COTA MotoGP Trip

[Hooligan]

The wife and I just got back from a weekend in heaven. We hadn't been to a MotoGP race since Laguna in '05 and this time we had the promise of a unique view inside MotoGP. I didn't want to say anything beforehand cause I wasn't sure just how much access we would get. As it turned out a lot more than I had expected. So bear with me, the story is a bit lengthy but is a good one.

More than a year ago I got an email from the Czech Republic from a guy looking for some non-motorcycle related items that I designed. The email was signed by "Karel Abraham." When I asked if he knew there was a Czech MotoGP rider with the same name he replied saying that it was indeed him. Well colour me shocked.

He invited us down for the race last year but the timing wasn't right. However we weren't going to miss an opportunity like that again. We had been conversing by email for the past year and Karel promised us a pair of guest passes which meant paddock access at the very least. MotoGP racers are busy people and it took a bit of organizing but eventually we were able to pick up our passes.



At the end of the day Saturday the wife and I trudged down to the paddock and found the AB Cardion pit garage to meet our benefactor. While we had traded many emails, we had not actually met and you just don't know what a person is going to be like until then. Turns out he is a super nice guy, very personable and happy to talk.



We were allowed into the garage to see the team at work and check out the bikes. However due to the bikes being partially disassembled we were not allowed to take any pics at that time. Apparently Honda doesn't want to see pics of their technology hit the internet.

After a bit Karel had to beg our leave as he had some work to finish. Our friends had left the track and when we mentioned having to find a taxi back into town Karel offered to give us a ride, we just had to wait around for an hour. As the paddock was crawling with famous racers, past and present this wasn't exactly a hardship.

We caught an interview with Colin Edwards and Josh Herrin. I suspect Colin had a few beers down the hatch as he was very frank about how shitty a day he had been having and was generally hilarious.



We ran into Earl at the Hayden's General Store and had a nice chat with him.



Capirossi was there doing some kind of broadcast and I managed to have a quick conversation with him after he was finished. His reputation as a nice guy is well deserved ..... but he is a fricken midget compared to regular sized people.



There were tons of other notable people to see as well but sometimes they weren't easy to get a pic of. Wayne Rainey rolled past within 2 feet of me but he was there and gone before I could snap a pic. I only caught a glimpse of Scott Russel from behind before he was gone as well.

Once Karel was done working we caught a ride back to town with him which was great cause it gave us about half hour to talk and get to know each other.

[Hooligan]

Sunday we watched the races and ended up joining the post race track invasion where we were able to watch the trophy presentation. That was a first for me.



After the racing I took an old racing buddy down into the paddock so he could experience that for the first time. Again we had to wait for Karel to finish up working but as with the previous day, this just gave us time to see all the other racers.



To date this was the closest I had ever been to Rossi. He is so popular that there is usually a huge crowd around him. However after the races most of the crowds disappeared and we were able to get within 5 feet of the Dr.

When Karel came out we were invited into the garage to see the bike .... but this time it was still assembled from the race so we were able to get some pics and even sit on the beast. THAT was a first for me.





Afterwards we walked the length of pit lane and peered into all the open garages as the techs packed up all the bikes.



To that point, the day had been amazing and as much as I could have hoped for ...... but it was about to get a lot better and stray into the simply surreal.

[Hooligan]

While chatting with Karel, he asks me if we are going to the after party? Unprepared for a question like that I stumbled a bit and then said, "YES! Yes we are ...... where is it and how do we get in?"

When we arrived at the designated location and time, the hostess wouldn't let us in ... cause after all we are nobodies. One of my favourite moments of the evening was Karel coming along and telling the bouncer we were with him and to let us in. It was like skipping the line at an exclusive nightclub.

At first things were pretty slow with only a few Moto2 and 3 riders in attendance. But then you recognize a face from across a darkened nightclub. Faaack, that looks like Pedrosa! It is! COOL .......

This kind of thing went on all night. We kept running into these people we had only ever seen on TV and before we knew it there were a half dozen world champions hanging out in the club. The peak of all this came when we realized we were literally standing beside The Doctor himself. One funny moment was me and my buddy standing there slack jawed at the realization we were in the presence of the GOAT while my buddy's girlfriend, who wouldn't know Rossi from a hole in the ground, was getting the man to show her how to take a picture with an iPhone. It was all just all unreal.

By the end of the night, as we were trying to go home, we literally had to grab hold of Rossi and move him out of the way cause he was blocking the narrow passage through the crowd. He went from god to nuisance in only a few hours.

I had a short chat with Chad Reed, who seems like a decent guy. Casey Stoner was there as well. Marquez and his crew were practically drowning in super hot 6' blond girls. Even 24 hours later I can hardly believe we were there. It just doesn't seem like it was real.

Oh yeah, Karel Abraham is a maniac, super nice and totally fun to hang out with. He went out of his way to help us out at least 4 times over the weekend and he is my new favourite MotoGP racer.

[hondaror]

Very cool! Congrats on an amazing experience.
I had a similar experience with the motocross scene back in the early 80s, so I really know how you feel. It included the likes of Bell, Hannah, Magoo, The Bomber, DeCoster. The works Yamaha mechanic, Bevo, took us into the Yamaha trailers and showed us the proto-type, works twin cylinder 125 armed with the infamous paddle tire, which was outlawed before it made it to the track.
A couple of years later we were riding at an unofficial track near the Toronto airport, behind Carling O'keefe, and Bell, and Barnett, joined us...simply incredibly to be smoked by those guys.
Great story Peter, and you have pics. Wish we had cell phones back then. It was great being a teen and watching Hannah sign womens tits.

[RuZty]

Wow, how cool is that, all on you calling a coincidence. Awesome.

[solo 2]

Sounds perfectly awesome, glad you had a great trip. Watched the race on TV, Moto3 and the main event were awesome. How was your view of the race, sights and sounds must be incredible.

[Hooligan]

Sounds perfectly awesome, glad you had a great trip. Watched the race on TV, Moto3 and the main event were awesome. How was your view of the race, sights and sounds must be incredible.

We actually watched the race from the stands. We watched from the second last corner. The AB Cardion pit box was surprisingly small and there were a bunch of mechanics working in there so we didn't want to be in the way.

We have been invited out for Valencia and the year end party so I may see if we can spend a bit more time in the garage for that one. Watching from the garage wouldn't offer the best views but it would be something I have definitely never done and likely never will again.

The bikes are still loud but a lot less so than they were back in '05. Nowdays you don't need ear protection in the stands. The Moto3 bikes on the other hand are fricken obnoxiously loud.

[crazydiablo]

Thats like a dream come true. Pretty cool.

[expat]

I had a similar time last year minus the after party! A once in a lifetime experience for sure, Dani Pedrosa gave us a pair of his knee pucks and we also met Marquez, strange coincidence maybe but Marquez hadn't won a Top class GP until he met me!

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[Hooligan]

Yea, it's fun isn't it!

[Hellgate]

Cool, thanks for sharing the story.

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[mkane]

Perfect GP weekend. Thank's for the story.