From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI US-FACTORY TEAM TO RACE ON DUNLOPS FOR AMA SUPERBIKE CHALLENGE

Bologna (Italy), 9 December 2004: Ducati Corse wishes to announce that its US-based Factory Team has chosen to use Dunlop tyres for the 2005 and 2006 AMA Superbike championships.

The agreement means that the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin pairing of Eric Bostrom and new signing Neil Hodgson will race their factory Ducati 999R machines on Dunlop tyres in the 11-round/18-race series.

Neil Hodgson will get his first chance to test the 2005 “package” at the Ducati Corse development tests organised at Jerez de la Frontera (Spain) on December 16-17. Both riders will then continue their preparation for the new season at Daytona from January 3-5.

Ducati Corse would like to express its gratitude to Michelin, the team’s partner for 2004, for their valuable collaboration which culminated in Eric Bostrom’s pole position at Daytona, two second places at Fontana and a win at Pike’s Peak.