| Author | Message | ||
     Jaimec |
Maybe they crumpled the napkin first? Bring the series back to Indianapolis! The facility is big enough to host ALL of the classes (not just MotoGP like Laguna) and Indianapolis has outdrawn COTA every year they were both on the calendar. It still pisses me off they left Indy the year after they were awarded "Best GP of the Year!" Friends who've attended both also reported the staff in Indianapolis was a lot more friendly, enthusiastic and professional than the staff at COTA. | ||
| Figorvonbuellingham |
+1 on Indy | ||
| Crusty |
I've been to several large racetracks, but none are in the same league as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is the best venue for Moto GP in this country, IMO. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Indy? That is not a real road race course, not to mention it is flat as a pancake. Are we talking about the recetrack or the facilities? I assume those voting for Indy have never been to Laguna Seca. If you have been, likely you wouldn't be saying Indy is the best track. Facilities and the almighty $$$, yeah Laguna Seca loses--but for the racetrack Laguna is superior. I am just thankful we were able to be apart of GP in it's heyday at Laguna Seca. | ||
| Crusty |
I've ridden the track at Indy. It's a race course. I bet you've never been there, have you? | ||
| Jaimec |
I've (inadvertently -- and that's ANOTHER story) ridden it too. I agree... it's a race course! From a spectator's point of view you can see quite a bit of the track from the penthouse seats and the jumbotrons make it easy to see the parts of the track that you can't see with your own eyes. As a spectator, that means a lot more to me than how technical the track may be. Oh, and I've been to Laguna. That ride into and out of the facility is burned into my brain. I'm just glad I was on the back of my friend's bike or I might STILL be stuck in traffic wondering if I'd make my flight home on time... And don't forget: Laguna Seca didn't have the facilities for anything BUT MotoGP... The 125cc and 250cc classes had to sit that round out because there was no place for them. (Message edited by jaimec on October 05, 2021) | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Nope, never been to Indy. Don't need to have been there to know that a road race course shoehorned into a super speedway is not a REAL road race course, like Laguna Seca. Sorry ain't gonna happen. I already admitted that the Laguna facilities are not up to par, but if we are talking the racetrack itself no way in hell does Indy compare. I will also admit that as a spectator at Laguna Seca you almost have to decide if you are going to hangout and enjoy the paddock/marketplace or hike to someplace to watch the racing. It's almost mutually exclusive because watching the racing from the infield leaves alot to be desired and in order to get the best vantages of the racing will require some time to hike to the upper areas outside the track. BTW, I agree with the traffic. It sucks. The only way to do it IMHO to do it is camp there and go home on Monday. We have even waited 3 hours after the event is over on Sunday to leave and STILL run into the back of the traffic jam. | ||
| Crusty |
You're wrong. But that's OK; you have that right. You display a classic case of contempt prior to investigation. It's your loss. | ||
| Figorvonbuellingham |
I couldn’t understand why they left Indy. They kept saying the ticket sales weren’t there but the news usually reported high ticket sales. The venue is larger then many European venues they race at. It has always boggled my mind. Pissed me off too. | ||
| Jaimec |
Right? Indy outdrew most of the European rounds based on Dorna's own numbers. It consistently outdrew Laguna Seca (not surprising considering how small the Laguna facility is) and COTA when the two were both being held. None of the reasons given ever made ANY sense. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Maybe because Indy is not a real road racetrack and COTA (even though it sucks) is. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
What am I losing, exactly? LOL. | ||
| Crusty |
You'll never know. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Could say the reverse to you about Laguna Seca, but that would sound idiotic wouldn't it. | ||
| Figorvonbuellingham |
Looks like Austin is still in the card for next year. The riders are saying they will refuse to race if the track isn’t re-finished. Should be interesting. | ||
| Jaimec |
I have been to both Laguna Seca and Indianapolis. I suppose as a racer I'd probably prefer Laguna HOWEVER I am NOT a racer, I am a spectator, and as a spectator/fan, Indianapolis wins hands down. Bigger, better facility, more activities available when there isn't any racing, better views when there is. Plus, you're in the heart of the city so you don't have to travel far at the end of the day to find something to do or see. | ||
