Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/358265
IN THE WIND P38 READY, SET, GO T he MotoGP World Championship gets back to work this com- ing weekend after a four-week break in the action and it gets back to racing at a racetrack that is arguably the most storied in the world – Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And the storylines going into the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix are plentiful. For starters, the riders in MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 will face a newly configured racetrack at IMS. Although the track retains its 16-corner layout, the new course is slightly shorter at 2.591 miles with turns three, four, seven, 15 and 16 having been reconfigured. In addition, the entire infield section of the track has been repaved for what will be the seventh year of Mo- toGP racing at the Brickyard. Of course, the main talking point of the race itself will be if Repsol Honda's Marc Marquez can win for a 10 th straight time in 2014 to keep his unbeaten streak alive. Marquez's record at Indy is impeccable with the Spaniard having won three races in a row (Moto2 in 2011-2012 and Mo- toGP last year). If he wins at Indy he will tie legend Mick Doohan with the most consecutive wins in a season in the modern era. If someone is to knock the mighty Marquez from his perch, that man will most likely be his teammate Dani Pedrosa. After all, Pedrosa sits second in the championship and he's a two- time winner of the Indy GP (2010 and 2012). The GP will be an emotional one for Colin Edwards as the Texan, who announced his re- tirement earlier in the year, will line up for the final time at Indy and for his final home Grand Prix. Edwards' best outing at IMS was a fifth in 2009. A "Fare- well to the Texas Tornado" live event, featuring several MotoGP stars, will take place on the Moto Midway stage in the IMS infield at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Unfortunately for American race fans, Nicky Hayden will not be riding in MotoGP as he is re- covering from wrist surgery. The good news is that Hayden will be at IMS throughout the weekend to help his replacement Leon Camier and he'll also be taking part in a number of off-track ac- tivities. The AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series returns to Indy for a doubleheader week- end of racing that will feature former MotoGP rider Jeremy McWilliams in his return to the series. McWilliams won one of the two races held at IMS last year and he's long been a fan favorite. Are you ready for some MotoGP? The series returns to action this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE