FIM Supersport World Championship Brands Hatch, England August 4 Practice Times: 1. Kevin CURTAIN (Yam YZF-R6), 1:29.621 2. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Hon CBR600RR), 1:29.637 3. Cal CRUTCHLOW (Hon CBR600RR), 1:29.797 4. Sebastien CHARPENTIER (Hon CBR600RR), 1:29.816 5. Broc PARKES (Yam YZF-R6), 1:29.916 6. Stephane CHAMBON (Kaw ZX-6RR), 1:30.076 7. Yoann TIBERIO (Hon CBR600RR), 1:30.127 8. Leon CAMIER (Hon CBR600RR), 1:30.187 9. Robbin HARMS (Hon CBR600RR), 1:30.237 10. Simone SANNA (Hon CBR600RR), 1:30.593 11. Barry VENEMAN (Suz GSX-R600), 1:30.632 12. Gianluca VIZZIELLO (Yam YZF-R6), 1:30.637 13. Johan STIGEFELT (Hon CBR600RR), 1:30.710 14. Maxime BERGER (Kaw ZX-6RR), 1:30.846 15. Massimo ROCCOLI (Yam YZF-R6), 1:30.939 16. Javier FORES (Yam YZF-R6), 1:30.983 17. Matthieu LAGRIVE (Hon CBR600RR), 1:30.990 18. William DE ANGELIS (Hon CBR600RR), 1:31.048 19. Mauro SANCHINI (Yam YZF-R6), 1:31.122 20. Kai Borre ANDERSEN (Suz GSX-R600), 1:31.346 35. Chris PERIS (Yam YZF-R6), 1:34.427

The start of Pro Honda Oils AMA Supersport practice Friday morning at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course has been delayed for an oil clean up. Oil was spread around the entire 2.4-mile, 15-turn road course by a jet dryer being used to dry the track surface Friday morning. The problem was found during an inspection of the track prior to the 8:30 a.m. scheduled practice start time. At post time, 9:50 a.m. local time, the oil clean up was ongoing. Originally, it was reported to Roadracingworld.com by AMA officials that the oil was residue from an engine failure during promoter practice late Thursday afternoon.

For years Mid-Ohio Sport Car Course has been a favorite track of riders on the AMA Superbike calendar. The Mid-Ohio event draws tens of thousands of enthusiastic fans every year, and riders find the 2.4-mile, 15-turn road course fun yet challenging, due in part to bumps, tall curbing and rough transitions onto and off of concrete patches in many of the corners. During the off-season, Mid-Ohio completely resurfaced the road course, removing the concrete patches from the corners, adding new curbing and even increasing the run-off area in fast turn one. The renovation work, however, was found to be less than a complete success by top AMA riders who tested at the Ohio racetrack earlier this summer. The feedback they gave Roadracingworld.com was the new surface was smooth and grippy when dry, resulting in much faster lap times, but the brand new pavement already had patches of sealer in corners, which did not provide the same level of dry grip and were extremely slippery when wet with rain or even morning dew. In addition, the new curbs were said to be unusually shaped, rising sharply from the track at an abrupt, almost vertical angle. And the curbs were said to be tall enough to contact the brake levers of bikes leaned over in the corners. At the request of the AMA riders, Mid-Ohio reshaped all of the curbs around the track within the last few weeks. The factory riders who tested at Mid-Ohio won’t get a second look at the track until Friday morning, but most non-factory riders got to experience the new Mid-Ohio surface for the first time during Thursday’s promoter practice. And most liked what they saw. “I like it. It’s good,” said Attack Kawasaki’s Damon Buckmaster after a stint on his Dunlop-equipped ZX-10R Superstock bike. “I think the sealer patches are fine. They have plenty of grip. It’s good to see they got the curbings graded down. They look a little course, but at least the grooves run with the grain (flow) of the track. The only thing is we don’t know what the sealer patches will be like in the wet.” “It’s great. The surface is awesome,” said Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Geoff May, who rode both a Supersport GSX-R600 and a Superstock GSX-R1000 on Pirelli tires Thursday. “Even with the sealer patches, when it’s clean and dry, the grip is consistent everywhere. I’m glad to see they brought the curbs down to a normal height, but they need to smooth them out. Right now they are like lava rock, and they grab at my knee pucks. I drag my elbows some times, and I’m worried about snagging them on the curbs.” “It’s perfectly smooth, but the sealer is the big problem,” said Leo Vince/Pegram Racing Honda’s Larry Pegram, after sampling the track on his Michelin-fitted CBR1000RR Superbike. “There’s no grip on the sealer patches, especially in the Keyhole and the Carousel. Anywhere there’s sealer it’s squirmy. It feels like a slick garage floor. And the curbs are a little rough and grab at your pucks. Overall, it’s way better than it used to be. I just wish they wouldn’t have put the sealer down.”

