The Repsol Honda rider, one of seven Americans to have worn motorcycling’s biggest crown, got fully into the part, wearing authentic vintage helmet and leathers. The Indian machine, which took part in the first Indy bike race in 1909, certainly impressed the Kentucky Kid.

“When the bike first fired up I wondered what I’d got myself into!” said Hayden, one of those riders who has a lot of respect for racing history. “Then when I was doing about 40mph down the straight it felt like a hundred. I really enjoyed the ride though, especially my old school helmet, that was my favourite part.

“It is a real honour to be the first rider to lap the new Indy track and I can’t wait to get out there on a MotoGP bike in September. I expect most of my hometown of Owensboro, Kentucky, to be there. They may have to close the town down that day.”

Hayden later rode a Honda CBR1000RR around the 4.216km/2.618 mile circuit, designed specifically for MotoGP, at more 21st century speeds. When he arrives at Estoril for this weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix he will report his findings to the MotoGP safety commission, which looks after rider safety at all MotoGP events. During his visit to the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Hayden also took a look around the IMS Hall of Fame Museum.

The Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix takes place on September 12/13/14, two months after the US GP at Laguna Seca, California. Indy is the third American track to host a motorcycle GP, after Laguna and Florida venue Daytona. Hayden won the 2005 and 2006 US GPs at Laguna aboard his Repsol Honda RC211V.

Hayden will ride a restored Indian motorcycle, which competed Aug. 14, 1909 in the first motorized race at IMS, around the new infield road course at 10:30 a.m. It will be the first lap by a motorcycle around the new 16-turn, 2.620-mile circuit that also incorporates part of the famed IMS oval.

After the historic first lap on the Indian, Hayden will ride a Honda production bike around the course, be available for photos on the famous Yard of Bricks and speak with the media in the Economaki Trackside Conference Room.

Hayden, a native of Owensboro, Ky., is one of three American riders competing this season in MotoGP. He races for the Repsol Honda Team.

Source: media advisory issued by Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The first race win of this longstanding alliance came in 1982 with Freddie Spencer at the Belgian Grand Prix and the most recent was Dani Pedrosa’s great victory at the Grand Prix of Valencia on Sunday. After a difficult 2007 season, both Honda and Michelin are determined that this new agreement will form the foundation of further success.

Mr Masumi Hamane, HRC President

“Honda believes MotoGP is an arena for supreme competition and also the place where ultimate collaboration between people and technology can be achieved. We believe we must have mutual respect in this world of supremacy in order to retain our dignity and to succeed. This year the Repsol Honda Team and Michelin have been defeated. So now we must strive to return to the winner’s circle where we belong. We believe next year is the year we will do this. We are determined to fight back with all our might and dignity in order to win back the title.”

Mr Frederic Henry-Biabaud, Director of Michelin Group Motorsport Division

“We at Michelin are honoured and proud to continue this very successful partnership with Repsol Honda, with whom we have won eight world championships since 1995. And we are committed to achieving victory in 2008 through very close, intense and technological collaboration.”

Nicky Hayden

“I’m really happy to be joining up with Michelin again next year. They were a key part in achieving my World Championship last year so they’ve got a really special place in my heart. Honda has a long history with Michelin and I think we can work hard this winter during testing and get back to winning ways in 2008. I know they’re not going to take the events of this season lightly, they want to come back strong and I’m convinced they can help us take the fight to our rivals. It won’t be easy, but Michelin is a great company.”

“We must recognise that we made a mistake in setting our target, our bike needs a more powerful engine.

The limit we set ourselves for the first year of 800cc wasn’t the right one. It was thought that the 800s would have taken more time to beat the 990s, but they managed it immediately.

Our bike it not at the level it should be at this point of the season. We are improving top speed, but it is not enough.”

Honda is now fully concentrating on the development of the bikes for their factory team Repsol Honda and once they have sorted them out, they will start to concentrate on the bikes of their satellite teams. Satoru Horiike said:

“All efforts are concentrated on the works team, that’s the priority. We’ll think about the other bikes later. Let’s wait five or six races, then we’ll see what kind of help we can give based on the results.”

Marco Melandri, who is putting in some decent results, will not be happy with this.

The managing director also said that reigning worldchampion Nicky Hayden is working hard to adapt to the bike.

“Nicky is making a big effort to adapt to the bike. He’s trying to change his riding style. For him this bike is harder than for Pedrosa, but we’re trying to meet his needs.”

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After the motor ride they appeared on stage and answered questions and pleased the fans by signing autographs.

Nicky Hayden, team mate Dani Pedrosa, 250cc riders Julián Simón and Shuhei Aoyama, 125 cc Bradley Smith and Esteve Rabat will ride through the streets of the Spanish city and have a presentation the Plaza Dali where the riders will be introduced.

After the presentation the fans have an opportunity to take pictures of the bikes

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