Red Bull Moto GP Indianapolis

For Ducati riders Moto GP race day starts at Ducati Indianapolis.  It is here that over 150 Ducati riders assemble to make their pilgrimage to the Indianapolis motor Speedway.  Led by Mario Cavurro, president of the Hoosier Hooligans Indiana Ducati club, they form what is know as the RED SNAKE.

The RED SNAKE

Once inside the track Ducati is carved out its own little island in the turn nine corner. This little area is affectionately an appropriately named Ducati Island. 

A familiar face around Ducati Island, Stefano Sbettega, Ducati North America marketing and communications director.

Paddock girls are a common (and welcomed) sight around the Moto GP garages

For some spectators the excitement can be too much and they need to squeeze in a little nap time between races.

As the Moto GP main event grows near the Ducati Island grand stand starts to fill

The local Indiana Ducati riders club, the Hoosier Hooligans, prepare the banner for the grandstand stunt.

Just before the sighting lap Ducati fans rollout the 7500 square foot banner to display their colors.

Kentucky native and Ducati rider Nicky Hayden with turn his last laps in Indy on a Ducati as he searches for a new team.

Nicky Hayden’s team mate and Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso

Yamaha overrider and seven time world Champion Valentino Rossi is finding it hard to keep up with his younger competitors

Series leader Marc Marquez is looking good for another podium.

Mark Marquez, no for his extreme lean angles drags an elbow turn seven

Valentino Rossi in the same turn seven plays it safe

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500 Festival Mini Marathon

500 Festival Mini-Marathon

The rain weather moved out and the temps held in the middle  60’s. Today should be a perfect day for the 37th running of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. 35,000 runners, and wheelchair racers arrived in Indianapolis to run the 13.1 mile race through downtown Indianapolis out to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, around the 2.5 mile race track and back to downtown Indianapolis.

Start of the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon wheelchair race

Start of the 2013 500 festival Mini Marathon

Mens leaders Alene Reta (#6) Shadrack Kiyai (#3) and Boniface Biwott (#17)

Firemen from Wayne Township Fire house 86 run in gear

For some Runners the race is no bull, for others………

I do not believe the race was named after Mini Mouse but if she wants she can come and run.

Run today celebrate Cinco De Mayo tomorrow

Wheelchair race winner Krige Schabort crosses the line in 45:58

Alene Reta approaches the finish line with over a 20 sec. lead

Alene Reta wins the men’s 500 Festival Mini-Marathon

Allen Reta so fast and smooth he walks on air

Men’s second place finisher Shadrack Kiyai (1:04:18)

Men’s third place finisher Benard Langat (1:05:12

Sarah Kiptoo women’s race leader approaches the finish line

Women’s race winner Sarah Kiptoo wins in 1:12:26

Women’s second place finisher Everlyne Lagat

2013 Indiana University Little 500

The Indiana University Little 500. A historical bike race and the inspiration for the 1979 movie “Breaking Away”.   A 200 lap (50 mile) bike race held on the cinder race track in the Bill Armstrong Stadium at Indiana University. Founded in 1951,  this is the 63rd running of the race. The Little 5  is a relay style race featuring  33 four man teams of IU students. This years race was won by the pole setter team, Beta Theta Pi in a white flag lap sprint to the finish to pass returning champs Delta Tau Delta to take the checkered flag by 0.319 seconds. With 20 laps to go the Black Key Bulls were the first team to make a move and pull out front. Through a series of burnouts and quick rider changes the Betas were able to regain and extend their lead to almost 10 seconds with 10 laps . This quick burst of energy however, came at a cost. The returning champions, Delts used this to their advantage to make a  charge and gain the lead. It was the Beta’s plan to have Eric Anderson complete the final laps of the race, however , because of muscle cramping Eric would have to sit this win out and let  Will Kraige take the final laps and the win for Team Beta. Making his charge down the back straight Will Kragie is able to pass the Delts in the third turn to cross the finish line 0.319 seconds ahead of team Delta Tau Delta.  This is the Betas second win in the Little 500, their first win being 49 years ago in 1964.   Rounding out the top 5 were Phi Delta Theta (3), Cutters (4), and Black Key Bulls (5).

The calm before the storm. Indiana University Bill Armstrong Memorial Stadium the site of the 63rd annual Little 500 bike race.

Each team and team member has their own way of gearing up for the race. Here, the pole setters, Beta Theta Pi team relaxes.

This Sigma Alpha Epsilon rider keeps his muscles warm and ready for battle on a bike trainer.

The Cutters team practices their bike exchanges in the pits.

The CSF team works on their bike exchanges as well.

The 2013 Little 500 pole sitters, Beta Theta Pi.

The 33 teams of the 2013 IU Little 500.

