Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin is adjusting to the resignation of Lead Mechanic Vic Fasola and is testing Michelin tires during the CCS/Formula USA weekend at Daytona.

“Unfortunately his wife is very sick, and (racing) would take too much time away from being able to take care of her,” Team Manager Tom Bondenbach told Roadracingworld.com regarding Fasola’s departure from the team. “He felt is was better to concentrate on her health and taking care of his family.”

Some published reports incorrectly identified Fasola as Crew Chief for the team, but according to Bodenbach, Fasola was the Lead Mechanic for Eric Bostrom, directing team mechanics Lance Baker and Jerry Daggett and serving as the team’s tire technician.

Crew Chief for Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin for 2004 has always been Luca Ferraccioli.

Asked how he would fill the significant gap left in his team, Bodenbach said, “For this race we have a couple of the factory mechanics coming in from Italy to help. And I’m flying in another guy we weren’t originally planning on having, Glenn Grenfell. He worked with me back at Gemini (on the factory Harley-Davidson Superbike team).”

Bodenbach and Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin spent Wednesday and Thursday, February 25-26, at Daytona testing tires for Michelin with former Ducati Superbike pilot Larry Pegram.

“It wasn’t really an official team deal,” clarified Bodenbach. “Michelin wanted to test some tires. Basically, Michelin and Ducati got together and picked Larry. They didn’t want to have Eric (Bostrom) involved in this and (let him) concentrate on the 200 week.”

Weather and track conditions on both days (early on Wednesday, late on Thursday) and traffic during Thursday’s 58-entry F-USA 200-mile Team Challenge race prevented the team from getting its full testing program completed, Bodenbach said.

“We didn’t get as much as we would’ve liked to have gotten accomplished,” continued Bodenbach. “With the light misting and all that, Larry wasn’t able to maintain full throttle on the banking. So it wasn’t as fruitful as we hoped, but we were able to get something out of it.”

When asked for his take on testing Michelins on Bostrom’s Ducati 999 Superbike, Pegram declined to make any comment, saying it was out of respect for his 2004 season tire sponsor, Pirelli.

Pegram plans to race privately-supported Yamaha’s full-time with Formula USA and at select AMA events.