[bubbazenetty]

First race:
That was a an AWSOME race...very good start from Bayliss, and he timed it just right for the pass for the win. Guess the Ducati's will be a worry for the Suzuki's for a while.

1. Bayliss
2. Corser
3. Lanzi
4. Abe
5. Haga
6. Kagiama
7. Xauz
8. Laconi

Bayliss in the point-lead by 17 point over Corser.

Now I'll go watch Race 2.

 

[bubbazenetty]

Race 2, similar to race 1...Totally AWSOME. Bayliss won it on tire management.

Results.
1. Bayliss
2. Corser
3. Lanzi
4. Abe
5. Haga
6. Nieto

 

[vduc]

Awesome, Bayliss and Lanzi 1 & 3!

House (actually driveway) got hit by lightning Friday, and the surge was big enough to blow out a bunch of electronics, including my satellite and TiVo so no races for me to watch this weekend So much for a $400 Monster Power surge protector...

 

[migz123]

That sucks Vito.... you missed some incredible races, surely there will be more though!

 

[jneglia]

Taped both of them earlier today and just saw the races. Great racing all around; Lanzi made quite the comeback after Philip Island.

 

[JDuc]

vduc: you know - Monster cable will cover up to a certain $$ that's connected to it...

of course, you have to have registered it first

 

[desmomoto]

why not AMA???????

I just don't understand why Ducati is not as competitive in AMA as they are in SBK? is it the rider, the bike, factory support? what?

 

[rob]

SPEED Channel Sux

So did anyone else throw stuff at the TV when &*#%ing SPEED channel decided to cut away from race two for a commercial on lap 21 of 23? What the hell were they thinking?!!

 

[sblea]

Part of the reason is that the tracks in the states do not flow very well. There are alot of slow corners, alot of stop and go. Even the surfaces of the tracks have not kept up with European race tracks. We really don't have a world class race track designed for bikes. The new Miller Motorsports park is going to be the closest thing to a WSBK track. Heck Laguna Seca had to spend $7 million this year (on top of 2 mlllion last year) for FIM certification.

I just don't understand why Ducati is not as competitive in AMA as they are in SBK? is it the rider, the bike, factory support? what?

 

[JDuc]

I just don't understand why Ducati is not as competitive in AMA as they are in SBK? is it the rider, the bike, factory support? what?

just curious, but why did you attach those images?

 

[John]

Part of the reason is that the tracks in the states do not flow very well. There are alot of slow corners, alot of stop and go. Even the surfaces of the tracks have not kept up with European race tracks. We really don't have a world class race track designed for bikes. The new Miller Motorsports park is going to be the closest thing to a WSBK track. Heck Laguna Seca had to spend $7 million this year (on top of 2 mlllion last year) for FIM certification.

I had the same discussion with a buddy of mine last night about why Ducati appears ineffective so far in AMA and didn't consider your thoughts. I would agree with you, especially after watching the 05 AMA year in review. Man, I want to say this loud and clear, our race tracks are like our roads here in California, they suck! Many are haphazard, makeshift race tracks with multiple patches, tar snakes, directional cones, tire barriers, on and on. I was so used to watching the European tracks and world tracks for WSBK and MotoGP, I got spoiled. AMA reminded me of an upgraded track day video.

Speaking of AMA performance so far, I know part of it is track design, its got to be. Are the AMA Ducati bikes getting anywhere near the same factory support as the WSBK teams? Are the bikes the same? If the recent bad showing by Ducati is any sign, I feel like Ducati has actually stepped down some more since last year or the Japanese bikes have gotten better. EBoz made a pretty good showing with 3 wins, Hodgson with one rain win, but never really a contender all year. Big let down if he can't turn this year around since last year was a "learning year". From WSBK champion to has been in AMA is depressing. However, his championship run in WSBK was at the end of the Ducati dominance, just before the Japanese teams started to step up. Toseland took advantage of it in 04 before the reign ended in 05. Not to get off the subject, but I think Toseland is a better rider than Hodgson anyway. He has more balls. I think Hodgson is overrated. I also think Bayliss is exceptional, he is a smart rider, especially after the Phillip Island race #1.

It might be Hodgson's last year on Ducati if something doesn't happen in terms of bike performance that will help him win. BBoz has done nothing for years so I don't expect much from him. I was hopeful early season when Bostrom had nice things to say about his new ride, I felt it was a turning point in his bland perfomances up til this point.

 

[migz123]

John - in the recent Valencia race I was suprised to find out that Hodgson still holds the lap record there which he set in 2003...faster than either Corser or Bayliss this weekend. Regardless of the change in regulations since '03 or just better Japanese bikes, Hodgson's record in Valencia is still yet to be broken - it does speak volumes about his skill... which in turn raises the question everybody has been wondering about all weekend even higher ... in light of the championship pace in wsbk, bsb and even motogp, what is going on with Ducati in the AMA? Certainly it is for reasons beyond skill. It's disheartening to see both hodgson and bboz struggling there when elsewhere in the world their 'teamates' are doing so well.

