131,250 Fans Watched Rossi Kiss The Corkscrew At The 2008 Red Bull U. S. Grand Prix

MONTEREY, Calif. (July 21, 2008) - Tom Cruise along with 131,250 fans watched Valentino Rossi score his first victory on American soil at the 2008 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. It was an epic battle between Casey Stoner and Rossi, with many changes of the lead and some very close racing. Rossi sealed his victory with a kiss, parking his bike in Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca's legendary corkscrew, a series of turns with a 300 foot elevation change and kissing the pavement."Our fans were treated to breathtaking racing this weekend," said Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. "Between the Red Bull U.S. Rookies Cup photo finish and Rossi's first win in America, it will be a weekend they will never forget."

This was the biggest event on the 2008 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca schedule. The weekend included support races from AMA Superbike, AMA Supersport and a photo finish for the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup.

MotoGP is the world's premiere motorcycle championship, featuring the best racers on the planet riding multi-million dollar, prototype machines that can reach speeds in excess of 200mph. MotoGP takes its glamorous circus to all corners of the globe. The machines produce more than 240 horsepower and weigh in at just 325 pounds, demanding the ultimate in riding skill, which is personified by the likes of champions Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and American contenders Nicky Hayden and Colin Edwards.

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was established in 1957. The world-renowned raceway has been operated since its inception by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), a not-for-profit 501C(4) corporation. Each race season, SCRAMP donates its net proceeds to the volunteer groups that help put on the races.