American riders Roger Lee Hayden, Jason DiSalvo and Kenny Noyes kicked off their preparations for this weekend's
Indianapolis Grand Prix with a test session at the circuit late last week.
Hayden completed the most test laps on his #34 Team Honda/Moriwaki machine that he will race as a wild-card entry. Legendary 1993 500cc World Champion
Kevin Schwantz is his team manager.
“The track is really nice,” Hayden said. “We'd like to get a top 10. It's not going to be easy. It's going to be difficult. We're going to have to do our best, riding my best ever. The bike's going to have to be performing well, but that's our goal.”
Fellow wild-card DiSalvo - who made his grand prix debut in the 125cc class during two races in 1999, followed by three 250cc outings in 2001 - started this season on a 600cc four-stroke in World Supersport.
DiSalvo, who will ride an FTR M210 at Indy, is aiming to prove that quitting the Triumph WSS ride was the right thing to do.
“I just want to try to come and validate the performances we had in World Supersport this season,” DiSalvo said. “The bike we were on, we felt wasn't quite what it should have been, so subsequently we're not with the team anymore.
"But it's cool because it gives us an opportunity to do some fun and really exciting stuff like a wild-card at the American Grand Prix. I just want to put on a good show for everyone and try to make the American fans proud and just have a good result.”
Full-time Moto2 rider and 2010 grand prix rookie Noyes tested on a Kawasaki 600 instead of his regular Jack & Jones by A. Banderas Moto2 bike.
Moto2 rules prevent full-time riders from testing their grand prix machines at a track which is on the present racing calendar and yet to hold its race.
“It's the coolest thing,” Noyes said. “I've come here to the Brickyard to come to the Museum when I raced dirt-track, and to actually be racing here in the World Championship, representing the United States, is an awesome feeling.
“It actually seems more of a simple track on paper than when you get out there. It's got some corners where it's really important to line up for the next transition.
“It's a really good thing that we got out here and got to see it so on Friday we're not so far behind like we've been at so many other places. A great opportunity.”