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Three Americans on 2008 MotoGP Entry List |
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Posted by Staff
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Tuesday, 18 December 2007 |
THREE AMERICANS ON 2008 MotoGP ENTRY LIST
Hayden, Hopkins, Edwards in top
class; U.S. teen Bonsey returns to 125cc
INDIANAPOLIS, Monday, Dec. 17,
2007 - At least four American riders will compete full time in Road Racing World
Championship motorcycle racing in 2008, including in the MotoGP and 125cc
categories at the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Sept. 14 at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The FIM, the world governing body of
motorcycle racing, released the provisional entry list for the MotoGP, 250cc and
125cc categories Dec. 14. All three classes will race on the new 16-turn road
course at IMS.
2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden leads three Americans
competing in the top category of the sport, MotoGP. Hayden, from Owensboro, Ky.,
will ride the No. 69 Repsol Honda Team Honda. "The Kentucky Kid" finished eighth
in the 2007 standings.
Veteran Colin Edwards moves to the Yamaha Tech 3
team in 2008, riding the team's No. 5 Yamaha. Edwards, from Houston, finished
ninth in the 2007 standings.
John Hopkins moves to the factory Kawasaki
Racing Team in 2008, aboard the team's No. 21 machine. Hopkins, from Ramona,
Calif., finished a career-best fourth in the 2007 standings.
There's a
good chance more Americans will join that trio in MotoGP in 2008, including at
Indianapolis. Team Roberts, owned by three-time World Champion Kenny Roberts of
the United States, didn't name either of its two riders. But Americans Kenny
Roberts Jr., the 2000 World Champion, and his brother, Kurtis Roberts, both rode
for their father's team last season.
Australian Casey Stoner will defend
his 2007 title with the Ducati Marlboro Team, sporting the coveted No. 1 on his
factory Ducati machine. Five-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi of Italy
will remain on the No. 46 Fiat Yamaha Team factory bike, with 2007 250cc World
Champion Jorge Lorenzo of Spain as his new teammate.
American teenager
Stevie Bonsey will stay in the 125cc class but change manufacturers to Aprilia,
riding with Arie Molenaar Racing on the team's No. 51 bike. Bonsey, from
Salinas, Calif., finished 25th last season in the 125cc class as a
rookie.
Bonsey, 17, moved to motorcycle road racing in 2007 after a
successful career in flat track dirt oval motorcycle racing, following the path
to the top of the sport paved by American World Champions such as fellow
Northern Californian Kenny Roberts - his mentor - and Hayden. Bonsey won the AMA
Sports Dirt Track Horizon Award in 2005 as the most promising rider about to
move from amateur to AMA Pro Racing, and he then won the AMA Pro Sport National
Hot Shoe flat track title in 2006.
"After a reasonably successful rookie
season, I think that much better results are possible for next year," Bonsey
said. "I have already ridden the Aprilia during a test and race in November and
was pleased with the performance of the machine. The factory-kitted Aprilia has
proven to be a very competitive machine.
"I think it is really cool that
my home GP will be at Indy. I can't wait."
The 2008 MotoGP season starts
March 9 in Qatar, with races in all three classes.
from Indianapolis Motor Speedway News
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