Three community newspaper reporters had their eyes opened to motorcycle road racing Thursday when Team Roadracingworld.com’s Chris Ulrich took them for a few laps around the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on the back of his 180-horsepower, two-seat GSX-R1000 AMA Superstock racebike. Only two of the reporters had ever been on a motorcycle and none of the three had seen motorcycle road racing before, but after two laps of the 2.4-mile, 15-turn Mid-Ohio road course with Ulrich, a former AMA Superstock race winner at Mid-Ohio, the reporters had a whole new understanding for motorcycles and motorcycle road racing. “That was very cool! I could feel my whole face going backwards. It was really fast. Whenever he accelerated I had to really hold on tight,” said Laura Mazur, a reporter with the Community Post, a weekly newspaper in Minster, Ohio, after her 140-mph ride with Ulrich. “You’re reaching out to us to get things out to the rest of the world, and we can definitely reach out with this. You get the full experience of it by doing it with them.” “That was better than sex, and it lasts longer, too,” laughed Jane Ernsberger, a reporter with the Shelby Daily Globe, a daily newspaper in Shelby, Ohio. “It’s just awesome because you guys gave regular reporters a chance to get out and do something we normally don’t do, and with our ability to write, we can share that with everybody who can’t get on the bike with Chris.” “That was amazing,” said John Peck, a reporter with the Communicator News, a weekly newspaper in Columbus, Ohio. “It amazes how fast they go, how often they have to brake, the knowledge they have to acquire before getting on the track, actually knowing the track, where the curves are, when to slow down — it’s just amazing. I have a different perspective of motorcycle racing now, a lot different. Now, this weekend, I’m thinking about coming here when I had absolutely no intention of making it here before.” Ulrich’s teammate Robertino Pietri rode his GSX-R1000 Superstock racebike in close proximity to the two-seater machine during the journalists’ rides to give them a better perspective of actually racing with other motorcycles on the track. The rides were conducted during a regularly-scheduled break in Thursday’s promoter practice. Ulrich’s team has been doing media rides using two-seat racebikes for about five years.

Michael’s Team to Meet Mayor of Mansfield – Michael Jordan Motorsports-Jordan Suzuki team members will be appearing Thursday, August 3 at Renegade Classics in Mansfield, Ohio as part of the 8th round of AMA Superbike racing action being held at Mid-Ohio Sport’s Car Course, August 4-6, 2006. The independently owned Renegade Classics will be hosting “Bike Night” on Thursday from 6:00 to 10:00pm at their newly opened store located in the Appleseed Center at 1438 Lexington Avenue. Jordan Suzuki riders and team general manager Ken Abbott will be on hand from 7:00 to 8:00pm to sign autographs, greet fans and participate in an interview with The Fox radio 102.3 which will be aired Friday during Jeffro’s Morning Jam. Bike Night will also include live music from 8:00 to10:00pm, food and Honda Super Cycle event ticket give-a-ways as well as a special appearance by the Mayor of Mansfield, Honorable Lydia J. Reid. For additional information on “Bike Night” contact Renegade Classics at 419-756-BIKE (2453). Information regarding Jordan Suzuki is available at www.23race.com.

