Weather will be a big factor again at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Last year it was a hurricane which interfered with the racing, cutting short the MotoGP race and canceling the 250cc race. So far this weekend it’s been dry and warm. Friday is overcast and 79 degrees F. But thundershowers could be coming, but forecast to be mostly over by race day on Sunday.
Friday pit and paddock access is allowed, plus a lively Q&A session with many riders all kept the fans busy Friday morning while awaiting the first of three afternoon practice sessions.
NICOLAS TEROL/Jack & Jones Team Aprilia was the fastest 125cc rider Friday afternoon, turning a 1:50.603 on Lap 20 of his 21 laps. There were 32 riders on course. The Spanish rider is second in the standings, 54.5 points behind leader JULIAN SIMON/Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc, who was ninth in the hour-long session.
DORNA and FIM select the Wild Card riders for this event. These are ‘local’ riders added to the entry list for a one-off race.
In the 125cc race, the Wild Car riders are BEN YOUNG of Bathgate Scotland in the UK and MILES THORNTON of Columbus GA in the US. They both are racing with Veloce Racing Aprilia and both are listed as USA on the entry list.
Young, 16, moved to Canada in 2007 and now lives in Collingwood, Ontario. His background is racing in Scottish races, the USGP Racer’s Union events, and he was eligible to compete in the Red Bull Rookie Cup championship, but it was canceled in the US due to economic conditions.
Thornton, 15, also comes from a USGPRU background, after racing motocross, flat-track and supermoto events.
AMA has a minimum age limit of 16 years this year, 17 years next year and 18 years in 2011. AMA is American Motorcyclist Association, the local governing motorcycle body for the United States. However, as it is a two-wheeled organization, it is not a member of ACCUS, the American arm of FIA.
The 125cc class has a 9 am EDT practice on Saturday, with qualifying Saturday early afternoon.