Nicky Hayden and his RC212V took the lead on lap two from Andrea Dovizioso and then enjoyed a tense duel with Valentino Rossi, who slipped ahead at half distance. For much of the race the pair were comfortably the fastest two riders on the track, then shortly after half-distance conditions deteriorated. The remnants of Hurricane Ike had been battering the circuit since lunch time, when heavy rain and winds hit the Indiana venue, forcing Race Direction to postpone the 250 race. As the wind and rain increased during the second half of the MotoGP race a massive section of trackside signage came adrift, forcing the race to be red flagged. Race Direction briefly considered restarting the race but finally the result was called.

Nicky Hayden, finished 2nd, 8th in World Championship

“Man, it felt really good to be in the lead and I felt quite comfortable. It’s been a long time. I was thinking ‘this only happens in the movies’: your home race, missing the last two and coming back to win. I was able to stay focused but Valentino came past and he had a little more speed, especially in section three. Then when he touched the line onto the back straightaway I was able to make up a little more ground and I thought maybe I was okay. But when it started raining heavy I was in trouble because when it had dried I’d used up a lot of the left side of the tyre, so it got pretty gnarly with all the water. “Sure, you dream about winning your home race, but honestly I shouldn’t be too greedy with how things have been. I’ll take this second and enjoy it. I’d just like to say a big thanks to my team, all my guys, my friends, my family, everyone who’s stuck with me through tough times. Also, thanks to Indy and everyone for making this race happen. It’s a great feeling to be able to race so close to home, I enjoyed it. “I gave the maximum today, I can’t say I left much on the table and that’s how it’s supposed to be. When they stopped the race it was pretty treacherous. It was the right thing to do. Conditions were really tough, especially with the winds because you’d be on a dry line and all of a sudden it’d blow you onto the wet. When they said we were going to do another eight laps, part of me thought ‘hey, let’s line back up and try again’. But I’m not leading the championship, so I’ve got nothing to worry about. A big thanks to the fans too, we only had to be out in the wet for an hour, they’ve been out there since Thursday.”

Kazuhiko Yamano – Team Manager

“That was an excellent race from Nicky in very difficult conditions. He did such a good job, so did his crew and also Michelin. It was great to see him climb the podium at his home race with so many of his fans here. I am sure this result will give him some extra power for the final four races of the year.”

Following yesterday’s all-day downpour, the sun shone at Indy today, though the wind got up as the day went on, heralding the arrival of Hurricane Ike, which is due to reach Indy tomorrow. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are predicted for much of the day.

This morning’s session starting out on a damp track, but this afternoon’s outing was all dry. Hayden set the pace in the early stages, entertaining the crowd with some smokin’ exits from turn 13. Working with his crew he got his RC212V handling well around the brand-new Indy MotoGP track. Hayden is still riding in some pain from the broken right heel he suffered six weeks ago.

The Kentucky Kid is wearing a special home-race helmet here, celebrating his lifelong support for the Indianapolis Colts football team.

Nicky Hayden, 4th fastest, 1’41.271

“That was nearly the front row but outside on the second row ain’t a bad spot. I feel this is the best race pace I’ve had in a while; a few times when I’ve qualified good this year it’s just been one lap with a qualifier. I enjoyed today, even this morning in the damp. Yesterday in the heavy rain, man, I was hydroplaning everywhere, it wasn’t any fun. I had a lot more fun today, the bike was working a lot better, we made some geometry tweaks to make it feel better and I was able to be more consistent. The bike certainly felt pretty good and the Michelin tyres felt pretty good. For the race it’s surely looking wet. It would be awesome to catch a break and get in a dry race, because I feel this is the best race package I’ve had in a while. If it’s dry we’ve got an idea on tyres. If it’s wet, my set-up yesterday wasn’t working real good. If it’s heavy, heavy rain we need to do something different. It would’ve been nice to be on the front row, we could certainly use a bit of a boost because my guys are working real hard and I’ve got a lot of support here: friends, family and fans. We’ll see what happens tomorrow, try to have a bit of fun, see how it goes. The special helmet paint is for the Indianapolis Colts. When I was a kid I played Pop Warner football and I was a Colt, that was my team. It was me, my little brother and one of my best friends. Colts have always been my favourite team. And the horseshoe, maybe I could do with a bit of good luck!”

