
Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix – Mazda Raceway Part One
Story and Photos by Jack Cofano
Here’s a new twist in the art of reporting. This reporter is going to write about a subject he knew absolutely nothing about until a couple of weeks ago. I’m talking about MotoGP and sportbikes. I’m a V-twin kind of guy and didn’t know the difference between a MotoGP and a Moto Guzzi, a Valentino Rossi from Martini & Rossi. If the names of the bikes were not on the tank, I wouldn’t know one from the other. I do now!
I can tell you right now I was duly impressed not only with the racers but also by the extreme engineering of the thousands of sportbikes that were at the track. Luckily I had Barnett’s resident editor walking around with me who filled me in with the mountain of information he had stored in his noggin. My brain just doesn’t have enough brain cells left to absorb all that I learned that long weekend. I have enough trouble remembering why I walked into another room and what I was going to do when I got there.
What I do remember is the great time I had and what a beautiful racetrack Mazda Raceway is. Located on the outskirts of Monterey, California, the scenery and sunny 65-degree weather was freakin’ outstanding and the talent and cojones of the racers on the track left me speechless.
Just so I don’t feel like a total mook, I can tell you that the Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo won the race, Australian Casey Stoner second, and the perennial super star, my paesano from Italy Valentino Rossi came in third riding with a busted leg and an injured shoulder. What an animal! No wonder he is in the top ten of the highest-paid athletes in the world.
One thing I can report about with my vast knowledge of the subject is the absolutely gorgeous ladies in attendance. One of my main tasks when I cover an event is to find beautiful women for all you perverts out there to ogle. Say “Thank you Jack!” As you can see in the photos it was not hard to find the apples of my eye. Boy, do I love my job.
Listen to me when I tell you this. If you ever get a chance to attend a MotoGP race don’t hesitate and don’t worry if you are as much of a dumb ass as I am about what it’s all about, go to the race. It was right up there with some of the m
ost amazing things I have ever seen.