 

[sblea]

I agree, I don't think it has anything to do with the riders' or even the bikes. Hodgson has an experieced engineer from James Toselands 2003' championship. Both WSBK and AMA ducatis are pushing about 196hp. I think it comes down to most tracks in the states favor inline 4's - put a premium on acceleration in straight short burst. Plus the riders here have alot of experience riding around our makeshift race tracks. The factory Ducati teams have only been in AMA for 2 years (I think). Even Hodgson talked about how the tracks here are more like club races.

 

[loony888]

I just don't understand why Ducati is not as competitive in AMA as they are in SBK? is it the rider, the bike, factory support? what?

the world superbike teams are run directly from the factory and have very good riders and very very good engineers and mechanics who can get changes made and parts supplied before anyone else (except the moto gp effort i suppose). the AMA, while being in the USA is not a world title and i imagine the factory views it as a domestic championship like the BSB in the u.k or the australian superbike championship, german, italian etc etc....
as such you have delays and are lower in the pecking order. the suzuki effort has shared info the other way, corser was so dominant last year because his starting point was mladins bike.

 

[John]

Umm, good points, back and forth. Skill, motorcycle performance, tracks, all the variables. I'm inclined to think, if the power on the WSBK and AMA Ducatis are the same, then track design is a valid point. Hodgson making the statement the USA tracks are like club races, just as I thought. I believe its more complicated than that and the point about the pecking order is a valid one. Mladin's success says a lot about consistency all the way around. Its like why isn't Regis Laconi still riding for Ducati? I think its consistency.

Its going to be an interesting season in AMA. I wish the best for Hodgson, hes a nice guy, good for the sport. I would think, back to track design, that with Ducatis torque, "stop and go" would be favorable to the bike. I think tracks that require extensive flipping is unfavorable to the Ducati though.

 

[Chuckracer]

Hodgsen's lap record at Valencia has everything to do with Works Dunlop tires. Those tires are worth two seconds easy compared to the Pirelli's. That's the only reason that record still stands.

Ducati USA is not getting anything near the support the WSBK teams are getting. Ducati USA is so far down on Ducati Course's list of importance, they hardly exist. Ducati is spending a ton of money on Moto GP, and WSBK will always be important but they don't have the budget to fully support all the regional championships.

 

[John]

Hodgsen's lap record at Valencia has everything to do with Works Dunlop tires. Those tires are worth two seconds easy compared to the Pirelli's. That's the only reason that record still stands.

Ducati USA is not getting anything near the support the WSBK teams are getting. Ducati USA is so far down on Ducati Course's list of importance, they hardly exist. Ducati is spending a ton of money on Moto GP, and WSBK will always be important but they don't have the budget to fully support all the regional championships.

Seems to me it would make great business sense to attract more business here, based on our ability to buy the bike. However, the AMA involvement is relatively new for Ducati and I understand the priority you outlined above being that MotoGP and WSBK has a much wider spectator base worldwide. Knowing the weak sales of the 999, something has to give.

 

[1fast750ss]

AMA vs World SBK

Chuck,

Imput here, isn't it true that the rules dictate no traction control in AMA, however OK in SBK, BSB and moto GP? To me, that would be crucial coming out of the corners, and would probably take a few tenths out of each lap with the Ducatis'. Not to mention, isn't there a weight difference between the bikes? I thought the World bikes had a few Kilos advantages vs. the AMA bikes.

Fill us in, please.

Brian C.

 

[John]

Hodgsen's lap record at Valencia has everything to do with Works Dunlop tires. Those tires are worth two seconds easy compared to the Pirelli's. That's the only reason that record still stands.

Ducati USA is not getting anything near the support the WSBK teams are getting. Ducati USA is so far down on Ducati Course's list of importance, they hardly exist. Ducati is spending a ton of money on Moto GP, and WSBK will always be important but they don't have the budget to fully support all the regional championships.

On another thread someone posted they were Michelins not Dunlops that Hodgson used. Got any firm proof on this so I can set the record straight over there?

 

[Chuckracer]

John, yeah, I meant Michelin...dunno why my fingers were thinking Dunlop.


The works Ducati's in WSB are way tricker than what winds up here. The '06 and '05 works bikes are running WSB, Hodge and Benny are probably on essentially '05 "customer" bikes which are a couple generations behind the World stuff. There's really not a huge difference, but the details add up. I'm trying to find out more specifics for ya. My info is a little out of date. I'm not sure on the technical differences between the AMA bikes and the WSB bikes.

Another big difference is the rubber. Ducati USA is the only Ducati team (I think) on Dunlops, and there isn't any info on what works for these bikes. I can tell you from first hand experience that is a big handicap. If your set-up isn't damn close out of the truck, you're in trouble before a wheel turns on the track. There just isn't enough time on an AMA race weekend to "find" a set-up.

Also, despite what Jim Allen says in the press, not all Dunlops are created equal. With Ducati worldwide using Michelin, guess how far down the pecking order Ducati USA is when it comes to doling out the good rubber?