[Ducati] Road America Ducati Corse Press Release

[Veloce916 at aol.com]

Wednesday May 31 2006
Road America - Preview

PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI'S HODGSON TO FIGHT FOR  REPEAT ELKHART LAKE VICTORY 

Elkhart Lake (Wisconsin) 31 May  2006: Road America in Elkhart Lake, 
Wisconsin is the site of this  weekend's AMA Superbike doubleheader and the Parts 
Unlimited Ducati team  will return to the track for the eighth and ninth races of 
the year.  Riders Neil Hodgson and Ben Bostrom will compete on their Ducati 
999  Superbikes at the 4.0-mile circuit, considered one of the best in America.  
 
The Road America circuit boasts each type of turn, from slow 90-degree  bends 
to long sweepers to high speed sections. There are long straights  which 
allow for drafting, including the run to the start-finish line that  has seen a 
considerable number of close finishes in the 50-plus years of  racing at the 
circuit. Several Ducati-mounted riders have won at Road  America over the years, 
including Doug Polen, Pascal Picotte, Anthony  Gobert, and Neil Hodgson. 
Hodgson won in Elkhart Lake last season with a thrilling ride in the  wet. 
Neil braved a torrential downfall to win on his Ducati 999 Superbike,  using his 
skills to tame the mighty L-twin horsepower in what he described  as the 
worst conditions he has raced in during his illustrious career. 
"Last year was a great win for the team and me, but I hope it stays dry  this 
time," laughed Hodgson, the 2003 World Champion. "The test at Utah  went well 
for us, too. I'm not sure exactly how much of that will  translate to Road 
America because no two circuits are exactly the same. I  do like the Road 
America track and am looking forward to the races." 
Ben Bostrom says he is more confident after the successful test at  Miller 
Motorsports Park in Utah. Bostrom was quickest at the test and says  he and the 
crew benefited greatly. "It was good to get the track time, to  try some 
different settings on the 999 that we really don't have a chance  to try during a 
hectic race weekend. For us, it's on now. We feel we can  be much more 
competitive," said Bostrom, the 1998 AMA Superbike champion.  "I've never been that 
lucky at Elkhart before, but we feel good about  things." 
Getting Bostrom and Hodgson plenty of track time in recent weeks should  help 
the team's fortunes, says Team manager Tom Bodenbach. "We had the  Fontana 
and Infineon races, then the test in Utah. The boys have been able  to ride 
pretty much every week for a while and that's good," said  Bodenbach. "This 
weekend, we'll try to see how what we've learned  translates to Road America. We're 
excited about competing." 
The AMA schedule calls for 16-lap Superbike races on Saturday and  Sunday. 
The Circuit: Located in the  Wisconsin countryside, the 4.0-mile (6.43 
kilometer), 14-turn Road America  circuit is in many ways a European-style track. 
There are several long  straights for the powerful Superbikes to reach top 
speeds, each with a 90  degree turn at the end that prove to be great passing 
zones. Road America  also features turns like The Carousel and The Kink, which was 
altered  several years ago to improve safety. 
AMA Superbike points (after seven  races): 1. Ben Spies, Suzuki 257 2. Mat 
Mladin, Suzuki 227 3.  Miguel Duhamel, 198 4. Neil Hodgson, Parts Unlimited 
Ducati 183 5. Aaron  Yates, Suzuki 179 6. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki 173 7. Ben 
Bostrom, Parts  Unlimited Ducati 168 8. Jake Zemke, Honda 156 9. Jason Pridmore, 
Suzuki  148 10. Larry Pegram, Honda  133