From a press release issued by Ducati North America:

THREE TIME AMA SUPERBIKE CHAMPION DOUG CHANDLER TO RACE DUCATI 749R IN AMA FORMULA EXTREME

HMC Ducati Milwaukee Racing pairs up with Ducati and three time AMA Superbike champion Doug Chandler for their 2004 Formula Extreme effort.

Doug Chandler will race a Ducati 749R in the AMA Formula Extreme championship for 2004. The 749R was released last month and is the most technologically advanced Ducati ever.

HMC Ducati Milwaukee Racing is excited to be involved with both Chandler and Ducati. Mitch Hansen, team owner of HMC, has a history of winning with Ducati. In 1999 and 2000, HMC raced a 748RS in the now extinct AMA Pro Thunder class, winning the championship in 1999 with Shawn Conrad. In 2002, Doug Chandler rode a Ducati 998RS for HMC finishing the season with 3 podiums. Excited about the future of the new team, Mitch Hansen said, “I feel that the team we assembled with Doug and the 749R is capable of getting on the podium and winning consistently through the year. We’ve entered the season late but we know that anything can happen in racing and we hope to pull off the championship”

The 39-year-old California resident, Chandler, is a well-respected, accomplished racer. He has already won the AMA Superbike Championship three times and raced four years in Grand Prix. Chandler says he is excited to be on a Ducati again, “I’m really looking forward to Barber, its too bad we didn’t get to start the season in Daytona but I know we can go out there and win races. And I’m really excited to be back to roadracing especially on the Ducati.” Chandler’s first race with the 749R will be at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama on May 14-16.

The Ducati 749R is technically the most advanced twin-cylinder bike ever produced. It features a short stroke engine and the revolutionary testastretta head design. This bike was designed to mark Ducati’s return to World Supersport racing but will be extremely competitive in the US-based Formula Extreme class.

HMC Ducati Milwaukee Racing is sponsored by Dunlop, Options Italia, Silkolene, D.I.D., Dowco, Bucci, and EBC.