US Grand Prix in Monterey

An interesting event to report on with this blog posting as yesterday I went to the Red Bull U.S. Motor Cycle Grand Prix held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

 

The Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing. The Championship is currently divided into three distinct classes reflecting three different types and sizes of engines: 125cc, 250cc, and MotoGP. The first two are held with two-stroke and the last with four-stroke engines. But because California has very strict emission laws which ban two-stoke motorcycles the race here is limited to the Moto GP class.  This was one of 18 stops on the world circuit with this race also serving as the US Grand Prix.

Grand Prix motorcycles are purpose-built racing machines that are neither available for purchase by the general public nor can be ridden legally on public roads. They are also ridiculous loud and super fast. The highest speed for a MotoGP motorcycle is 349.288 km/h (217.037 mph), set by Dani Pedrosa riding a Repsol Honda RC212V 800cc.

Moto GP bike of Jorge Lorenzo.

I joined 52,000 others at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca which is a paved road racing track used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing located on the hills just outside Monterey.  I gathered with thousands of others making use of the free parking at the nearby California State University Monterey Bay  for a free bus ride to the race circuit.  The racetrack is 2.238 miles (3.602 km) in length with a 300 foot (91 m) elevation change. It has eleven turns, including the famous "Corkscrew" at Turns 8 and 8A. This two corner combination is considered one of the motorsport world's most challenging turns, due to the drop in elevation as well as its blind crest and apex on the uphill approach.

As I arrived the morning practice rounds were just finishing under slightly foggy and cloudy skies.  The noise and speed of the bikes as they passed down the straightaway is incredible.   

 Before the main event I had lots of time to wander along miles of displays of motorcycles and every type of accessory I could have ever imagined (and quite a few I would have never imagined).  Some neat displays to watch including some impressive trick riding.

  Little less front brake!  Actually an amazing display of trick riding.

Then under bright, hot, sunny skiesI took my place on the hill with thousands of other for the start of the main event.

Caps off for the singing of the national anthem, a low level fly-by a US Airforce Jet, and then the singing of the collective thousands of hoursepower as the bikes took off towards the first corner.

 And we are off - first corner of the 2010 US Moto GP Grand Prix.

I then moved to watch several laps with the huge crowds at the (in)famous corkscrew corner.

Crowds at the corkscrew.

 

Then a walk around the circuit to see the action from various vantage points.

In the right spot to see a crash - note the dust and the rider coming to a stop against the barriers.

Before this event I knew nothing about this form of motor sport.  Apparently the big news was that just 7 weeks earlier, the reining world champion Valentino Rossi from Italy broke his leg.  Expected to be out for the season he amazingly came back the week before at the race in German.  Much to everyone's delight at Lguna Seca he started 6th and then worked his way to a 3rd place finish.  The guy leading the early stages of the race, Dani Pedrosa from Spain, crashed out and his fellow country man Jorge Lorenzo had a fairly easy time winning.  Second place was won by Casey Stoner (Australia) riding a Ducati.

 Finishing order of riders (by their numbers) as the Spanish national anthem plays for the winner.

 

Top three winners on the podium - photo of the giant video monitor atop the scoring pylon.

All and all it was an incredible and really fun day.  Check out this one minute video of highlights from the race at this link.  These guys are true athletes and the machines they ride are nothing short of phenomenal. The acceleration is impossible to describe as is the noise.  I can now see why Rossi is considered a huge hero in Europe and why he is one of the worlds most highly paid sports stars (can you imagine riding a bike that long, that fast, over a twisty and hilly course with a still healing broken leg!). 

							On the way out I got to walk across the track and have my photo taken beneath the start/finish straight.  But don't worry, I won't soon be buying a motor bike.  I'll keep to mountain climbing - its safer.