Like soccer and cycling, motorcycle racing is more popular on the international sports scene than it is in the United States. But slowly and steadily, that’s changing.
For the first time, the premier class of grand prix motorcycle racing, MotoGP, will have two races this season in the United States as well as in 15 other countries.
The first of the two U.S. races, the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prrix, will be held July 18-20 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Californa. Three weeks later (Sept. 12-14) Indianapolis, Indiana, will host its first MotoGP event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, site of the Indianapolis 500.
In addition to the two U.S. stops, the MotoGP circuit this season includes races in Spain, Qatar, Turkey, China, France, Italy, Great Britain, Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, San Marino, Portugal, Japan, Australia and Malaysia.
The Laguna Seca event will include racing only for the most prestigious 800cc division as well as for other lesser-known professional motorcycle circuits. Many of the MotoGP events also have racing for 125cc and 250cc divisions.
MotoGP success occurs via riders’ skills and their respective ability
to select proper tires for course conditions. Race final line-ups, called grids, are comprised of three columns (four for the 125cc and 250cc classes) and contain a field of approximately 20 riders.
Grid positions are decided in descending order of qualifying speed, the fastest on the “pole” or first position. Races last approximately 45 minutes, each a sprint and without fuel stops or tire changes.
Tire selection is critical and is based on bike “feel” during practice, qualifying and pre-race warm-up laps on the morning of the race as well as weather conditions. Via a new rule instituted in 2007, a rider can use a total of 31 tires (14 front, 17 rear) for practice, qualifying and the race final.
Although there are independent riders, the sport’s best riders compete on manufacturer-sponsored equipment provided by companies like Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Ducati.
The Laguna Seca event, the 11th stop on the circuit, will occur one week after the German stop in Sachsensring. Australian Casey Stoner won the German event, followed by Valentino Rossi of Italy and Chris Vermeulen, also of Australia.
Rossi, the four-time world MotoGP titlist, competed in his record-setting 202nd consecutive event in Germany. He leads to overall standings with 187 points, followed by Dani Pedrosa of Spain (171 points) and Stoner with 167 points. Colin Edwards of Dallas, Texas, is the leading American, in sixth place with 98 points.
