Hypermotard flat-tracker makes history (5/17)
Ducati makes history with its first ever US Grand National Flat Track victory
Joe Kopp took his Hypermotard 1100EVO powered flat-tracker to Ducati’s first ever Grand National victory in Saturday’s May 1st Yavapai Downs Mile in Arizona, USA. The win marks the first time a readily available production engine has won a Grand National Twins race in 29 years and ends 17 years of Harley-Davidson domination.
The Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Ducati Flat Track Project began just one year ago, when Ducati Superbike rider Larry Pegram approached friend and flat track team co-owner, David Lloyd, regarding the potential of Ducati’s air-cooled engine.
Pegram Racing and Lloyd Brothers Motorsports then joined forces to build a stock-framed dirt track bike from a Ducati Sport 1000 and, after a quick shakedown by Pegram, entered the 2009 Springfield Mile where it immediately proved a formidable opponent to the dominant Harley-Davidsons. After a summer of modifications, including the addition of the 2010 Desmodue engine from the Ducati Hypermotard 1100EVO and a custom racing chassis, Pegram entered the Indy Mile and missed the main event by just one position in the semi-qualifier.
Fast-forward to 2010’s opening round and Joe Kopp proves that Ducatis don’t need asphalt to beat the competition. Putting the Ducati into the lead from the start of Saturday’s event, Kopp ran a fantastic race and faced little competition before finally drafting past Sammy Halbert’s Harley-Davidson on the final lap to take the checkered flag by 0.025 seconds. The result represents a significant milestone in the history of the sport with the Italian Ducati stealing victory from Harley Davidson on the Mile, something no other manufacturer has achieved in 17 years.
The next race for the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Ducati entry will be the famed Springfield Mile on May 30, where Ducati AMA Superbike star, Larry Pegram will pilot a second bike alongside Joe Kopp.
For further informations on the Ducati Hypermotar 1100 EVO, click here.
TWO DAYS AFTER MONZA, THE DUCATI XEROX TEAM TRAVELS TO KYALAMI FOR ROUND SIX (5/11)
Kyalami (South Africa) Tuesday 11th May: Just two days after returning to base from Monza’s fifth World Superbike round, the Ducati Xerox team repacks its bags and leaves for South Africa and the circuit of Kyalami. The Ducati 1198 of the factory Ducati Xerox team proved itself a winner on the Kyalami circuit last season, with the red machines dominating a weekend that culminated in two triumphant race wins for Noriyuki Haga… (read more)
POSITIVE DAY OF TESTING FOR DUCATI MOTOGP TEAM AT JEREZ
The Ducati MotoGP Team were back on track in breezy but pretty warm conditions at Jerez today for the first of two post-race test days planned for this season. Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden took the opportunity to try a variety of different set-up options, clocking the sixth and seventh fastest times respectively. (read more)
DRAG RACING WITH GP AND SBK RIDERS (5/4)
The GP and SBK riders will challenge each other during WDW!The challenges on the Red Planet are infinite. Imagine a straight, the legendary Misano straight. Imagine a bike as powerful and aggressive as the Ducati Streetfighter. Imagine the Ducati riders, the MotoGP and SBK champions, fighting it out amongst themselves in a drag race without precedent, on street bikes, each rider bringing his desire and passion for competition! Head to head, and immediate elimination. Nicky, Casey, Michel, Nori and the riders of the private Ducati team will battle it out, alongside test rider Franco Battaini, Vittoriano Guareschi … (read more)
DUCATI UNIVERSITY (5/10)
Ducati means technological innovation, high engineering, incomparable design of Italian flavour: a heritage of precious knowledge in continuous evolution, accumulated by generations of experts. At the WDW, thanks to the conferences of Ducati University, you can’t miss the possibility to understand the secrets of Ducati world, directly from the mouth of the Masters of Desmodromic Power. For the most curious riders and for the most demanding enthusiasts, the teachers of DUCATI UNIVERSITY – consisting of Ducati’s technicians and managers – will held original conferences on the following topics: The development of the brand new Multistrada 1200- Mario Alvisi (Product Manager) and Engineer … (read more)
