent of MotoGP racers, fans and sponsors.

Matt took the #20 Scott Powersports/Saddlemen/Fiorio Investments/SNIP-backed mount home to a top-10 run of 8th-place in the 25-lap National main, for what well could have been one of his best finishes on a mile since his 5th-place finish at the Canterbury Park Minnesota Mile in September '10.  Having struggled with his mile program and this season missing a couple of rounds after his final qualifying get-off that saw him suffer a broken collarbone, it was great to see Mighty Matt running up front where he belongs on a big track.  He will get to run it again for sure at the Springfield Mile II round now rescheduled for Sunday, September 16.

Reflections of the 5th Annual Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP Weekend August 17-19, 2012

The 5th Annual Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP Weekend saw the first repeat winner at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when 2010 winner Dani Pedrosa on the #26 Repsol Honda RC213V took home the top honors on a weekend that will be remembered for the Spaniard's second win on the oldest race track in America, but also for the carnage that littered the track and paddock long after the checkered flag had fallen.

Pedrosa is seen at high speed rocketing down the long front straight at Indy during the first practice session of the weekend, where speeds of 208 MPH were recorded during the 3-day weekend in the series' first visit to Indy in the 1000cc era of MotoGP World Championship racing.

Pedrosa's team mate, Casey Stoner on the #1 Repsol Honda (and the defending MotoGP Champion and Indy winner) faired much worse then his double-winning team mate over the long weekend at The Brickyard.  After a seriously nasty highside during the qualifying round that saw the Australian suffer serious ankle injuries, Stoner at first wasn't expected to contest the weekend.  But like the tough competitor he is, the #1 machine soldiered on to a strong 4th-place finish at Indy.

Stoner however had to sit out this weekend's Brno event and is hopeful for the next round at San Marino on September 14-16.  This was Stoner's last trip to the track he loves to hate as he announced his retirement from the sport earlier this summer after the 2012 season.

Honda was one of the many manufacturers on-hand for the 5th Annual Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP Weekend, and one of theirs and all of the displays that was catching a lot of interest was the new Honda CBR1000RR.

Ben Spies' 2012 season troubles continued at Indy in spite of his 4th-place qualifying effort on the #11 Yamaha Factory YZR-M1.  Elbowz got a monster start at the drop of the green in the MotoGP main event and led a few laps before being passed by eventual-winner Dani Pedrosa.  But while giving chase, the motor expired on the long front straight and was highly reminiscent of his 2012 season in which he has suffered a series of maladies and get-offs.


























On a brighter side for the 2009 World Superbike and 3-Time AMA Superbike Champion, the 2011 Petronas Factory Yamaha M1 that Spies rode at the Laguna Seca and Indy rounds last year graced the Yamaha display in the infield at IMS.  The paint job helped Yamaha celebrate their 50th anniversary.

Andreas Dovizioso continued his season of superior runs on the #4 Monster Energy Tech 3 Yamaha M1 with a 3rd-place finish at the 2012 version of the Red Bull MotoGP Weekend. Dovi signed between Sunday's Brno round and Indy to ride for the Ducati factory in the 2013 season alongside America's own Nicky Hayden.

You can't talk MotoGP without making a shoutout to and about 9-Time World Champion and 7-Time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi.  The Italian was the first Ducati home at Indy, bringing the #46 Marlboro Factory Ducati GP12 home in the 7th-place spot.

Rossi was also on-hand at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile on Saturday, August 18, hanging out with Tommy Hayden and Chris Carr on the stage as a special guest of Family Events Promotions and AMA Pro Flat Track.  He also went home with his own Harley-Davidson XR750 to ride on his backyard track, and it was reported that Carr helped to broker the deal for the popular MotoGP icon.

Ducati Island at The Brickyard was at the usual level of excitement that is seen amongst the 'Ducatista' fans and one of the nicest displays at the track was set up for the Ducati compatriots and other fans on-hand throughout the weekend.  The display included two street versions of two of the three Ducatis that 3-Time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss rode to his titles, and a Ben Bostrom #1 Vance & Hines Ducati from the '99 AMA Superbike Championship season.  Can you say drool...............

The #17 Cardion AB Motoracing Ducati GP12 of Karel Abraham and the #69 Marlboro Ducati Factory GP12 enter the garage area at Indianapolis after the end of the first practice session of the weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway-hosted 2012 MotoGP World Championship round.

In another case of two ends of the spectrum, Abraham brought the satellite machine home in the 8th-place spot (and just under 11 seconds behind Rossi) while The Kentucky Kid saw air/sky/ground in a brutal crash during qualifying that saw him suffer serious wrist injuries and miss his first home race in the five years that the series has visited Indy.  It was a sad weekend for fans of the popular former '06 MotoGP World Championship and former '02 AMA Superbike Champion.

Teknic Leathers had one of the coolest displays on-hand in the Gasoline Alley vendors area at IMS, which among others included a pair of Miguel Duhamel's leathers from his season of racing the Harley-Davidson VR1000 in the '94 AMA Superbike Championship and a pair of Kurtis Roberts' leathers from his days with the Erion Racing Honda team in the early '00s in the AMA Superbike Championship.  Alongside are a set of Aaron Yates' leathers from one of his years with the Yoshimura Suzuki team and John Hopkins' leathers from his days with the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP squad.

In what was a joint effort among IMS, AMA Pro Flat Track and Family Event Promotions, the promoters of the 2012 Lucas Oil Indy Mile on August 18, 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Saddlemen Rookie of the Year Brad Baker and Bryan Smith were on-hand Friday afternoon, August 17 to sign autographs for the fans and talk about the next night's great racing at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.  AMA Pro Flat Track announcer Scottie Duebler talks with the boys while Baker's #12 Dodge Brothers XR750 and Smith's #42 Crosley/Howerton/Eaken Kawasaki sit on display for the several hundred fans that showed up to talk to the two stars of the greatest racing series on wheels in the world.

For the first time ever, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted a garage at the Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP round called the Social Media Garage.  Set-up for the fans with several laptops, big screens showing the action and racing simulators, the lounge-like atmosphere was a very cool place for fans to come and hang out and chat with some invitees that were on-hand to cover the action at the track for Twitter, Facebook and their respective websites.

Stu's Shots was one of the five invited guests to this special event, thanks to Cassie Conklin with the Indianapolis Motor Speeway, along with Lance Lau, Terry Hampton, Daniel Lo and Larry Lawrence of The Rider Files.com.  It was due to LL's kind mention of Stu's Shots to Ms. Conklin that we were invited and I owe a big thanks to both for allowing me to attend this special event, which included among other perks full access to any stand in the house and free premium parking and credentials that made it a breeze to enter and exit the track I have been stalking since the spring of '69 when I was just a wee junior high student still living in Iowa.

For what was started this year as an experiment with the Indy 500 and The Brickyard 400, the special event was a big hit with fans and with Stu's Shots.  I was and still am humbled by the invite and the great treatment that was given me and I appreciate the efforts of all in putting this super weekend together!

In a finishing touch to wrap-up the 5th Annual Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP Weekend review, and a shallow and self-serving mode of self-promotion, 'Stu's Shots' was advertised inside the Social Media Garage over the weekend along with the other four invitees with scrolling LED read-outs of each of our respective sites and/or Twitter feeds. 

I'm still not quite sure to know what to do with seeing my name in lights for the first time in my life, but I guarantee you I won't let it go to my head!

Again, a big thanks to the folks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a great weekend of racing and for the special invite.  It was a blast and again a stellar running of another World Class event.

Bravo and thank you!