MotoGP - Young Americans Get Moto2 Chance

Indianapolis, August 18, 2011: Promising young American riders JD Beach and Jake Gagne will compete in the Moto2 class, the final step before the premier MotoGP class, in the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 26-28 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Beach, a 19-year-old native of Snoqualmie, Wash., will replace Tommaso Lorenzetti on the No. 73 FTR bike for the Spanish Aeroport de Castello team, managed by former Moto2 racer Alex Debon. Gagne, from Ramona, Calif., will compete as a wild card on the No. 32 FTR fielded by the American GPTech team, managed by former racer Geoff Maloney. Gagne will turn 18 on Aug. 27 at Indianapolis.

Both Beach and Gagne are champions of the Red Bull Rookies Cup, a European-based series designed to groom future MotoGP stars. Beach won the title in 2008, Gagne in 2010.

Beach and Gagne also competed in the Red Bull U.S. Rookies Cup and Riders Cup races at the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP in 2008, with Gagne winning the Rookies Cup race.

2010 AMA Daytona SportBike champion Martin Cardenas also is a late addition to the Moto2 lineup at Indianapolis, replacing fellow Colombian Yonny Hernandez on the No. 10 Blusens-STX FTR.

Moto2 riders compete on machines with spec 600cc Honda engines and Dunlop tires. Kenny Noyes, from Borrego Springs, Calif., is the only full-time American rider in the class.