IN CELEBRATION OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES EPIC ACTION ADVENTURE SUPERMAN RETURNS, WARNER BROS. CONSUMER PRODUCTS, ON BEHALF OF DC COMICS, ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH DUCATI AND SUOMY DURING WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP UPCOMING RACE Milan, August 3, 2006 – Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Ducati Corse and Suomy S.p.a. announce that they will jointly promote the September 1st launch of Warner Bros. Pictures? epic-action adventure, Superman Returns by fielding a motorcycle themed to the film during the World Superbike Championship race in Brands Hatch (UK), on the 6th of August 2006. The Ducati Xerox Team 999F06 machines, being ridden by Australian Troy Bayliss and Italian Lorenzo Lanzi, along with the riders, leathers and helmets, will feature imagery based on the eagerly-awaited feature film. The riders? helmets have been produced by Suomy, an official Superman Returns licensee producing motorcycle riding gear, apparel and accessories. Mr. Paolo Ciabatti, Ducati Corse Superbike director, said, “We are very pleased to be partnering with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Suomy to celebrate the launch of Superman Returns within the incredibly popular sport of Superbike. With Troy Bayliss winning eight races already this season, who better to bear the colors of Superman in World Superbike?” “Being part of the World Superbike Championship and bringing Superman to the race with the Ducati Xerox Team?s champions and Suomy gives worldwide visibility to this much-loved Super Hero and to the new film,” says Pilar Zulueta, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Warner Bros. Consumer Products – Europe, Middle East and Africa. “We are thrilled to link Superman to a sporting event that has such a high level of visibility and one that is characterized by a spectacular show and top performances.” Warner Bros. Consumer Products has extended its partnership with Suomy, the Italian leader for motorcycle helmets and gear, to launch an all new product line inspired by the World?s Greatest Super Hero, Superman. The new products will feature artwork from Warner Bros. Pictures’ upcoming action adventure Superman Returns, as well as artwork from the classic Superman character known from DC Comics’ comic books. They are provided with protections and are designed with all technical details are perfect for riders who want to travel safely and distinguish themselves from other riders. The Superman collection also includes t-shirts, sweatshirts and jeans that are perfectly in line with riders? free lifestyle. About Superman Returns Following a mysterious absence of several years, the Man of Steel comes back to Earth in the epic action-adventure Superman Returns, a soaring new chapter in the saga of one of the world?s most beloved Super Heroes. While an old enemy plots to render him powerless once and for all, Superman (Brandon Routh) faces the heartbreaking realization that the woman he loves, Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth), has moved on with her life. Or has she? Superman’s bittersweet return challenges him to bridge the distance between them while finding a place in a society that has learned to survive without him. In an attempt to protect the world he loves from cataclysmic destruction, Superman embarks on an epic journey of redemption that takes him from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of outer space. Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Legendary Pictures, presents a Jon Peters Production in association with Bad Hat Harry Productions, a Bryan Singer film, Superman Returns, starring newcomer Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth (Beyond the Sea, Blue Crush), James Marsden (X2: X-Men United, The Notebook), Frank Langella (HBO’s Unscripted), Academy Award-winner Eva Marie Saint (North By Northwest), Parker Posey (Best in Show), Kal Penn (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle) Sam Huntington (Detroit Rock City), and Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey (Beyond the Sea, American Beauty, The Usual Suspects). Directed by Bryan Singer (X2: X-Men United, X-Men, The Usual Suspects), the film is produced by Jon Peters, Bryan Singer and Gilbert Adler. The executive producer is Chris Lee. The screenplay is by Michael Dougherty & Dan Harris, and the story is by Bryan Singer & Michael Dougherty & Dan