Reigning AMA Pro Thunder Champion Jeff Nash will ride a Ducati Corse 996R in a 200-mile endurance race at Rijeka, Croatia this weekend, teaming with Dario Marchetti.

Nash has no reason to be at the AMA Superbike National at Road Atlanta this weekend, because the Pro Thunder class isn’t running at the event. So Nash accepted an invitation from Ducati Corse to team with Marchetti on the new Ducati.

Nash will leave the U.S. for Croatia tommorrow.

Nash owns and operates Advanced Motor Sports (AMS), a Ducati tuning shop based in Texas.

The FIM has released the results of drug tests carried out at the Phillip Island round of the Supersport World Championship April 22.

Riders tested included Vitto Guareschi, Paolo Casoli and Kevin Curtain. All three passed the tests, showing no sign of banned substances.

Sandwiching Paul Harrell’s win at the Formula USA Sportbike race at Willow Springs April 22, Shogun Motorsports’ Harrell and Joe Prussiano recently broke two track records in Texas.

Harrell broke Ty Howard’s track record at Motorsports Ranch in Cresson, Texas April 1. Riding his Metzeler-equipped Yamaha YZF-R1, Harrell bettered Howard’s 1:17.41 with a 1:17.22 on official CMRA watches.

Prussiano lowered the motorcycle lap record on Texas World Speedway’s 2.9-mile course April 29. Prussiano was fending off a hard-charging John Haner on the last lap of a CMRA sprint race when he turned a 1:44.85 on his Metzeler-shod Yamaha YZF-R1. Prussiano beat the old mark of 1:44.96, also belonging to Ty Howard.

Howard is the third member of the Shogun Motorsports team owned by enthusiast and racer Brooks Gremmels.

By Glenn LeSanto

Italian Superstock rider Walter “Torto” Tortoroglio took his GSX-R1000 to a popular victory in Monza this morning. He had to fight the reigning European Superstock Champion, James Ellison, all the way in a thrilling race. The pair took off in the early laps, leaving Marty Nutt, who had been in second place in the opening laps, 15 seconds behind on his GSX-R1000. Ellison and Torto swapped places throughout the race, with Torto making all his passes on the brakes at the end of Monza’s long home straight. In the closing laps Torto got passed Ellison and managed to eke out a half-second advantage. The Italian rider’s victory means he’s now equal first in the Championship with Ellison, who won the opening round in Spain.

Both riders were obviously pushing their Suzukis to the limit but Torto had an advantage on the brakes as Ellison experienced severe chattering when hard on the anchors for the corners. Any handling problems under braking make life particularly difficult through the three stop – start Monza chicanes.

The pair will get a chance to fight over that Championship lead again in two weeks time, this time at Ellison’s home circuit–the next round is at Donington Park in England.

European Superstock, Monza, Italy.
Race Results

1. Walter Tortoroglio, Italy, Suzuki, 20:57.373

2. James Ellison, GB, Suzuki, 21:00.797

3. Marty Nutt, GB, Suzuki, 21:15.861

4. Benny Jerzenbeck, Germany, Suzuki, 21:17.749

5. Dario Tosolini, Italy, Ducati, 21:17.842


Championship Points Standings after 2 of 9 rounds

1. Tortoroglio, 45

2. Ellison, 45

3. Lorenzo Alfonsi, Italy, Ducati, 26

4. Nutt, 22

5. Jerzenbeck, 22

By Glenn LeSanto

A win in the second of two World Superbike races gave Australian Troy Bayliss a perfect weekend at Monza, Italy, riding for the Italian Ducati factory in front of 90,000 fanatical fans.

Bayliss’ double victory came with an added bonus, as he took a 28-point lead in the title after his Australian rival Troy Corser had two DNFs. The wins were particularly welcome after the Infostrada Ducati’s miserable weekend in Sugo in April, where Bayliss only scored four points.

The race looked ready to shape up to a repeat of the first race when Colin Edwards and Bayliss broke away from the pack in the middle of the race. But this time Bayliss was able to build up a small but useful advantage over the Texan to win by over three seconds. After the race Edwards admitted that Ducati had the best machine on the day.

“Ducati’s package was just a little bit better than ours today,” commented Edwards. “I don’t want to take anything away from Troy, though, he’s ridden two unbelievable races.”

Bayliss was obviously pleased with his performance, “I’ve had a great weekend,” said Bayliss. “I’ve waited a while for this win and to get two in one day is great. I was worried about the tires, but they weren’t get too bad and toward the end of the race I was able to get my head down and make a break.”