The US flag was brought in style to the infield by the skydivers of Skydive Indiana.

The 33 teams follow the pace car for the pace lap to start the 63rd Little 500.

The green flag drops and the Betas take the lead.

Phi Gamma Delta rider prepares for their first of many rider changes throughout the course of the next 200 laps.

The Cutters, while in contention through most of the race, were only able to pull out a fourth place finish. The cutters are the winningest team in the history of the little 500. With 12 wins the the Cutter enjoyed a winning streak from 2007-2011 which was brought to an end last year by Delta Tau Delta.

Turn one and three are commonplaces for crashes to occur. With racers reentering the track after making rider exchanges or competitors trying to make position changes these two turns can see a lot of action.

More crashes and confusion as the rider changes interferes with the tail end of the lead pack.

With crashed bikes comes the need for a good team bike mechanic. Here the Air Force team mechanic makes sure that the back up bike is ready for action.

For some teams they will need more than a good bike mechanic to get them back on the track.

Battered and bruised. After nearly 200 laps the race can start to take it’s toll on some riders. Here this Gray Goat team rider shows his battle scars from crashing on a cinder track.

A clean, and fast rider exchange can mean the difference between gaining ground with a fresh rider, or loosing ground an a chance for a win.

A final series of burnouts and rider changes puts Team Beta Theta Pi back in front to fight for a win.

For some the Thill Of Victory.

For others it is the agony of defeat.

Third place finishers Phi Delta Theta.

Second place went to Delt Tau Delta.

Pole sitters Beta Theta Pi win the 63rd littila 500 with a 0.319 second lead.

The Betas take their victory lap. This is a big day for the Betas as this is their first win since 1964.

2013 UCI World Cyclo-Cross Championships in Lousiville,Kentucky

Freezing temperatures,flooding rivers, snow, ice and mud. Not exactly the weather most people think of  when cycling comes to mind. For approximately ten thousand spectators bicycle racing was all they wanted. One hundred and fifty-two riders, representing twenty countries arrived in the Blue Grass State of bourbon and baseball bats this cold snowy day. In Cyclo-cross’s 63 year history the Louisville, KY takes a first. That is this is the first time in the history of the Championships that they have been held outside of Europe. Eva Bandman Park just east of downtown Louisville and along the Ohio river was the sight of this years 2013 final championship races. Rising water along the Ohio river threatened the race and forced UCI organizers to combine the two-day event into a single day Four race spectacular.

The start of the Mens Elite race saw Klass Vantornout (Belgium) take the lead in to the first turn and into the dirt, snow and Mud.

Mens Elite start.

     
12 Martin Bina (Czech Republic) 10th, 8 Francis Mourey (France) 11th

8 Rob Peeters (Belgium) 18th 4 Klaas Vantornout (Belgium) 2nd

Francis Mourey (France) 11th

3 Sven Nys (Belgium) Gold. 4 Klaas Vantornout (Belgium) Silver

Jeremy Powers (United States Of America) 25th

23 Jonathan Page (United States Of America) 22nd 17 Arnaud Grand (Switzerland) 20th

8 Francis Mourey (France) 11th 2 Kevin Pauwels (Belgium) 12th

4 Klaas Vantornout (Belgium) 2nd

Ryan Trebon (United States Of America) DNF

Rob Peeters (Belgium) 18th

Lukas Flückiger (Switzerland) 17th goes down

Sven Nys (Belgium) Gold

Sven Nys (Belgium) Gold

Sven Nys (Belgium) Gold Klaas Vantornout (Belgium) Silver Lars Van Der Haar (Netherlands) Bronze

Women’s Elite Race photos

Ayako Toyooka (Japan) -1 lap

Marianne Vos (Netherlands) 1st

Katherine Compton (United States Of America) 2nd

Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (France) 3rd

Katherine Compton (United States Of America) 2nd

Katherine Compton (United States Of America) 2nd

Marianne Vos (Netherlands) 1st

Sanne Van Paassen (Netherlands) 5th

Katherine Compton (United States Of America) 2nd

Katerina Nash (Czech Republic) 4th

Marianne Vos (Netherlands) 1st

Marianne Vos (Netherlands) 1st

Katherine Compton (United States Of America) 2nd

Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (France) 3rd

Katerina Nash (Czech Republic) 4th

Amy Dombroski (United States Of America) 11th

Amy Dombroski (United States Of America) 11th

Emily Batty (Canada) 17th

Marianne Vos (Netherlands) Gold Katherine Compton (United States Of America) Silver Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (France) Bronze.

The Fans and More

mens Under 23 Julian Alaphilippe

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Curt Dosier,Masters (Knobbe & Martens, California)

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The “DREW” in Drew Alvarado Photography