Harris. The director of photography is Newton Thomas Sigel A.S.C.; the production designer is Guy Dyas; the film is edited by John Ottman and Elliot Graham; the costume designer is Louise Mingenbach; and the music is by John Ottman. The film is based upon Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics www.supermanreturns.it About Warner Bros. Consumer Products: Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world. About DC Comics: DC Comics, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world and home to such iconic characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Sandman. These DC Super Heroes and others have starred in comic books, movies, television series (both animated and live-action) and cyberspace, thrilling audiences of all ages for generations. DC Comics’ Web site is located at www.dccomics.com. SUPERMAN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and DC Comics. About Ducati: Founded in 1926, Ducati builds racing-inspired motorcycles characterized by unique engine features, innovative design, advanced engineering and overall technical excellence. The Company produces motorcycles in six market segments which vary in their technical and design features and intended customers: Superbike, Supersport, Monster, Sport Touring, Multistrada and the new SportClassic. The Company’s motorcycles are sold in more than 60 countries worldwide, with a primary focus in the Western European, Japan and North American markets. The Ducati Xerox Team are the factory Superbike team of Ducati, who this year are competing in their nineteenth season of World Superbike Championship racing, having dominated the sport in recent years. Ducati’s pedigree since the start of the championship in 1988 is an impressive one; the Italian manufacturer winning 11 Riders? and 13 Manufacturers’ titles and more individual races than all the other manufacturers combined. About Suomy S.p.a. Safety is a mental expression, a need that is closely associated with speed, racing and the pure adrenaline of riding. It is with this philosophy that Suomy is the leading company in the field and from here it creates a clothing line imbued with technical safety features.

Lexington (Ohio): The Parts Unlimited Ducati Team will attempt to keep up their momentum at this weekend’s Mid-Ohio Superbike doubleheader. Neil Hodgson and the Ducati 999 finished on the podium at Laguna Seca to pair with Ben Bostrom’s competitive Miller Motorsports Park performance at the previous races in Utah. The duo hopes to repeat their recent results at a repaved Mid-Ohio circuit as the AMA Superbike season heads down the home stretch. At Laguna Seca, the former World Superbike champion Hodgson rode an excellent race with a spirited charge to towards the front despite a lack of track time during the busy USGP weekend. Neil looks to improve on his fourth place points standing in Ohio as well. “It was good to get back on the podium (at Laguna Seca) and we can build on that,” said Neil Hodgson. “It’s always good to go into the next race with a positive result. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to get things on the upswing again.” Ben Bostrom has seen his season improve after testing increased his familiarity with the Ducati 999. Bostrom was third in race one in Utah and challenged for the lead before crashing out in the second race. At Laguna Seca, he was running a strong second before dehydration in the triple digit heat took its toll on the Californian. “Things are going better and we’ve had some bad luck in the past couple of races, too. I feel like I have some unfinished business at Mid-Ohio. I was leading the race there in ’99 before I had to pit. We are looking forward to a good weekend on the Parts Unlimited Ducati.” The Mid-Ohio AMA Superbike races are always well attended and have produced exciting races over the years. This season will see two events at the track, this weekend’s doubleheader and the season finale. The tight, twisty track has been resurfaced this year. “We are looking to finish up the year on a strong note,” said team owner Terry Gregoricka. “Ben and Neil earned a spot on the podium at the last two events and that’s where we feel we should be. The team is working hard to get some more good results like those. We’re up for the challenge.” Races will be held on both Saturday and Sunday. The Circuit: The 15-turn Mid-Ohio circuit is a tight track with some elevation changes but also has a respectable straight. The circuit, famous for The Keyhole turn, has seen safety improvements the last few years. AMA Superbike points (after 12 races): 1. Ben Spies, Suzuki 426 2. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 392 3. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 329 4. Neil Hodgson, Parts Unlimited Ducati 317 5. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki 304 5. Aaron Yates, Suzuki 304 7. Jake Zemke, Honda 296 8. Ben Bostrom, Parts Unlimited Ducati 268 9. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki 259 10. Steve Rapp, Suzuki 226

