Vincent Haskovec (left) and Jake Zemke talk after doing the first laps by racing motorcycles in nearly 100 years at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The work Haskovec and Zemke did paved the way to MotoGP eventually coming to Indy. (Larry Lawrence photo)

Motorcycle racing owes a lot to Vincent Haskovec and Jake Zemke. It was those two riders who first tested the feasibility of motorcycle racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Thanks to their efforts and early input, a design concept for a new motorcycle racing circuit was put into place. Haskovec and Zemke tested the old Indy Formula One circuit in October of 2003. 

The test was supposed to be secret, but word got out (possibly by fans going to the infield museum) and news helicopters flew over the Speedway and got video footage of the bikes circulating the track and it led the news that evening.

The original intent was to bring an AMA Superbike round to the track, but the IMS staff was thinking much bigger and eventually it was MotoGP that found a home at the historic venue.