Published: August 26, 2009 11:01 pm      

de la BASTIDE: MotoGP hits IMS this week

Practice is Friday for motorcycle event

For the second consecutive year, there will be different sights and sounds at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the Red Bull Indianapolis GP will attract the best motorcycle riders in the world.

Despite the rain and windy conditions during the 2008 race, fans of the sport got a good glimpse of what can be expected.

I remember going down to a test session last year and being amazed at how the riders drove Banzai style into the first corner coming off the front straightaway. There was the high-pitched whine of the engines and the brightly colored rider and bikes streaking past in a blur.

Valentino Rossi, last year’s winner, currently has a 50-point lead heading to Indianapolis for the MotoGP World Championship. Rossi’s Fiat Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo is coming off the win at the Czech Grand Prix.

American Nicky Hayden, who finished second in the inaugural event, would like nothing better than to pick up one position.

Last year’s inclement weather kept the 250cc riders from competing at Indy, so it will be the first time Hiroshi Aoyama, the current points leader, will get to race at the famed Brickyard.

The 125cc riders will also be competing at IMS. Defending race winner Nico Terol is second in the points chase behind teammate Julian Simon.

Practice for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP takes places on Friday with qualifying set for Saturday and racing on Sunday beginning at noon.

If you have never witnessed MotoGP competition. this is the perfect opportunity for Midwest racing fans to get a taste of something different.

In addition to being at IMS, I’m looking forward to the Grant Fritz/Greg Dietzen Memorial race at Anderson Speedway on Saturday for the Legends division.

This is one of the biggest events of the year for the Legends competitors and the Anderson race normally attracts a good field of drivers competing for national championship points.

In previous years drivers from as far away as South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas have been the journey to Indiana for this event. Racing starts at 8 p.m.

In other racing news

Angola driver Scott Hantz captured the Budweiser 150 for the Champion Racing Association super late models at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, Tenn.

Hantz won a week earlier at Toledo Speedway.

Visiting Sprint Cup driver Kyle Busch battled an ill-handling race car and was forced to park before the end of the 150-lap race.

• Ken de la Bastide is the Kokomo Tribune enterprise editor. He may be reached at ken.delabastide@

kokomotribune.com or (765) 454-8580.