Akira Yanagawa took the last step on the podium with another third place ride for the weekend. “It was very hard in the second race,” said the exhausted Kawasaki teamster. “My bike didn’t want to steer, it wanted to go outside at every turn, so I had to fight the bike all the way through the race.”

Ben Bostrom, who fell in race one, didn’t start in the second race due to an injury to his knee.

Tady Okada, who crashed his Honda in race one, made it home in fourth, although he had to fight for the position with a determined Ruben Xaus and Pierfrancesco Chili. Troy Corser retired from the race citing tire trouble; there were reports that his tire was spinning on the rim, but these have not yet been confirmed.

World Superbike Championship
Monza, Italy
Race Two Result

1. Troy Bayliss (Ducati) 32:57.108
2. Colin Edwards (Honda) 33:00.418
3. Akira Yanagawa (Kawasaki) 33:05.482
4. Tady Okada, Japan (Honda) 33:05.705
5. Pierfrancesco Chili, Italy (Suzuki) 33:06.294
6. Ruben Xaus, Spain (Ducati) 33:15.430
7. Neil Hodgson, GB (Ducati) 33:16.698
8. Regis Laconi (Aprilia) 33:17.439
9. Stephane Chambon (Suzuki) 33:31.623
10. Alex Gramigni, Italy (Yamaha) 33:40.497

World Superbike points after five of 13 rounds:
1. Bayliss 150
2. Troy Corser 122
3. Edwards 120
4. Yanagawa 79
5. TIE, Ben Bostrom/Chili 74
7. Lavilla 68
8. Hodgson 58
9. Laconi 54
10. TIE/Makoto Tamada/Chambon 50

Manufacturers Points:
1. Ducati 173
2. Honda 164
3. Aprilia 141
4. Kawasaki 128
5. Suzuki 86
6. Yamaha 20

Next round: Donington Park, GB – May 27

By Glenn Lesanto

Klaus Klaffenbock took a clear victory in the Superside, aka Sidecar, race at Monza as his closest rivals dropped out of the race, one of them literally – Jorg Steinhausen’s passenger Andy Hetherington fell out of the sidecar as the pair pursued the title leaders. Reigning Champion Steve Webster suffered another engine failure handing a huge lead to Klaffenbock both on the track and in the title.

The race was restarted because of a huge smash on the first lap which left passenger Jane Fleury with multiple injuries and caused the race to be red-flagged.

Steve Abbott took advantage of both Steinhausen and Webster’s misfortune to take second in the race and the title.

Race result
1. Klaffenbock, Suzuki, 31:37.201
2. Abbott, Yamaha, 31:45.508
3. Van Gils, Suzuki, 32:25.581
4. Hauzenberger, Suzuki, 32:45.420
5. Liechti, Kawasaki, 33:13.370
6. Schroder, Suzuki, 33:19.038
7. Roscher, Suzuki, 33:21.399
8. Eilers, Suzuki, 33:29.680

Championship points standings after 2 rounds (Australia cancelled)

1. Klaffenbock, 50
2. Abbott, 33
3. Hauzenberger, 22
4. Webster, 20
5. Liechti, 18
6. Van Gils, 16
7. Steinhausen, 16
8. Schroder, 16

Next round: May 27, Donington Park, Great Britain

By Glenn LeSanto

World Superbike racing was at its best in the first race at Monza with a huge battle up front between Troy Bayliss and Colin Edwards. Earlier in the race the battle had been a four-man affair, with Neil Hodgson and Ruben Xaus also engaged in the fight. But Hodgson, who had led in the early stages, retired his GSE Ducati with engine failure and seconds later Xaus crashed in a separate incident.

Bayliss led the pack into the difficult first corner, a very tight right-left flick through the Variante Interne chicane at the end of the superfast main straight. Hodgson followed Bayliss into the chicane, with Edwards on the Honda RC51 on his tail. Xaus was a short gap back in fourth. Edwards and Bayliss immediately began what was to develop into a race-long dual, with Edwards passing the Info Strada Ducati of Bayliss going into the Ascari turn, also a chicane, at the back of the circuit on lap one. Bayliss, who was faster than Edwards all race on the second half of the circuit, outbraked Edwards going into the final turn, the Curva Parabolica.

