16 October 2008    http://www.indy.com.au
MADDISON SET FOR INDY LEAP

World record holding Australian freestyle motocross superstar Robbie Maddison will soar among the high-rises at the Nikon Indy 300 over the four days of next week’s Event, October 23-26.

The 27-year-old New South Welshman is best known for his internationally televised world record jump in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve earlier this year - where he jumped his bike more than 322 feet adjacent to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

Australia’s best portable FMX setup – the Red Bull ARD Ramps – will be placed at various locations around the Nikon Indy 300 street circuit over the four days of the Event. Fans at all aspects of the circuit will catch a glimpse of the high-flying Maddison as he launches from the 75 foot jump before completing moves such as ‘the heart attack’, ‘no-handed can-can’, ‘superman’ and all time crowd favourite ‘the backflip’.

Maddison will headline the aerial entertainment but won’t be flying solo as he is joined by talented fellow Aussie superstars Jarryd McNeil, Joel Brown, Rhys Hillier and Gold Coaster Joe Sheppard ontrack as a part of the Raceline FMX Air Show.

“I am really psyched to be heading back to Australia and showing the fans at the Nikon Indy 300 just what Freestyle Motocross is all about,” said Maddison.

“Everyone I speak to tells me that the atmosphere of the Event is simply amazing, I can’t wait to get on my Yamaha and be a part of the show for the fans. As you’d expect I’m an adrenaline junky, so I think it’s pretty cool that I get to perform on the same track as the guys in the IndyCars and V8 Supercars."

Nicknamed the ‘Wizard of Oz’, Maddison is the sole three- time winner of the Gold Coast based ‘King of the Coast’, the winner of a Gold Medal at the 2004 Planet-X Summer Games and set two world records in 2005 alone. One of these was on his 125cc bike jumping it a gigantic distance of 221 feet, while the other left a 25,000 person crowd in awe when he jumped his 250cc bike a spectacular 246 feet doing a massive version of the heart attack trick. This was of course followed up by the Las Vegas success.

Nikon Indy 300 Entertainment and Events Manager Josh Martin believes that the addition of the Red Bull-backed high flier to the entertainment schedule is a huge coup for the Event.

“Robbie’s jump in Las Vegas catapulted him onto the forefront of everyone’s mind when they think of freestyle motocross and spectacular high-flying maneuvers. As such we are honoured that he is flying all the way from the US especially to be here for the Nikon Indy 300 and to put on a show for the fans,” said Martin.

“Whilst the Red Bull ramps he will be jumping aren’t as big as the 300ft+ he is capable of, I’m sure he will have a few tricks up his sleeve which will come out over the four days of the Event sure to leave the crowds in awe.

“It is not often that Robbie gets the opportunity to come back to Australia, so it is a huge coup for the Nikon Indy 300 to have him appear at Australia’s largest motorsport Event with the support of Red Bull Australia.

“Like everyone trackside I’ll be there watching in awe of Robbie’s amazing talent and seemingly fearlessness as he leaps skyward over the four days of the Event.”

With 96 hours of non-stop excitement over October 23-26 as the Gold Coast comes alive to the sound of the IndyCar Series burning up the track and Australia’s own V8 Supercars scorching around one of the most famous beach-side cities in the world, the event is the hottest ticket in town.

Tickets are now on sale for the Nikon Indy 300 with ticket options to suit everyone's needs. Four day Grandstand passes are available for those who prefer to watch the racing from the comfort of their own reserved seat or for those who prefer to wander around and soak up the atmosphere then a four day, weekend or single day General Admission pass might be more their style. For more information on ticket options go to indy.com.au. For information on Corporate Hospitality packages please call the Nikon Indy 300 Sales Team on (07) 5588 6800.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CALL:
Amanda Cobb - BAM Media: +61 421 378 789 (Media Manager – Nikon Indy 300)
Brett Murray - BAM Media: +61 418 760 066 (Communications Manager – Nikon Indy 300)

About the Nikon Indy 300
The annual Nikon Indy 300 is a partnership between the Queensland Government and IMG. The Nikon Indy 300 will be held from October 23 to 26 in 2008.

IMG is the world's premier Sports, Entertainment and Media Company. IMG is a diversified global business with two major business segments: IMG Sports & Entertainment, and IMG Media. IMG employs over 2,300 people in 30 countries. Forstmann Little & Co. purchased IMG in 2004.

IMG Sports & Entertainment includes: consulting services; event ownership and management; fashion events and models representation; licensing; golf course design; client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, European football, rugby, cricket, motorsports, coaching, Olympic sports and action sports. In addition, IMG Academies are the world's largest and most advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport training and educational facility, delivering world-class sports training experiences to over 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult and professional athletes each year.

IMG Media, which includes our content production subsidiaries TWI, Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP) and Tiger Aspect Productions (TAP), is recognized as a global leader in the delivery of traditional and new media content and services, with Internet, broadband and mobile expertise, transforming how audiences access and interact with content.

IMG Media produces and distributes over 10,000 hours of sports, documentary, drama, comedy, entertainment, popular factual and children’s content annually, over multiple platforms across 200 countries, including award-winning television and radio programming. It also represents the broadcast rights to many of the world’s premier sporting events and has the world’s biggest sports archive with more than 200,000 hours of footage.

More information about IMG is available at www.imgworld.com, www.darlowsmithson.com and www.tigeraspect.co.uk