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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Speedway CEO wants MotoGP back in Indy next year

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Jeff Belskus

wants to keep the annual MotoGP weekend on the schedule – if the

two sides can work out some of the tricky details.

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The current one-year deal expires after this season. Belskus said

this weekend that MotoGP’s commercial rights holder is trying to

package the American races into a narrow window that would help

defray team travel costs. Under the current format, the

European-based motorcycle series goes to Laguna Seca in California

in late July, then runs in the Czech Republic in early August

before coming to Indy in late August.

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MotoGP also has a 10-year contract to compete at the new Formula

One track in Austin, Texas. The first race will be held there in

2013, though no dates have been announced.

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Negotiations for a new deal in Indy continued this weekend, though

nothing was announced.

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“We’re still negotiating with them, we do have some date issues,”

Belskus said. “They would like us to be closer to Laguna Seca so

they don’t have to travel back and forth so much.”

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Moving the Indy race to an earlier August date or even before

Laguna Seca could cause additional problems for the

speedway.

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If the motorcycle race were closer to NASCAR’s Brickyard date,

traditionally late July, speedway officials may have trouble

getting the track ready for a road-course race.

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Another option: Moving Laguna Seca’s date closer to Indy’s regular

date, which could allow MotoGP to be in the U.S. for all of August.

It’s unclear whether MotoGP officials can or would make that kind

of change.

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Riders have frequently complained since the first race in 2008

about Indy’s narrow track, its difficult surface and the tight

corners. The speedway recently repaved 1.5 miles of the course, but

the complaints remained.

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“Instead of corners opening up, they just keep tightening up,” said

Casey Stoner, Sunday’s winner. “This facility could be unbelievable

with the history that it’s got. I just don’t enjoy riding it as

much as I enjoy other circuits.”

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Sunday’s attendance was announced at 64,151, a slight improvement

from 62,794 last year.

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The three-day total of 134,766 was the lowest of its four-year run

in Indy, well below the 170,000 from 2008 and it’s not even close

to some of the crowds in Europe.

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But Indy does have something riders like.

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“For me, it’s a home race. It’s in front of the home crowd,”

third-place finisher Ben Spies said. “I’ve had good results here. I

think it’s more important for America to get involved with MotoGP

to grow in the states, so I would like to see it come

back.”

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HAYDEN’S ROUGH DAY: Nicky Hayden’s tire risk failed.

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Hayden was the only rider in the MotoGP race who chose

Bridgestone’s medium compound for his front tire – the rest chose

the hard compound for both front and rear. After a fast start, his

race ended during the 26th of 28 laps because of tire

wear.

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“There was no rubber left, and then it was out of balance and I

could not even ride,” he said. “Tough day.”

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Hayden entered the weekend optimistic about riding a new bike, and

the Ducati rider left it hoping to salvage something.

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“Hopefully, we can take some of the data that we learned from this

weekend on that bike.”

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Hayden, from Owensboro, Ky., wanted a better finish in his home

country. Instead, he got the kind of result that has plagued him

all season.

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“It was a disaster,” he said. “It has been going on for quite a

while, so it’s not fun. I have a lot of fans here in America who

came here to support me and I let them down.”

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ROSSI STRUGGLES AGAIN: Ducati rider Valentino Rossi found himself

in an unfamiliar place during Sunday’s MotoGP race:

last.

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The seven-time MotoGP champion started 14th out of 17 riders after

a poor qualifying effort on Saturday, then he overshot turn one on

the ninth lap during Sunday’s MotoGP race and fell to the back of

the pack.

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“I made two or three mistakes in the first corner,” he said. “I

wanted to stop, seriously, but I did not want to give

up.”

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Rossi rallied and finished 10th.

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“It was very bad,” Rossi said. “The bike was so difficult to ride.

I didn’t have any grip. The front pushed, and after some laps, I

had problems with the gearbox.”

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SPAIN RULES MOTO2: Marc Marquez led a Spanish sweep in a Moto2

event. Pol Espargaro finished second and Esteve Rabat finished

third.

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Marquez earned the pole, then fell behind Simone Corsi for several

laps before taking the lead for good in lap eight of the 26-lap

race.

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Espargaro has finished on the podium in all four Indianapolis Grand

Prix. His previous podium finishes all came in 125cc: first in

2009, second in 2008 and third in 2010. His previous best this

season had been sixth at Portugal.

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German Stefan Bradl finished sixth and remained in the points

lead.

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TEROL WINS AGAIN: Spain’s Nicolas Terol won the 125cc class for the

third time in four Indianapolis events.

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Terol also won the event in 2008 and 2010. This year, he became the

first rider to win the event from the pole.

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“This victory is incredible in this moment of championship,” Terol

said. “I want to thank my team because their work for the weekend

is perfect.

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Spanish rookie Maverick Vinales finished second, and Germany’s

Sandro Cortese was third.

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Terol now leads France’s Johann Zarco 191-165 in the point

standings. Zarco finished fifth on Sunday.

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XDL WINNERS: Bill Dixon and Dena Sodano claimed the men’s and

women’s XDL season championships in downtown

Indianapolis.

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It was the fourth consecutive year the final event of the stunt

motorcycle riders’ season was held in Indianapolis as part of the

Indianapolis GP weekend.

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Rafal Pasierbek won the FMF Cup Final to win the Indianapolis

event, but Dixon accumulated enough points in the previous four

events to claim the season championship.

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Dan Jackson won the Wheelie Teach Wheelie Race, Brian Bubash won

the K&N Circle Challenge and Sickest Trick Award, Jesse Toler

claimed the Racing 905 Speed and Style Showdown and Sodano won the

Startso Women’s Cup.

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AP Sports Writer Michael Marot contributed to this

report.

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Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: twitter.com/cliffbruntap

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