Back From Indy

[twolanefun]

Nora and I had a good time, although I bet if Nora was honest she would say me more than her.
 
Hats off to Donnie and Julia for putting together a great package. The suite was very nice, food was good, beer, right in the track with air conditioning and monitors, close enough to go walking around if you had the mind to and up top offered some good views with the lovely noise the GP bikes generate. Naturally I also thought the sound of all of Bubba's family created some good noise too as they went by and of course it was fun to watch them haul the speed down and wrestle the bikes into Turn 1 - yeehaw! Nice seeing some from my ride list there as well, even got to see Bob Bishop for a change as well as Vince, Walt and Ivonne. Tried to give the Ducpond crew, they were all there, a hard time about doing an oil change on the ST3 since it was there and they had nothing better to do. Bill says you got parts?, I says heck there is Nathan ain't he responsible for parts?, I'm just a dumb customer - all in good fun and I hope it was received as such from the crew.
 
Donnie especially gets credit for pulling off the coup of the weekend by getting the two Ducati racers (Nicky and Dovi)to visit the suite for an up close and personal session for pictures and autographs. That is something Ducati corporate could not even pull off. Nora and I went over to Ducati Indy, each wearing our Nicky Hayden shirts, on Thursday evening, after arriving from Virgina, quick change at hotel, ride over to the dealership, and wait in a line(including a bunch of non-ducati owners) only to be told that there would not be any autographs just a Q&A session. Anyway that was a pretty slick move by DucPond, Donnie scored double on that one since he made his customers happy and scored some big points with the Boss Lady, Julia, who has a not so secret crush on Nicky. Can't wait to see wait he does next year as I'm sure he realizes he'll now have to top that.
 
Yes Indy is on the schedule again next year! I will have to save some coins as I was hoping to go to Austin, thinking Indy would be gone now I want to do both.
 
Nora and I went downtown to Monument Circle early on Friday to walk around and look at some of the buildings from the Art Deco era, I took a bunch of pictures and I hope they come out, I have not had a chance to review them yet. We wandered by a jewelry store, I had the good sense not to go in even though the Ducati Watch inside the case made to look like a helmet was sure nice looking. After that I stopped in the Cigar store and I picked up a few cigars, gave one to Dominic(from Sunday Morning meet-ups) later in the evening, we then got a seat outside at the Rock Bottom Brew Pub. We had a good dinner and enjoyed watching all the people go by as well as some interesting motorcycles (and some not so interesting). We then wandered down to the Hard Rock cafe to verify that John Esposito was in fact at Indy with Dominic since I kept getting text messages on my phone that claimed they were there. Sure enough when we walked down there they were indeed in town, they were part of another gasoline alley suite deal at the track.
 
Saturday Nora and I spilt time between walking the Vendor area, the suite, and some time elsewhere around the track. Got an excellent picture of the Spies special Diavel built by Advance Moto Sports.
Watching qualifying was exciting but then not so exciting, Spies not on the track. Nicky and Dovi back in the pack, what can you say about this new kid - just amazing, man would I love to see Stoner back on track and Nicky on a competitive bike and 5-6 of them going at each other up front. Ah well, settle for what we got, still the best country in the world and I'm able to see this race at one of the most renowned tracks in the world, with Nora, with some of the best weather ever at a Indy MototGP, and with some good friends, pretty damn cool if you ask me. Saturday night I headed down to the Flat Track race, Walt and Ivonne gave Nora a lift back to our hotel and treated her to dinner as well, Thanks a bunch. The races were a hoot as usual even if getting into the track was a PITA. Shayna Texter, Pro Singles, was awesome, taking her heat race in style and then in the Final with 5 laps to go she went from way back in 4th place to take the lead with 3 laps to go and won it! The twins race was no less exciting even though the Lloyd Brothers Ducati that Jake Johnson was on broke in the heat race, therefore the team decison was to use the 2nd Ducati of Henry Wiles for Jake and have Henry use his HD XR750. Henry battled up front for awhile but ended up 7th. Jake had a good race having to go all the way  from the penality line(using a backup bike) to work his way into 11th. I hope they have a better time this weekend right here in Virginia, should be a great race regardless and a nice ride down to the track http://www.colonialdowns.com/
 
 
I'll add Sunday in a later post. - Gene

[zooom]

[Uncle Mofo]

Nicky and Dovi ended up signing autographs at Indy Ducati for everyone that was present.
Glad you had fun in Indy.

