Hello all you fellow cyberspace motorheads and welcome to View From the Fence, MotoUSA’s behind the scenes coverage of the 2010 Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix.

Today may have been a relatively slow day on track, nothing happening until after lunch, but off the track things were on the boil since the wee hours of the morning. In very strange and shocking news announcement, although not directly MotoGP related, Ducati released a statement this morning that they would officially be withdrawing their factory squad from World Superbike next season. As it was widely believed that Colin Edwards would be leaving the MotoGP paddock next year to go race on the supposedly cut team, this came off as especially odd. Considering sources from Italy saw him at Ducati’s headquarters in Bologna this past week, wide-spread disbelief was the general reaction from within the industry and public alike.

Why would a company like Ducati, one which is so rooted in World Superbike racing, withdraw from the very series that gave them their name; the series that propelled Ducati’s 888, 916 and 1098 (as well as other in between) into the hearts of so many fans and Ducatisti who watched their beloved V-Twins win week-in and week-out at the hands of Would Superbike’s greatest riders? Some had said that signing Valentino Rossi to their MotoGP team for the next two years drained their bank account (he’s getting a reported $28 million Euro for two years, the biggest contact in motorcycle racing history), but considering the team is basically bank-rolled by tobacco giant Philip Morris (Marlboro has been the team’s title sponsor since re-joining Grand Prix), this didn’t quite add up.

But after a little digging, and while the source has to remain anonymous, we heard from a reputable Ducati insider that this likely a simple power-play. Apparently Ducati and Infront Sports, the rights holders to the World Superbike Series, have been at odds over the 2012 rules package and the subsequent eligibility of their 1198 replacement that will be coming out then. Apparently they aren’t happy about that Aprilia were given very liberal allowances for its RSV4R to get them back into the series and now all of the sudden they are being sticklers about some of the parts Ducati wants homologated. We’re not 100% sure on exact details, but it’s believed that the sticking point has something to do with throttle bodies.

Though if this turns out to not be a power play or the two can’t reach an agreement and Ducati pulls out, it will be a major blow for WSB. Ducati have been there since its inception more than two decades ago and is by far the most successful manufacturer in the series’ history. This power play could also backfire on Ducati and cost them a shot at any big-name riders if it lasts too long, as most will opt for a secure seat in a lesser team than roll the dice with them. That includes Edwards, who has now said he and Tech 3 are back in talks over him staying put. In other Tech 3 Yamaha news, it’s all but officially been confirmed that English rider Cal Crutchlow will make his way to MotoGP from WSB next year, another big loss for the series.

Ben Spies was finally officially announced as a factory rider for next season. Said Spies: “My first year in MotoGP has been a great learning curve and for that I have to thank Herve Poncharal, all the team at Tech 3 and especially my American mechanics who have stuck by me throughout this great journey so far. Having previously been to only four of the ten tracks to date, I have to be pleased with where I am and with having achieved my first podium so soon. I'm especially pleased that Yamaha have recognized the potential in me and given me the opportunity to step up to the factory team so early in my GP career. I believe that by working closely with the Yamaha staff and my mechanics we will be able to help develop the M1 and make the next step of challenging for regular podiums, followed by future championships."

Now we wait for them to announce Lorenzo as his teammate, which is supposed to come this weekend as well. An announcement about Nicky Hayden staying with Ducati and joining Valentino Rossi on the ‘dream team’ is slated for some time in the next couple days as well, so keep an eye peeled for that.

On the special one-off livery front, Lorenzo went the superhero route once again. Last year he was Captain America and this year it’s Iron Man, his helmet painted to look like the famous Marvel Comic’s headgear. He and Rossi are also sporting the special Fiat 500 bike graphics and leathers once again, same as in Laguna. Each bike features the faces of 500 of the first Fiat website visitors to send a photo of themselves of loved ones in at the beginning of this year. The black-and-white scheme is one of the cooler specials we’ve seen and is designed to promote Fiat’s 500 automobile, which the American market is slated to get as a result of the Italian company purchasing Chrysler last year. Rossi’s helmet matches also his bike design, though it features 25 of his closest personal friends and family. Much of his crew is on the helmet, which was painted by his long-time designer Aldo Drudi.

Nicky Hayden has a slightly different one-of helmet to commemorate the race, though it’s not that much different from his normal brain bucket. His younger brother Roger Lee has a, Indianapolis Motor Speedway-themed lid, one which is blazoned so largely with the track’s logo that it appears the youngest Hayden may have struck a personal sponsorship deal with the speedway. Who knows, maybe those two days of testing they got last week were “on the house” so to speak in exchange for half of his helmet. That’s all we’ve seen so far, but we will keep you posted if more pop up throughout the weekend.

We caught up with the only full-time American Moto2 rider, Kenny Noyes. The California-born former flat tracker has been cutting his teeth in the cut-throat Spanish Championships these past several year, but now got the opportunity to take on the world for the first time and his rookie season as a Grand Prix rider has been meet with a surprising amount of success, including several top-10 finishes as well as his first career Grand Prix pole in Le Mans, a track he had never before been to. Noyes struggled a bit in today’s first practice with a clutch issue and lost a good chuck of time, leaving him clawing his way back to 35th on the sheets. But stay tuned as the American has his sights set on the top-10 (maybe even a podium) and be sure to check out our full feature video interview with the rookie Grand Prix star.

In other American Moto2 action, Jason DiSalvo on the GP Tech machine impressed with a top-10 finish in first practice. Riding an FTR machine, which is the same as the Speed Up bikes, the New Yorker was on pace right away and ended up in 10th in what is an extremely competitive field. Roger Lee Hayden ran into some troubles early in the session when his rear brake caliper mysteriously seized, causing him to miss 15 or 20 minutes getting it back to the pits and fixed. He ended the session 23rd, though only roughly a second outside the top-10 in the ultra-close field.

That wraps up Day 1 from behind the scenes here at Indy. It may have been a mellow day on track (Casey Stoner topped MotoGP, Scott Redding Moto2 and Marc Marquez in 125cc GP), but off the racing line the news and rumors were flying at full speed. Tomorrow we will be bringing you more GP news as well as making our way to the famous Indy Mile for an insider’s look at of the AMA Grand National Championship Flat Track, while Sunday is race day and with it comes plenty to talk about. So keep it pegged right here!