After an historic day in Brno During the last race in the Czech Republic, the Team Yamaha Motor France-Ipone established a new record in the Superbike World Championship with its 3 bikes finishing both heats in the points. So the second part of this season looks promising for Norick Abe, Sebastien Gimbert and Shinichi Nakatomi. Not only in Brno the three riders earned points two times, but Martial Garcia’s Yamaha R1s had the second overall top speed. It was also the occasion for the rookie rider Shinichi Nakatomi to obtain his best result this year so far with a brilliant 8th position. Sebastien Gimbert finished two times in the top 15, which gives him confidence as it was the second time this year after the initial race in Qatar. If two weeks ago everything went well in Brno for Nakatomi, it was different in Suzuka for the famous 8 Hours. After being 5th on the grid (and fastest of the Yamahas) Nakatomi and his team-mate Nakasuga had to retire after 154 laps in the race. Unfortunately, Nakatomi was hurt during that weekend For Martial Garcia (team-manager): “Our Yamahas are performing well and so are our riders. The Brno race proved the good qualities of the kit parts and of the team work. So we are confident for the Brands Hatch event, only hoping the Nakatomi is not too handicapped physically.” As always in Brands Hatch, we need to watch the wild car riders who are always excellent on their home ground. Tommy Hill (Yamaha R1), who participates to the British Superbike Championship with Pirelli, started from pole position in Silverstone on May 28th. Here in Brands Hatch, Shane Byrne (Ducati / Dunlop) still holds the lap records for qualifying and race. The track Brands Hatch was opened in 1928 and lengthened in 1953 by taking advantage of the hill leading to Druid’s Bend. In 1960, the Hawthorn and Westfield corners were added. That gave the track the required length (4.19 km) to get it homologated for international events. The first Brands Hatch F1 Grand Prix was held in 1964. Ideally located only 32 kms from London, Brands is an extremely popular venue. Sometimes, as many as 120 000 spectators flocked to the circuit for the world Superbike. The way Brands Hatch has evolved explains why there are two types of asphalt here. Grip on the Grand Prix track is not the same as that of the “small” circuit and that can take riders by surprise as they go from one to the other, especially in the wet. Grip is better in the Grand Prix section than on the part where the pits and the grandstands are. Brands Hatch is quite a demanding circuit. It heats up the tyres in a similar way to tracks like Phillip Island or Monza, but that heat build up doesn’t happen in the same part of the tyre. World Championship standings: 1-Bayliss (Ducati) 254 points ; 2-Toseland (Honda) 177 ; 3-Haga (Yamaha) 173 ; 4- Corser (Suzuki) 160 ; 5-Barros (Honda) 146…12- Abe (Yamaha) 67 ; 17-Nakatomi (Yamaha) 26 ; 20-Gimbert (Yamaha) 14 Brands Hatch stats Practice record (2003): 1:26.248 Shane Byrne (Ducati) 175.180 kph 2005 Yamaha Motor France practice times: Norifumi Abe: 1:28.661 / 21st and Sebastien Gimbert: 1:28.750 / 22nd Race 1 results 2005: 1-Corser (Suzuki), 2- Haga (Yamaha) 3-Laconi (Ducati) 4- Vermeulen (Honda) 5- Walker (Kawasaki) 2005 Yamaha Motor France race 1 results: Norifumi Abe: 11th and Sebastien Gimbert: 16th Race 2 results 2005: 1- -Haga (Yamaha) 2- Corser (Suzuki) 3- Vermeulen (Honda) 4- Walker (Kawasaki) 5- Laconi (Ducati), 2005 Yamaha Motor France race 2 results: Norifumi Abe: DNF (retired lap 18) and Sebastien Gimbert: 14th Lap record (best race time 2003): 1:26.755 Shane Byrne (Ducati) 174.160 kph 9th round of the Supersport World Championship: September 3rd at Assen (Nederlands) More, from a press release issued by Scuderia SC Caracchi: GIANLUCA NANNELLI REJOINS SCUDERIA SC CARACCHI FOR BRANDS HATCH EVENT At Brands Hatch event, next August 6 on the British circuit near