Rossi turns NASCAR star

IF ever you needed proof that Valentino Rossi is a motorsport genius, check this out...

After last weekend’s MotoGP race in Austin, the seven-time bike champ travelled across the US to have a go in a NASCAR Toyota at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s oval track.

And he was soon lapping at an average of 185mph!

“The Doctor” was in the car American hero Kyle Busch drives in NASCAR’s second-tier Nationwide Series.

And his speed would have got him comfortably into the top half of a regular Nationwide field.

An impressed Busch said: “He started out a little slow, which is fine, but every lap he picked it up a lot.

“He got to where he was running some competitive lap speeds – times that would put him in the top 15 in Nationwide Series practice.

“That’s pretty good for a guy in his first start, who is just coming over and getting used to things and someone who is used to driving on two wheels.”

Rossi said he enjoyed the experience, even though he found it strange at first because NASCAR cars are set up for banked bends, meaning they crab slightly in a straight line unless corrected.

He said: “It was exciting, with high speed and a great feeling in the corners.

“On the banking you have a lot of grip so you are glued on the racetrack.

“At the beginning it was a bit strange because it’s difficult to go straight.

“But after some laps I had a lot of confidence and I was able to go faster and faster and faster.”