Colin Edwards Seeks Top Spot At Indy

Colin Edwards Seeks Top Spot at Indy

Texas Tornado:

AMERICA'S GREATEST HOPE FOR MOTOGP SUCCESS at Indianapolis is Yamaha's Colin Edwards, leading points-getter to date for the two-rider Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad. Fellow countryman Nicky Hayden, who overcame a broken heel to finish second in the inaugural Indy GP while facing driving rain and wind, has struggled this season to come to terms with the factory Ducati. He has a one-year contract with the Italian bike-maker.

Just two years ago, four AmericansEdwards, Hayden, John Hopkins and Kenny Roberts Jr.-were competing in GP racing’s top category. Roberts Jr., the 2000 500cc world champion, retired partway through the 2007 season, and Hopkins lost his rich ride when Kawasaki pulled out of the series at the end

of last season. He has since found work with the Stiggy Honda effort in World Superbike. Edwards is teamed on YZR-Mls with Brit ain's James Toseland, both of whom are twotime WSB champions. The pair controversially

switched chief engineers during the off season; Edwards now works with Frenchman Guy Coulon. Edwards, long associated with Michelin, is also transitioning to spec-tire provider Bridgestone. So, on some level, all tracks this year are new to him.

Matthew Miles