[twolanefun]

News to me and I was there. They announced no autographs just Q&A session which we stuck around for, then they announced autographs for kids under 10, then maybe the ladies, we left after that announcement as did a bunch of others. Not Ducati Indy's fault but the whole scene was totally different than in years past. And while I know you don't mean anything by it but it's not about your club, I have had a good time in Indy every year since the first year. The Indy GP Ducati scene is great because of all the owners that I've met and socialized with over the years. I still had a good time without Ducati Island but IMHO that is a bad move by the track and Ducati. It is also rather funny to me how many people are riding to the event on other Brands but when they take their jacket off it's a Ducati Shirt underneath, even better entering the track some guy on a Busa pulls up along side me and he is wearing a Ducati DP Corse helmet. - Gene

[Uncle Mofo]

I have to give credit where credit is due. When the riders showed up, they said no autographs since they were pressed for time. Bill Carr (Ducati Indianapolis) pleaded with the team for autographs explaining that he had people waiting all day.
I assure you, everyone got something signed even helmets and bikes.  I'm sorry you guys left, looking forward to meet you next year.
As for the open house party being on a Thursday afternoon I agree with you.. different crowd I'll push for Friday next year!

[twolanefun]

We've met. I don't think moving it to Friday is a good idea unless it's early as going down to monument circle early Friday is the best time to do that scene since thuings get a bit hectic later that night and Saturday is the Flat Track race. I think you should move the Sprockets event to Thursday early, then if they do the bike night in Carmel people can do both since trying to get food at the Carmel event is a bit difficult with the number of folks that show up, just MHO. - Gene

[Uncle Mofo]

Sprockets it's nor my event, the Indianapolis club organizes it.
There's too much going on during the Moto GP weekend that's the problem!

[twolanefun]

That's also why it's a great event, not too mention it's only a long days ride me if I do it straight or a day and a little if you do some twisty stuff through VA/WV/SE Ohio. So glad it was renewed for next year. I always thought about going to Laguna it looks like they may get one more year before the ax and I hope Indy gets continued for awhile after next year. - Gene

[ducati culture]

Overall I had a awesome time 
I wouldn't say ducati island was there is was more like ducati parking.   
The weather was wonderful!

[tocino]

Overall I had a awesome time 
I wouldn't say ducati island was there is was more like ducati parking.   
The weather was wonderful!

What was ironic was that Suzuki had taken the spot where Ducati Island was last year(s) and did their version, yet Suzuki is not currently in MotoGP

I like the position of the new stands, except for the hike to the bathroom.

[ducati culture]

What was ironic was that Suzuki had taken the spot where Ducati Island was last year(s) and did their version, yet Suzuki is not currently in MotoGP

I like the position of the new stands, except for the hike to the bathroom.

If you think that was a bad walk try parking where the other bikes parked for free parking.  That was WAAAAYYY on the other side.   

[zooom]

If you think that was a bad walk try parking where the other bikes parked for free parking.  That was WAAAAYYY on the other side.   

sometimes....a good deal ain't such a good deal now is it?

[tocino]

I parked on the outside last year - not a problem since I only needed to get to the bike at the end of the day. Bathrooms on the other hand...
The years before I had my 900ss so I got to park on "the Island" right next to the stands so that was a very short walk.

[zooom]

I'll add Sunday in a later post. - Gene

still anxiously awaiting the Sunday write up....