Londonì, Gianluca Nannelli will rejoins the 749R Ducati to contest World Supersport event. The Florentine rider returns to the team that made the most for his talent during the past season, with the gem of the Imola victory. The Team SC Ducati by Stefano Caracchi will manage a third machine for the Italian rider who will stand beside Stuart Easton and Luka Nedog, the regular riders entered by SC Ducati for 2006 season. For the moment the cooperation between Nannelli and SC Caracchi is foresee just for the British, but the goal of both is to finish together the season. “Also for this racing season I had to pay for mistakes made by other people. The opportunity that Stefano Caracchi offers me, at the eve of a race on a track that I love couldn’t be refused, because I rejoin a group of people that allowed to me to live during last year very great emotions. I wish to thank also Daniele Carli and all DFXtreme Team for the possibility they gave me to ride in Superbike as well for the availability to pass in Supersport. I know that it will be not easy return in the heavy world of Supersport, more now after a lot of miles on a four cylinders Superbike. I’m confident in my possibilities and I’m proud to wave the Ducati’s flag in Supersport. I’m living anxiously the time from the race week end. To stay at home when all my friends and rivals were racing in Brno has been very hard. I have very good souvenir by Brands Hatch, it’s a track good for my racing characteristics and my riding style. I’ll look to avoid mistakes, but I’ll start with the will of a good race.” Stefano Caracchi, SC Ducati Team team manager, would also put into evidence the sporting way to do of the team’s riders, Stuart Easton and Luka Nedog, that gave any objection against a third rider in the team. More, from a press release issued by Winston Ten Kate Honda: CHARPENTIER AND SOFUOGLU AIMING THE PODIUM Even if not at 100%, it’s a Sebastien Charpentier is improving his physical conditions after Brno round and he is ready for the eight round of the Supersport World Championship round. The World Champion expect a lot from this race in Brands Hatch, one of his favourite tracks, and where he has won last year. The competition with Kevin Curtain, who behind him in the championship is about to begin. An hand is ready to give it to him Kenan Sofuoglu, regenerated after Brno’s podium. The Turkish rider wants to reconfirm the result obtained in Czech land and he will try his best to achieve the maximum points possible. Teamwork is always the key word for the Winston Ten Kate Honda Team. Ronald Ten Kate Team Manager “I am really happy to have seen back on the podium Kenan at Brno and I hope he will find the right psychophysical condition to continue at the maximum level for the all season. I know he can. Sebastien hasn’t been lucky during the race. He gave all he had but a some small problems didn’t let him result between the fastest. He did well anyway to bring home some points, and we can’t forge the still is the leader of the World Championship. His physical condition aren’t of course the best yet, but as usual, our World Champion will bit his teeth turn after turn. I would like to have both riders on the podium together again.” Sebastien Charpentier Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider “It’s obvious that I am not at the top of my physical conditions but surely I feel better than two weeks ago. I will not leave anything on the street and I will fight until the last lap to conquer the maximum from the English race. I am working intensively to try to arrive in the best conditions to this appointment. Be sure that I will not race to defend, but I will start to try to win again, like it happen last year, with all my energies.” Kenan Sofuoglu Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider “Brands Hatch is my favourite track, fun, technical and aggressive, adapt to put in evidence my riding style. It’s really fantastic. Here I have most of the times achieved good races and I will give my best to conquer as many points possible to my Team and to the riders standing. It will not be easy because as in Brno the competition is high but Brno’s result gave me a lot of motivation and I will try to use it in the best way.” More, from a press release issued by Winston Ten Kate Honda: BRITISH CROWD ALL READY FOR TOSELAND’S RETURN Sunday August 6 is the date of the eighth round of the Superbike World Championship, to be held on the classic English circuit