Hard-core Grand Prix racing fans will be in for a treat on August 30 as former 500cc GP World Champion Kevin Schwantz is scheduled to ride the Suzuki RGV500 two-stroke V-four—the bike on which he won the 1993 500cc world title—for some demonstration laps at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. This will be one of the few times when MotoGP fans will be able to see in action one of the bikes that epitomized the two-stroke “Golden Era” of 500GP racing, when Schwantz fought fiercely for victories against rivals like fellow American world champions Wayne Rainey and Eddie Lawson, as well as Australian world champions Mick Doohan and Wayne Gardner.
Although Schwantz has had the bike since 1995 when it was given to him by Suzuki, the bodywork and paint was only recently restored. The Texas native will ride the restored bike on the 2.621-mile road course at IMS at 2:15 p.m., 45 minutes before the start of the MotoGP race. Schwantz recorded 25 victories during his illustrious Grand Prix career, second all-time among American riders.
It will be the first time Schwantz will ride the bike since he retired after the 1995 season. "We fired it up one weekend, I think, late in the year in '95," Schwantz said. "I'm looking forward to it. I've sat on it a couple of times. We've got some new Michelin tires for it. I'm not going to try and throw down a qualifying lap, that's for sure, but I'm really looking forward to riding that thing here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"Hearing that V4 two-stroke (engine) running around out here is going to be special."
A demonstration of MotoGP’s new “Moto2” class Grand Prix racing motorcycles will take place Saturday, Aug. 29 during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP at IMS. Slated to replace the current 250cc Grand Prix class, the Moto2 bikes will use a 600cc four-cylinder spec engine to be manufactured by Honda, but with the freedom to use any prototype chassis. The class already has a full list of entries for the 2010 season.
The Moto2 demonstration will be run from 4:00 – 4:40 p.m. on the 2.621-mile road course.
Crash, the rock band fronted by MotoGP star James Toseland, will perform live Saturday, Aug. 29 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. The performance will start at 4:30 p.m. on the 6th Street Stage in the IMS infield. Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Toseland, from Great Britain, plays keyboards and is a vocalist for the four-man band.
Toseland played piano with members of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra last September during the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP. Crash and Toseland have performed live to enthusiastic crowds at the last two Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. For more information on the band, visit www.crashband.co.uk.
If you’d like to let someone else do the driving, the town of Speedway is facilitating roundtrip shuttle bus service for Red Bull Indianapolis GP fans on Sunday, August 30 at two convenient locations, one in downtown Indianapolis and one at Indianapolis International Airport.
Service will be provided by the Free Enterprise System, Inc. and Transportation Management Services (TMS). Both companies will have air-conditioned shuttles and handicapped-accessible vehicles on all routes. Shuttle details are as follows:
Downtown (Free Enterprise System, Inc.)
- Location: Free Enterprise-Sodrel Truck Lines North Lot, 1220 S. West St., Indianapolis (Corner of West and Morris)
- Time: 8 a.m. to three hours post-race. Continuous shuttle loops to track until 2 p.m. Last shuttle to IMS departs at 2 p.m.
- Cost: $20 per person; tickets can be purchased in advance at www.motogpparking.com or www.freeenterprisesystem.com or at shuttle site Race Day.
- Parking: $5 per car
- Contact: (888) 209-0226
Indianapolis International Airport (Transportation Management Services)
- Location: Ground Transportation Lobby, Gate 1 at the airport
- Time: 8 a.m. to three hours post-race. Continuous shuttle loops to track until 2 p.m. Last shuttle departs for track at 2 p.m.
- Roundtrip cost: $20 pre-paid ticket available until Friday, Aug. 28. Order discounted tickets online at www.tms-llc.com/redbullGP. Tickets available at shuttle site on Race Day for $30 per person, cash only
- Parking: 10,000+ spaces at the airport, $7-16 per car
- Contact: E-mail EventTransportation@tms-llc.com
Camping available: Camping sites remain available for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP event weekend.
Four-day weekend tent camp sites start at $50; RV camping sites start at $120. Camping locations open beginning 7 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 27 and will remain open through Sunday, Aug. 30.
For information or to reserve a spot, visit the Tickets section of www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com or call (800) 822-INDY.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway once again will provide multiple riding gear check locations for Red Bull Indianapolis GP fans to check helmets, leathers and any other motorcycle riding gear at the track.
Fans can visit any of the five locations on the IMS grounds and place any gear in plastic bags to be securely stored and picked up upon exiting the facility for the day.
A new location in the Vendor Marketplace will allow fans to store any large purchases made during the day. Other gear check locations are: Main Gate West parking lot, Lot 3 Pavement parking lot, Lot 8 parking lot and a concession stand along the backstretch parking area. The service is free and available all three days of the Aug. 28-30 event.
An experienced IMS Public Address team comprised of familiar voices to Indianapolis Motor Speedway fans and MotoGP experts will keep fans up to date with all the action at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP.
IMS Public Address veterans Dave Calabro, Jerry Baker, Scott Hoke and Laura Steele will be joined by MotoGP experts Toby Moody and Ralph Sheheen during all three days of action Aug. 28-30 at IMS.
Moody is the lead announcer for Eurosport TV's coverage of all MotoGP events in Europe (where the races are televised live) and also is the MotoGP columnist at autosport.com. Sheheen is an announcer for all forms of motorcycle racing coverage on SPEED and has served as the lead play-by-play announcer for MotoGP coverage on numerous U.S. networks.
Red Bull Indianapolis GP Alpinestars gear available: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is offering an assortment of custom Red Bull Indianapolis GP merchandise by motorcycle accessory and clothing giant Alpinestars.
Gear includes technical leather riding jackets, polos, crew shirts, long-sleeve raglan shirts, hats and a zip-up fleece hoodie. Shop for the available items in the Red Bull Indianapolis GP/Alpinestars section of the IMS Online Store at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com
2009 IMS tickets: Established in 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has long prevailed as an icon of motorsports excellence. Beginning in 2009, the Speedway celebrates its Centennial Era, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the facility in 2009 and the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in 2011.
Tickets for the final event of 2009 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - the Red Bull Indianapolis GP - can be purchased online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com at any time and start as low as $75 for a three-day General Admission ticket.
Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.