[Ducati] TROY BAYLISS SIGNS WITH DUCATI FOR A FURTHER TWO YEARS

[Veloce916 at aol.com]

>From Ducati Corse:
 
Thursday Aug 31 2006 
Bayliss and Ducati Corse  

TROY BAYLISS SIGNS WITH DUCATI FOR A  FURTHER TWO YEARS 

Bologna (Italy), Thursday 31 August 2006: Troy Bayliss has brought an end to  
all speculation about his racing future by re-signing for the Ducati Xerox 
Team.  The Australian will now lead Ducati's attack on the World Superbike 
Championship  throughout the 2007 and 2008 seasons. 
The 37-year-old former World Superbike champion, currently leading this  
year's standings, has agreed terms for a two-year extension to his contract with  
Ducati Corse where he will remain until the end of 2008. 
Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox Team rider): 
"I've thought long and hard about it because it's a big decision to do a  
couple more years. But honestly I still love riding the bike, I'm in a good  
position in this year's championship, I've got a great team around me and it's  
still not time to stop. I would also like to beat Fogarty's record of race wins  
so all this will keep me occupied for a while! The fact that I came back from 
 MotoGP and am winning races again has also been a major factor in my 
decision.  Basically I'm happy where I am and have no inclination to go anywhere 
else." 
Claudio Domenicali (Ducati Corse Managing Director and Ducati Motor Director  
of Product Development): 
"We are delighted to have reached an agreement with Troy for the next two  
years. Regarding Ducati's participation in World Superbike, this will allow us  
to look to the future with confidence as Troy will be involved in all future  
development and testing work. The confirmation of Troy underlines the renewed  
commitment of Ducati in Superbike, a championship that we consider to be  
important and strategic for the continuous improvement of our road-going  
products". 
Bayliss, who was catapulted onto the world scene by Ducati Corse in 2000 when 
 he stepped in as replacement for Carl Fogarty following the Ducati legend's  
career-ending injury, made an immediate impact in World Superbikes, winning 
two  races in his first year and taking the championship in 2001. After just 
missing  out on a second crown in 2002, Bayliss then stepped up to MotoGP with 
the Ducati  Desmosedici. A superb first season was followed by a difficult 2004 
and then  after switching to a rival manufacturer for his final season in 
MotoGP, Bayliss  returned to World Superbikes with the Ducati Xerox Team in 2006 
at the age of  37. This year Troy has produced a series of outstanding 
performances, taking  nine wins on the factory 999F06 machine, and he currently has a 
lead of 77  points with four rounds and eight races remaining.