of Brands Hatch – a special race weekend for the whole Winston Ten Kate Honda team. In fact, it’s the second home track of the year for James Toseland, who will race in front of thousands of his countrymen, with his immediate focus falling on nothing less than being able to fight for the race wins. But Winston Ten Kate rider James doesn’t only have a single race meeting in mind; he also wants to keep his chance to fight for the title alive. James sits in third position right now, by the narrowest of margins. It will be also an important race for Karl Muggeridge, who is now totally fit to race after his accident at Valencia, with his immediate objective being podium finishes at Brands Hatch. Ronald Ten Kate Team Manager “We had a good weekend in Brno, even if misfortune tried to ruin James’ weekend. Our English rider was competitive and took good results, even on his second bike, and he scored important points in the championship. Karl suffered a small problem during race one at Brno but he obtained a good result in race two, in seventh position. Brands is James’ circuit, definitely a special race because of the many fans who follow him. For this reason, we want to aim for the maximum points available. I hope that Karl will also confirm his good results of late; with calmness and the right degree of aggression he can climb onto the podium. As far as the bike is concerned, we have some small modifications in hand which should improve the settings and make our results even more competitive.” James Toseland Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider “Another home race for me after Silverstone. I will give my best for the supporters in the stands. It will be a hard weekend because, as in Brno, the competition is going to be really tough. With every passing race there are always more bikes that can win. Physically, I feel well, and I want to provide an emotional and happy race weekend for all my supporters. The world title is still achievable and I’m not giving up yet.” Karl Muggeridge Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider We will start again from where we finished the second race at Brno, when things went quite well, although I want to try to do even better, of course. I really want to step on the podium soon and I will be all out to achieve my goal. Now, after the injury I suffered early in the season, I am almost totally fit to race and I hope to be competitive from the very first day of testing. The good set-up of the bike should allow me to be among the very fastest and prepare for the race with quiet confidence.” More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse: DUCATI XEROX TEAM HEADS FOR SUMMER BREAK WITH BATTLE OF BRANDS Brands Hatch (UK), Thursday 3 August: The Ducati Xerox Team heads for a well-deserved summer break with this weekend’s eighth round of the World Superbike Championship, which will mark the end of two-thirds of the championship’s 12-round trail. The Brands Hatch round always offers spectacular racing due to the up-and-down nature of the track and this, together with its delightful setting on the outskirts of London, is guaranteed to pull in massive crowds to the traditional Kent venue. The current points leader is Ducati Xerox Team’s Australian star Troy Bayliss, winner of eight races so far this year, but who has not seen the top slot on the podium since race 1 at Misano. Having spent the last three years in MotoGP, the last time Troy raced at Brands Hatch was in 2002 when he scored a third and a second place behind Colin Edwards (Honda), his arch-rival that year. “I remember Brands Hatch well” declared Troy. “I scored my second-ever WSBK win there in 2000, when I passed Neil Hodgson in the last corner with one lap to go and he didn’t have a chance. Then he beat me in the second race but never mind! Brands isn’t actually as physical as a lot of tracks but to do a good lap there is difficult because it’s quite technical and more like an old-style track. There are some physical points but it’s not actually a track that destroys you, unless there’s a British heat-wave! I like it and have had some good times there but it’s never been really special to me. As for the main threats – James Toseland is going OK but I know how consistently strong Troy Corser can be and Noriyuki Haga always goes very well at Brands Hatch so they are the two probably on my mind, but I just want to go there and do the job in hand. I haven’t won for three races. I’ve got a