As the riders entered the first chicane on lap two, Hodgson squeezed past Edwards and then did the same to Bayliss going into the second chicane. But, as they entered the Curva Parabolica at the end of the lap, Bayliss got by on the brakes again to retake the lead. The three riders continued to battle away like this until they were caught by the charging Xaus, the Infostrada Ducati teammate of Bayliss. Now the race was a four-way battle between Bayliss, Hodgson, Xaus and Edwards. For a few laps, it looked like Tady Okada would join the fray on his Honda, but he crashed out in the first chicane at the start of lap four.

Edwards and Bayliss managed to shake off the Ducatis of Xaus and Hodgson by middle distance, but neither rider could lose the other, so they stayed almost neck-and-neck for the rest of the race, swapping position several times a lap. Edwards would grab the lead in the first half of the lap, where he seemed faster than Bayliss, only for Bayliss to take it back in the second part of the lap. So it was at the end of the last lap when Bayliss pulled off an audacious pass going through the fast final turn. The pair rubbed elbows as Bayliss powered his way through to take the race victory and a three-point Championship lead over Troy Corser.

Hodgson and Xaus were having their own battle behind the leaders when Hodgson’s engine blew up and Xaus crashed. Their misfortune handed the last step on the podium to Akira Yanagawa on the factory Kawasaki.

Championship leader going into the race, Troy Corser, very late on the brakes, ran into the back wheel of Suzuki’s Pier Francisco Chili going into the first chicane on lap three and both crashed. Chili was able to continue but dropped from fifth to eventually finish 14th, while Corser retired to the pits. Corser later apologized to Chili.

American Ben Bostrom crashed out, having only completed one lap.

After the race both Bayliss and Edwards agreed that they had the track divided between them, “We both have our fast sections,” commented Edwards. “I have the advantage in the first section but it’s no secret that I haven’t got comfortable with the second part yet, especially Ascari. So the race was a real cat-and-mouse thing.”

“I’ve felt good here all weekend,” beamed Bayliss, obviously pleased to take his first win of the season and to regain the title lead. “Things were a bit hairy out there, especially in the final bend, where we touched as I passed Colin. Like Colin said, neither of us have the advantage on the entire circuit, so there was no way either of us could break away, so it was always coming down to the last lap. But I got the win and I’m really pleased to be leading the title.”

Lucky for Bayliss that he had the advantage where it mattered, on the last part of the circuit.

First Race Results, Superbike World Championship, Monza, Italy

1. Troy Bayliss, Australia (Ducati) 32:55.293

2. Colin Edwards, USA (Honda) 32:55.359

3. Akira Yanagawa, Japan (Kawasaki) 33:11.852

4. Gregorio Lavilla, Spain (Kawasaki) 33:11.916

5. Regis Laconi, France (Aprilia) 33:12.093

6. Stephane Chambon, France (Suzuki) 33:29.163

7. Lucio Pedercini, Italy (Ducati) 33:40.959

8. Giovanni Bussei, Italy (Ducati) 33:44.484

9. Mauro Sanchini, Italy (Ducati) 33:44.545

10. Marco Borciani, Italy (Ducati) 33:47.497

From the official Aprilia press release issued after qualifying at Monza, regarding Troy Corser’s Superpole attempt:

“On a wide line into the first chicane, with his bike completely jumped up the edge of the track, Troy Corser had to push hard to make him up his best. But a small imprecision at ‘Roggia,’ made everything difficult and the Australian couldn’t fight for the first row. Bayliss set the Pole and alongside him on the grid will be Hodgson, Yanagawa and Bostrom. Good performance for Alessandro Antonello, that was looking for a good starting position, reaching the seventh place alongside Corser. Big improvement for Regis Laconi, tenth place during the free practice
of this morning, confirmed by this Superpole: third grid for the Frenchman.

“‘I had no grip, probably due the high ground temperature’ said Troy Corser. ‘Then I was going too wide on the second chicane, and it was difficult banking the bike. I hadn’t a good lap to reach the first row. This is a very fast track, and using the slipstream could be possible to make positions up. It depends on a good start. Will be two challenging races until the end.’

“‘I start to brake too early in many points of the track during the Superpole’s flying lap,’ said Regis Laconi. ‘But I’m satisfied about
the improvement compare yesterday, I think now I’m in a good racing package considering with the beginning of this weekend. Now, considering the grid position I think it will be a difficult race, but I’m satisfied about the work done on the bike. I will do my best tomorrow.'”