| Figorvonbuellingham |
Absolutely. The party goes all night. I used to camp by the track but as I got older and partied less I began to hate being kept up all night so I started staying in hotels. I did miss just being able to walk to the track. There’s all kinds of activities going on that weekend. | ||
| Jaimec |
https://www.crash.net/motogp/feature/989271/1/if-c ota-isnt-resurfaced-motogp-wont-come-back | ||
| Jaimec |
https://www.superbikeplanet.com/dont-shoot-the-mes senger-usgp-not-moving-to-indy/ | ||
| Figorvonbuellingham |
Sounds like Hulman-George family and Mel Harder better repair their track. If they don’t I really hope the riders make good their threat. | ||
| Jaimec |
And someone ought to remind Penske of just how much business the Indianapolis MotoGP event brought into their city, too... | ||
| Fresnobuell |
I guess the big city is nicer than the Monterey Peninsula? Ok, if you say so. I also know for fact many of the WSBK Euros loved Laguna Seca because it is in CA and many of them stayed to vacation since the Summer Break followed the Laguna WSBK round every year. It sounds to me like your experience at Laguna Seca was riding in on a motorcyle for the day? If so, I would agree that is about the worst way to experience Laguna Seca. Camping trackside all weekend with your best buddies is the ONLY way to do if you ask me (and leaving Monday)--but that gets difficult if you are not within driving distance to the track. Also, there is the Tiki Hut if you are camping over by Turns 10 & 11, but I digress... Do they have literal trackside camping at Indy or is it golf course now? . (Message edited by fresnobuell on October 13, 2021) | ||
| Fresnobuell |
COTA sucks. I remember a few years ago for GP those bright sparks shaved the track down to try to smooth out the bumps left by the 4-wheelers...there was cement dust in the air all weekend long. Brilliant. | ||
| Jaimec |
I rode into and out of Laguna for all three days. Thanks to a co-worker I was a VIP guest of Philip Morris and was able to watch the races from inside the air conditioned tent overlooking the paddocks and start/finish line. Also had access to an open bar and buffet. The best part was being able to visit the Ducati garage and talk to the mechanics (neither Bayliss nor Capirossi were around at the time). Despite all of that, I STILL preferred seeing the races in Indianapolis and staying in the city. Since you've admitted you've never been there, you really can't compare the two as I can. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
I know of the area you speak of with the corporate tents. We have been in those before back when GP was in its Laguna Seca glory days. Not really our cup of tea, but it was a challenge to get into those without a pass or whatever. But having to deal with the ingress and particularly the egress to the track on a daily basis must have been horrible. I can see why that has stuck with you after all these years. Unless Indy has changed from a road race track stuffed into the middle of a Superspeed way oval, it will never hold a candle to Laguna Seca. The fact you can see most if not all of the Indy track speaks to the very issue. How many tracks on the GP circuit are pancake flat like Indy? How many are retrofitted Superspeed way ovals? Zero. Indy reminds me of Fontana when AMA went there for a few years--a glorified go cart track comes to mind. About the only thing good there was watching Slick have success on the Buell. That was much fun. | ||
| Jaimec |
BTW, the race I saw at Laguna is the same one documented in the movie: "The Doctor, The Tornado and the Kentucky Kid." I kept looking for my friend and myself in the crowd scenes but no dice. I'm sure we're in there SOMEWHERE. Another fun memory: Seeing Michael Jordan sitting on the back of the two-seater Ducati as Mamola took him screaming around the track. Talk about a size discrepancy!! | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Yes, the good old days for sure. The place was PACKED to the gills and it was definitely an HUGE event. I can remember (but I certainly don't miss it) on GP race day the masses of people trying to cross the footbridges over the track. Talk about a bottleneck. It is certainly a more fond memory now, then trying to navigate it then. | ||
| Figorvonbuellingham |
Funny you mention that. I just watched "The Doctor, The Tornado and the Kentucky Kid." two days ago. Very entertaining. | ||
| Figorvonbuellingham |
Wtf Bagnaia | ||
| Jaimec |
It's up to Toprak now to give Yamaha a clean sweep of MotoAmerica, MotoGP and WSBK. |