good points lead but I don’t want to ride for points, I want to win races. Lorenzo Lanzi looked to have turned a corner with a promising qualifying session at Brno that due to tyre problems was not back up in the race but the young Italian will be looking to confirm that form on the UK track. “Brands Hatch is a track that I really like, there’s a fantastic public and this time round there will be just a small part of my fan club, only a dozen or so but they will surely make themselves heard! The track is a bit dangerous in places but it certainly adds to the spectacle. I enjoy racing at Brands and I’m going there with the intention of doing a couple of good races. My best result was two eighth places last year with the Caracchi Ducati 999RS. Recently I’ve had a few problems with the tyres. At Silverstone and Misano I had the problems on Friday, while at Brno they only emerged on the Sunday after during the weekend I had been back up at the front again. Hopefully at Brands it’ll all go well from this point of view. We showed at Brno that we were going well and we could have got a couple of podiums, hopefully now my luck will change.” THE CIRCUIT Name: Brands Hatch Length: 4.197 km Pole Position: left Corners Left/Right: 3/6. Race distance: 2 x 25 laps/104.925 km CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after 7 of 12 rounds): Riders – 1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 262; 2. Haga (Yamaha) 189; 3. Toseland (Honda) 188; 4. Corser (Suzuki) 173; 5. Barros (Honda) 151; 6. Pitt (Yamaha) 128; 7. Kagayama (Suzuki) 106; 8. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 80. Manufacturers – 1. Ducati 272; 2. Suzuki 238; 3. Honda 236; 4. Yamaha 218; 5. Kawasaki 118; 6. Petronas 4. STATISTICS: Best lap: Byrne (Ducati), 1m26.248s (2003). Lap record: Byrne (Ducati), 1m26.755s (2003). Superpole: Corser (Suzuki), 1m26.672s (2005). 2005 RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Corser (Suzuki); 2. Haga (Yamaha); 3. Laconi (Ducati Xerox). Race 2 – 1. Haga; 2. Corser; 3. Vermeulen (Honda). TV COVERAGE: Eurosport (Pan European): Sunday 6 August – 1300 SBK race 1 (live); British Eurosport (UK): Saturday 5 August – 1715 Superpole (delayed), Sunday 6 August – 1230-1730 SBK race 1 + race 2 (live). Eurosport 2 (Pan-European): Sunday 6 August – 1800 SBK race 2 (delayed). La7 (Italy): Sunday 23 July – 1255 SBK race 1(live), 1625 SBK race 2 (live).

BUELL XBRR MODELS JOIN FORMULA XTREME ACTION AT MID-OHIO Veteran Racers Crevier and Hale to Ride for Buell Dealer Teams EAST TROY, Wis. Fresh from a top 10 finish at Laguna Seca in July, the Buell XBRR will continue its inaugural season of AMA Formula Xtreme competition with the entry of two dealer-sponsored race teams in the eighth round of the 2006 Formula Xtreme championship August 4-6 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. Mike Hale, riding for the Classic H-D/BuellMillville H-D/BuellInnovative Motorcycle Research team, and Steve Crevier, riding for Deeley Harley-Davidson/Buell Canada, will tackle Mid-Ohio’s challenging 2.4-mile circuit, which underwent extensive off-season modifications. The track surface was freshly repaved over the winter, and more recently its newly installed curbing was reshaped in the interests of rider safety based on feedback from several AMA pro racers. Both Crevier and Hale have prior experience on the XBRR. Crevier raced in the season-opening Daytona 200 and again at Road America, while Hale most recently competed at Laguna Seca. “Mike and Steve are looking forward to racing at Mid-Ohio, which is an extremely technical track,” said Chairman and Chief Technical Officer Erik Buell. “This season is very much a learning one, as none of the Buell teams have had the opportunity to test at these tracks prior to the events. It’s awesome to see them accept this challenge and do so well.” The Buell XBRR is a limited-edition production racing motorcycle based on the Firebolt XB12R, which is reworked at the factory into the XBRR for use in closed-course competition. It offers private racers a professional-level, race-ready, production-based platform. Buell Motorcycle Company, a subsidiary of Harley-Davidson, Inc., produces sport motorcycles, motorcycle parts, accessories and apparel. To learn more about Buell motorcycles, visit your local Buell dealer today and experience the pure streetfighter attitude, style and performance only found on board a Buell. Pull into www.buell.com for the Buell dealer nearest you.