My Summer Road Trip

August 9, 2014

 

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As one of their Saturday events, Honda had their MotoGP riders visit the Honda tent for a Q&A session. Here is Dani Pedrosa who I always thought was so tiny...
...but when I stood beside Dani and Marc Marquez (here answering questions) after the session was over, Marquez was even tinier. When you look at their physical size, it's a wonder they can throw around those big 1000cc bikes so easily.
After catching that Q&A session, I walked over to Grandstand E Penthouses by turn one to take in the MotoGP Qualifying.
One of the last ones out was Valentino Rossi. I never quite get why Rossi (and Lorenzo) are often last out when there are only 15 minutes to qualify for your starting position on the grid. Confidence is probably one factor.
I couldn't quite catch it, but just about here, every lap, Rossi left a set of sparks on the track as he finished turn 1. Foot peg? Something else? Hard to tell.
Jetting through turn 1, this is Pol Espargaro (front) and Dani Pedrosa. During qualifying (in ALL categories - Moto3, Moto2, MotoGP), guys didn't manage to make turn 1. They came into the corner too hot and ended up detouring in the automobile oval past turns 2 & 3, rejoining traffic at turn 4.
IMS's new leader pole helped you keep track of how the riders were qualifying. This is actually how Q2 ended.
This is the walkway behind the Turn E Penthouses.
Behind this IMS office person is the IMS Administrative offices (where I picked up my tickets on Thursday night).
For some reason, the usher saw me taking the last picture and thought that the lady in the picture and I were related (incorrect). He also concluded that we were tourists (Correct when referring to me). Bottom line he said, "As a visitor to Indianapolis Speedway, you gotta see this!" What was it? He led me to a (near vertical) ladder which took me to an area ON TOP of the Penthouse seats. Note the corregated roof which covers the Penthouse seats and the railings which made me (a person with no fear of heights but a HUGE fear of falling) feel more comfortable.
As you can see, from the spotters booth, you can see a HUGE amount of the track area. Evidently during the Indy 500, there is a spotter for every car. The spotter is in direct contact with his/her driver and lets them know if they are approaching trouble (accident, oil, etc).
Not only can you see the oval (outside, darker tarmac) in this picture, but you can also see turns 3, 4 and even 5 in the distance. You can also see the downtown skyline.
While I was up there, they started Moto2 qualifying.
And here's me... proving I don't mind being high, getting a great panoramic view, etc BUT if you could have seen my feet, I was well away from the edge of the platform.
After descending from the Sighting booth, I went to the South West Vista grandstand to watch the remainder of the Moto2 Qualifying. Here is Tito Rabat rounding turn 4.
Anthony West, Australia
Luis Salom, Spain
Johann Zarco, France
Thomas Luthi, Switzerland, followed by Nicolas Terol, Spain
Turn 3: Dominique Aegerter, Switzerland, followed by Axel Pons, Spain
Luis Salom, Spain, followed by Josh Herrin, USA
Looking back towards Section E Penthouses.,..
... if you look for the railing to the right of the yellow flag, that's where I was taking pictures from... the spotters' booth.
Jonas Folger, Germany, followed by Franco Morbidelli, Italy
Simone Corsi, Italy (3), and teammate Mattia Pasini, Italy (54) - when I took this picture, I'm sure I didn't know which was which - as you can see, team colours are used and leathers are SOOOO much the same. Helmets and numbers are the only way you distinguish one from the other and good luck figuring that out at speed.
Xavier Simeon, Belgium
Dominique Aegerter, Switzerland
To get back to the infield after the qualifying sessions, I walked this tunnel. This was also the tunnel I rode through each morning to get into IMS.
View of the Hall of Fame Museum from the exit to the tunnel.
Louis Chevrolet Memorial next to the Hall of Fame Museum. "Never give up."
Map of Indianapolis Motor Speedway

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