2008 Indianapolis motorcycle Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix motorcycle race report
Grand Prix = Indianapolis


Location = Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Course_mi = 2.620
Course_km = 4.216
Race_No = 14
Season_No = 18
Date = September 14
Year = 2008
Pole_Rider_MotoGP = Valentino Rossi
Pole_Rider_MotoGP_Country = Italy
Pole_Time_MotoGP = 1:40.776
Fast_Rider_MotoGP = Valentino Rossi
Fast_Rider_MotoGP_Country = Italy
Fast_Time_MotoGP = 1:49.668
First_Rider_MotoGP = Valentino Rossi
First_Rider_MotoGP_Country = Italy
Second_Rider_MotoGP = Nicky Hayden
Second_Rider_MotoGP_Country = United States
Third_Rider_MotoGP = Jorge Lorenzo
Third_Rider_MotoGP_Country = Spain
Pole_Rider_250 = Marco Simoncelli
Pole_Rider_250_Country = Italy
Pole_Time_250 = 1:45.168
Fast_Rider_250 = Race Cancelled
Fast_Rider_250_Country =
Fast_Time_250 =
First_Rider_250 = Race Cancelled
First_Rider_250_Country =
Second_Rider_250 = Race Cancelled
Second_Rider_250_Country =
Third_Rider_250 = Race Cancelled
Third_Rider_250_Country =
Pole_Rider_125 = Pol Espargaro
Pole_Rider_125_Country = Spain
Pole_Time_125 = 1:50.475
Fast_Rider_125 = Stefan Bradl
Fast_Rider_125_Country = Germany
Fast_Time_125 = 1:50.460
First_Rider_125 = Nicolas Terol
First_Rider_125_Country = Spain
Second_Rider_125 = Pol Espargaro
Second_Rider_125_Country = Spain
Third_Rider_125 = Stefan Bradl
Third_Rider_125_Country = Germany|

The 2008 Indianapolis motorcycle Grand Prix was the fourteenth round of the 2008 MotoGP Championship. It took place on the weekend of 12-September 14, 2008 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the first time the circuit has hosted a major motorcycle racing event. As there was a United States Grand Prix at Laguna Seca earlier in 2008, this marks the championship's second visit to the USA in 2008, the first time this has ever happened. Unlike the Laguna Seca round, the meeting features the supporting 125cc and 250cc classes, marking their first visit to North America since 1994.

The layout of the circuit is similar to the setup used for the Formula One Grand Prix events at the circuit between 2000 and 2007, but not identical. It has been reversed to a counterclockwise layout, with a new Snake Pit complex just after the start-finish line, meaning that the bikes do not use any of the banked oval corners. The double-hairpin at the Hulman Straight was replaced with a traditional esses.

The event was heavily affected by the arrival of Hurricane Ike on Indiana; the race day the weather was overcast and cold, with a 100% chance of rain during the event. The 125cc class started with dry track however, and went on until rain began to fall, with 7 laps to go. However, since two thirds of the scheduled distance had been ran, the race was declared over and full points were given. Rain intensity then led the organizers to postpone the 250cc race after the MotoGP race, hoping the winds and rain would stop.

MotoGP race was started at the scheduled time, with a very wet track but little rain, and it went on until the 21st lap, when strong winds began again to blow. Fearing for the safety of the riders, the stewards red-flagged the race, which was declared over, and full World Championship points were given. The winds did not stop after the race, and safety concerns led to the final cancellation of the 250cc race.

MotoGP classification

125cc classification

MotoGP_race_report
Name_of_race = Indianapolis Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 2008
Previous_race_in_season = 2008 San Marino Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 2008 Japanese Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = None
Next_year's_race = 2009 Indianapolis Grand Prix

References

*cite web | title = MotoGP official website | url = http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics/2008/INP/ | accessdate = 2008-09-16 | rel="nofollow"