[Ducati] From Ducati Corse - Phillip Island Preview

[Veloce916 at aol.com]

Thursday Feb 28 2008 
Preview - Phillip  Island 

THE DUCATI XEROX TEAM PREPARES FOR AN ACTION PACKED WEEKEND IN  PHILLIP 
ISLAND 

Phillip  Island (Australia) Thursday 28th February:  Troy Bayliss  and Michel 
 Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) have landed in Australia and are ready for another 
great weekend  of racing after making such a strong start last week in Qatar. 
Having  secured a victory and a second place finish last year at the Island, 
Bayliss, who has announced he will retire after  the 2008 World Superbike 
season, is keen to repeat that success at his home  track again this year in front 
of a large crowd of spectators. Bayliss heads  into this second round leading 
the championship with 38 points. He has only just  recovered from his last 
visit to this track when he broke his collarbone during  the January winter test 
session. Team-mate Fabrizio is looking to build on the  fast times he set 
during winter testing and the encouraging fifth place achieved  in his first round 
with the Ducati Xerox Team last week in  Qatar.

Troy  Bayliss  
"This  year, being my last year, I'm out to enjoy myself and, of course, to 
win races.  The team's goal is to win the championship and so I'll be taking 
any opportunity  I'm given for a win here. It should be a great weekend, many of 
my family  members and friends are coming down to cheer me on so I hope I can 
do well for  them too. Phillip  Island is a pretty special  track for me and 
I've had some good and bad experiences during that time and so  of course I'd 
love to go out on a high here. I'm feeling really comfortable on  the new 1098 
F08 and with the atmosphere in the team so I'm looking forward to  what is 
ahead - it will be a competitive weekend and the same can be said for  the rest 
of the year."

Michel  Fabrizio  
"I have  had some good experiences here at Phillip Island in the past few 
years and I have to  say I like the track. I was pretty happy with how I went in 
Qatar but I hope  this weekend gives me the chance to improve on how I did 
last weekend. I would  really like to be up at the front with the Australian 
riders but we will see how  we go - I'm feeling happy with the bike and so it 
should be a great  weekend."

Country:  Australia
Name: Phillip Island Grand Prix  Circuit
Length  of circuit:  4.445  m
Pole Position: left
Length of straight:  835  m
Race distance:  22 giri/97.790 km

Lap  records: Fastest  lap: Corser (Yamaha), 1'31.826 (2007). Superpole: 
Bayliss (Ducati),  1'31.887 (2007). 

2007  results: Race 1: 1. Bayliss  (Ducati Xerox); 2. Toseland (Honda); 3. 
Biaggi (Suzuki), Race 2: 1.  Toseland (Honda); 2. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox); 3. 
Haga  (Yamaha)




**************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.      
(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/
2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)