The Major Taylor Velodrome is a landmark in Indianapolis and Nicky Hayden was in town today to promote the upcoming Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix and as part of the day he rode the velodrome with the national championship winning Marion University bicycling squad.

Hayden is an avid bicyclist, but he said he’d never ridden on a velodrome or even a fix-gear bicycle.

The banking is incredibly steep at the Major Taylor Velodrome and you could tell Nicky was a little intimidated. “How do I stop?” he asked one of the members of the bicycling team before taking off on the bike.

Once up to speed he had no problems and after a lap on the apron Nicky zipped up on the steep banking and did maybe 10 laps total. He might have done more, but he happened to be in Indianapolis on the hottest day of the summer so far and no one was anxious to stay out in the sun too long.

Nicky’s older brother Tommy came on the trip and he said he’d raced a motorcycle on the velodrome before when he was about 14. “They raced on the apron and didn’t go up on the banking,” Tommy explained. “I sucked at this track,” he added.

After numerous interviews, the ride on the velodrome and photo sessions, Nicky and Tommy and a friend who came with them were whisked back to a private hanger at Indianapolis International Airport to fly back to Owensboro. Nicky said it was about a 25-minute flight between Indianapolis and Owensboro on the private jet. “Not a bad way to travel,” he said as he climbed aboard the jet.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway really does it right when it comes to bringing in riders for a media tour.

Click on photo for larger version.