By Glenn LeSanto

After ending up in the pit lane, or more frequently in the gravel traps, race after race James Whitham got it all right at Monza to bring home a World Supersport win for the Yamaha Belgarda team. It was a great day for the Italian based team, as Whitham’s teammate Paolo Casoli finished in second place. The pair was involved in a titanic battle with a group of riders including Fabien Foret, Pere Riba, Andrew Pitt, Vitto Guareschi and Karl Muggeridge. Toward the end of the race Casoli and Whitham broke away from the group and fought to the line for the victory. Casoli passed Whitham going into the final turn, the Parabolica, but got in too hot, ran wide and let Whitham back through.

“I f**king worked hard for that,” exclaimed Whitham. “Not so much the physical side of it, although it was hot out there. I was trying to work it all out in my head, there was so much going on! In the last turn Paolo (Casoli) got past me but I reckoned he had gone in too hard. I managed to keep a very tight line – if any bastard was going past me they were going the long way round,” grinned Whitham.

Whitham also acknowledged the help given to him by his teammate, saying “We’ve worked as a team and Paolo has really helped me. Without the assistance he gave me at Sugo, and the work we’ve done together here this weekend, this win wouldn’t have been possible.”

Like many other teams, the Belgarda team rode much of qualifying in tandem, one rider behind the other, to try to maximize the drafting advantage.

Third place on the podium went to Suzuki rider Karl Muggeridge, who managed to force his way into third in front of Andrew Pitt, Iain MacPherson and reigning Champion Jorg Teuchert.

World Supersport race results

1. James Whitham, GB (Yamaha) 30:45.850
2. Paolo Casoli, Italy (Yamaha) 30:46.128
3. Karl Muggeridge, Australia (Suzuki) 30:46.429
4. Andrew Pitt, Australia (Kawasaki) 30:46.494
5. Iain MacPherson, GB (Kawasaki) 30:46.630
6. Jorg Teuchert, Germany (Yamaha) 30:46.692
7. Vittoriano Guareschi, Italy (Ducati) 30:47.454
8. Fabrizio Pirovano, Italy (Suzuki) 30:48.657
9. Piergiorgio Bontempi, Italy (Yamaha) 30:53.546
10. Alessio Corradi, Italy (Yamaha) 30:54.000

World Supersport Championship points after four of 11 rounds:

1. Casoli 58
2. Pitt 50
3. Pere Riba, Spain (Honda) 49
4. Kevin Curtain, Australia (Honda) 48
5. Teuchert 38
6. Muggeridge 37
7. Guareschi 30
8. Bontempi 29
9. Whitham 25
10. Pirovano 24

Manufacturers’ points:
1. Yamaha 79
2. Honda 68
3. Kawasaki 50
4. Suzuki 41
5. Ducati 30

Next round: Donington Park, GB – May 27

By Glenn LeSanto

Dienza Ducati Racing snatched pole from the Ten Kate Honda team with a flying last lap from Vitto Guareschi. Up until that point Fabien Foret and Pere Riba on their Ten Kate CBR600F4i Hondas had dominated qualifying.

Many riders adopted a tactic of riding tandem, where one teammate would follow another to maximize the drafting effect on the very fast Monza circuit. It was a technique also used by James Whitham and his Belgarda Yamaha teammate Paolo Casoli. The pair qualified fourth and fifth respectively, they had been in the second and fourth during the session.

Katsuaki Fujiwara and Karl Muggeridge, also teammates on Suzuki GSX-R600s and using the tandem technique, qualified behind the Belgarda pairing despite Muggeridge crashing out with only minutes left in the session.

Guareschi’s last lap of 1:43.858 came as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the qualifying session. Riba, second on the grid, recorded a time of 1:43.985, and the two were the only riders to dip below the 1:44 mark.


Supersport World Championship
Monza, Italy

Final Qualifying


1. Vitto Guareschi, Italy, Ducati, 1:53.858
2. Pere Riba, Spain, Honda, 1:53.985
3. Fabien Foret, France, Honda, 1:54.019
4. Jamie Whitham, Great Britain, Yamaha, 1:54.272
5. Paolo Casoli, Italy, Yamaha, 1:54.521
6. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Japan, Suzuki, 1:54.620
7. Karl Muggeridge, Australia, Suzuki, 1:54.909
8. Fabrizio Pirovano, Italy, Suzuki, 1:54.927
9. Corradi, Italy, Yamaha, 1:54.991
10. Iain MacPherson, Great Britain, Kawasaki, 1:55.012