Kazuhiko Yamano – Team Manager

“Nicky has done a great job today, so close to the front row. Also he has a good race pace, though I know it’s not easy for him because he still feels pain in the right foot. This is his home GP, so I know he will be doing everything to score a podium result for his fans, for sure he deserves it. His machine and his tyres seem okay, Michelin have done a good job here. Now we must wait and see what happens with the weather.”

The rain is perhaps something of a blessing in disguise for the Kentucky Kid, who is riding with a foot injury. The low-grip conditions reduce the amount of physical input riders need to put into the bike through the handlebars and footrests. Hayden is still getting around on crutches to protect the still-healing right heel he broke during a Supermotard ride on August 1.

Riders were allowed an extra 30 minutes this morning to learn their way around the new Indy MotoGP track, Hayden working throughout the day with his crew and his Michelin technicians to get maximum grip around the patchy circuit. The rain got heavier this afternoon, so lap times were mostly slower. During the final ten minutes the downpour increased to the extent that deep puddles were forming around the track, causing aquaplaning.

Nicky Hayden, 8th fastest, 1m 53.931s

“Man, some serious rain out there this afternoon and this morning. It certainly hasn’t made things easy for anybody. We started both sessions kinda slow. This afternoon I wasn’t feeling so comfortable, then Pete [Benson, Hayden’s crew chief] wanted me to change bikes which was a good idea. The other bike had a little different set-up on it and felt better, so I was able to go faster, even though conditions were getting worse and worse. It’s not been a perfect first day but we’ve got a bit of data and learned a few things, the main thing is there’s so much standing water. I’d say it’s worst through that whole first section – turns one, two and three – and also at turns, seven eight and nine. At the end of the afternoon it got so bad that we shut her down early, we weren’t going to learn anything in those conditions. The first part of the track, with the new surface, is very slippery, like ice. The old surface has really good grip, that’s another big thing: there’s different grip all over the track. The heel is not too bad in the rain, if anything it makes it a little bit easier. I’m confident we can improve tomorrow. I think our tyres are okay, the main thing is finding something for the aquaplaning. They say the weather’s not looking real good for the rest of the weekend – the fans are already suffering, so that’s not cool for them.”

Kazuhiko Yamano – Team Manager

“Nicky’s heel isn’t so bad here, definitely a bit better than it was at Misano two weeks ago. He has started okay today, learning the track and getting used to these very difficult wet track conditions. Tomorrow he can improve for sure – improve the setting and go faster, depending on the conditions, of course.”

The legendary track of Indianapolis in the USA, makes its first ever appearance in the World Motorcycling Championship calendar this weekend. A legendary circuit because of its oval shape, one which normally witnesses spectacular Nascar races, will this weekend be converted into the setting for the 2008 season`s 13th race.

After this race in the USA the teams and riders will go to Japan in just a few weeks – Motegi, then Australia – Philip Island and Malaysia – Sepang – to bring the season to a climax in Valencia at the end of October.

Indianapolis will be a big challenge for the riders in the three categories, above all because of the peculiar characteristics of the American track, and because all the teams know absolutely nothing about it. It is located inside an oval, there are a couple of narrow, very slow curves that the riders will have to take special care on this weekend

This will be a very special weekend for two members of the Repsol Honda Team. Nicky Hayden will perform in front of his compatriots, in fact he will race the first time since he did so at the end of July at Laguna Seca. Since then an injury on his right foot while training on a supermotard bike has prevented him from riding in the Czech Republic GP and at Misano. For Dani Pedrosa the race in Indianapolis will be very important, since he will ride competitively with Bridgestone tyres for the first time, and it is probable that he will also use the new engine with pneumatic valves

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