This just in from IMS:

YOUNG RED BULL ROOKIES CUP RIDERS SHOW VETERAN SKILLS AT IMS

INDIANAPOLIS, Thursday, July 3, 2008 - Hayden and Frankie Lee Gillim did not mind the passing rain showers over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday, July 3, as the two brothers were among the 23 Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup teen-agers eagerly anticipating their chance to test the new road circuit.

Having grown up in Owensboro, Ky., located about four hours southwest of the historic venue, the Gillim brothers jumped at the chance to mount their KTM 125cc bikes when the skies cleared shortly after 12:15 p.m. Both 13-year-old Hayden and 15-year-old Frankie Lee admitted even if the rain had continued, it still wouldn't have stop them from making laps around one of the world's most legendary tracks.

"I actually feel more comfortable in the rain, having started off on the dirt tracks," Hayden Gillim said.

The Gillim brothers began perfecting their craft on Midwest dirt tracks when they were given their first XR50 and XR70 minibikes at Christmas in 1998. In fact, the two could not get the gas in the bikes quick enough as they took the test drive that day and raced them in the snow.

That passion for racing is a common thread among this elite group of young riders. Last October, 600 junior racers traveled to Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama for an opportunity to qualify for the 23-member Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup team. Red Bull also manages a similar European series of 24 riders, the MotoGP Rookies Cup.

The top 10 riders from each series will square off in a Red Bull Riders Cup event Sept. 13 at IMS during the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP race.

"There will be a lot of family out here watching me because it's close to Kentucky," said Frankie Lee Gillim. "I'm real pumped to come out here and race."

The Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup has provided plenty of excitement in its first three races of the season. Last time out, on June 8, Argentina's Leandro Mercado captured the seven-lap event over Jake Gagne of Ramona, Calif., by .0019 of a second at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. Benny Solis Jr., of North Hollywood, Calif., earned victories in the first two races of the season at Barber Motorsports Park and Infineon Raceway in California, respectively. Series points leader Solis is looking forward to racing at Indianapolis.

"This is my first time here at Indy, but it's obviously a famous track that has a lot of history," Solis said. "The idea of riding here is a lot of fun. The track is really good, and the stands are all so big."

All 23 riders, who range in age from 13 to 16 years old and represent seven states and six countries, pilot identical KTM RC 125cc bikes. The six-speed, 45-horsepower machines weigh approximately 300 pounds with the rider and can reach maximum speeds of 125 mph.

Each rider also has the luxury of learning from a motorcycle racing legend in rider coach Kevin Schwantz. 1993 500cc World Champion Schwantz, from Houston, mentors the talented group of teen-agers on and off the track. In attendance for the first two days of MotoGP testing, Schwantz was able to educate the young riders Thursday about particular areas of the track and the racing lines the MotoGP test riders chose to take.

"Overall, Kevin said they all thought it was a really good track and liked it a lot," Hayden Gillim said.

On the track, Solis said Schwantz often leads the pack on his bike through the first few laps of the test session and then falls back to work with each rider.

"I can't help but talk about Rookies Cup with a huge smile on my face," Schwantz said. "They're all such great students. When it comes to motorcycle racing, they're trying to learn as much as they can as quick as they possibly can to become a faster and better racer."

With the help of Schwantz, most Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup riders will look to move on to the MotoGP Rookies Cup in Europe before graduating to the Red Bull MotoGP Academy in Spain. There they will learn to pilot the world's top racing motorcycles. For now though, these 23 riders are interested in becoming the world's top teen-age motorcycle racers.

"Basically, what I'm trying to do is not so much competing against the other (AMA Rookie Cup) riders but I'm going to try to do what I can against the European riders coming here for the race," said Bermuda native Toriano Wilson.

And as Hayden Gillim pointed out, Indianapolis is a perfect circuit for the world's finest to race.

"I'm really psyched about racing here," he said. "And it's cool for us that we only had to travel a couple of hours to get here."