Roger Lee Hayden compares his chance to ride in Sunday's Moto2 event to an NFL prospect participating in the scouting combine.

Hayden normally competes in the Superbike World Championship, but American Honda offered him a ride for the Indianapolis race. The younger brother of MotoGP star Nicky Hayden now has a chance to prove himself on a higher level.

"The scouts are going to be here watching, the team bosses," the 27-year-old Roger Lee said. "If I do good here, put my name out there, they're going to probably look at me for next year."

Roger Lee knows the odds are against him. He will start 29th out of 40 riders.

"This will be a challenge going against the world," he said. "They've been already a half a season on their bikes."

Roger Lee rides a Kawasaki for Team Pedercini in Superbike.

"The team was really great about letting me go," Roger Lee said. "They're kind of a small-budget, underfunded team. They didn't want to hold me back from a good opportunity like this. I'm really lucky to have this opportunity."

Hayden's biggest advantage might be the information he gets from his brother. Nicky Hayden rode in the first two Indianapolis races, finishing second in 2008 and third last year. He is a former MotoGP world champion who qualified third for Sunday's MotoGP event.

"When he sees me, he helps me and you know you're getting good advice," Roger Lee said. "It's not just somebody making stuff up."

Nicky hopes Roger Lee performs well on Sunday.

"I'm sure he would like to be closer to the front, but he made some changes through this afternoon," Nicky said. "He's starting not in a good grid position. That race, he's going to be right in the middle of all the action.

"He's a lot better racer than qualifier, practicer, or anything else. Hopefully, he can put on a little charge."

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SPIES GETS PROMOTION: Ben Spies' career has been a blur lately.

He's gone from celebrating a Superbike World Championship to joining the Yamaha Tech 3 satellite team, then becoming the heir to Valentino Rossi's spot on Yamaha's factory team in less than a year.

Now, he's on the pole for Sunday's Indianapolis MotoGP event.

The 26-year-old American is the leading rookie and top non-factory team rider in MotoGP this season. Drivers are required to start with satellite teams before being allowed to move up to the factory teams that get the best equipment.

"My first year in MotoGP has been a great learning curve, and for that I have to thank (Tech 3 founder) Herve Poncharal, all the team at Tech 3 and especially my American mechanics, who have stuck by me throughout this great journey so far," he said.

The spot on the factory team opened when Rossi decided to join Ducati.

Spies' best finish is third at the British Grand Prix. Though he has completed just four events, that was enough to persuade Yamaha to make the move.

"I have to be pleased with where I am and with having achieved my first podium so soon," he said. "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."

Spies is confident that he will flourish with the factory team. Yamaha has won four of the past six world championships, and Jorge Lorenzo, the current points leader, will be his teammate next year.

"I believe that by working closely with the Yamaha staff and my mechanics, we will be able to help develop the M1 (the bike) and make the next step of challenging for regular podiums, followed by future championships," he said.

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GOVERNOR RIDES: Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels rode up to the Speedway's Media Center in a custom-painted 2003 Harley Davidson Low Rider before presenting Tissot watches to the pole winners Saturday.

Daniels' ride resembles the Indiana state flag. He owns two Harleys, and he says he's had bikes from almost every maker.

Daniels said he's been riding for 40 years.

"My wife threw me off for a while when our children were young, but eventually, she relented," he joked.

The polesitters are United States rookie Ben Spies in MotoGP, Spain's Julian Simon in Moto2 and points leader Marc Marquez of Spain in 125cc.

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AIR JORDAN: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway said in a release that Chicago Bulls basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan is expected to attend Sunday's event.

Jordan owns Michael Jordan Motorsports, which fields teams in the AMA American Superbike series for riders Aaron Yates and Jake Zemke.

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QUALIFYING CRASHES: Valentino Rossi, Marco Simoncelli and Aleix Espargaro all crashed during MotoGP qualifying, but none of them was hurt.

Rossi qualified seventh, Simoncelli eighth and Espargaro 14th out of 17.

Japan's Hiroshi Aoyama, who is returning two months after breaking his back in a crash, qualified 13th.