Ducati
quits AMA Superbike
(Ducati Release) Ducati North America and Ducati Corse today announce
that their participation in the AMA Superbike Championship with a factory
team will cease at the end of the 2006 season.
The Parts Unlimited Ducati Team has successfully raced with the 999
Superbike in each of the last three seasons (winning five races as of
today) and the American based Ducati subsidiary will now take a year to
consider its future options.
"Our primary objective of raising the profile of our brand and of the 999
Superbike has been achieved," said Michael Lock, CEO of Ducati North
America. "We have increased our sales over 60% since 2003 and the USA has
become a powerful export market for our parent Italian factory. There are
a lot of exciting developments coming to our business in the next couple
of years and we have decided to take a step back in 2007 in order to plan
most effectively for our long term future."
"Hopefully in the meantime the AMA technical rules, which currently force
twin-cylinder bikes to have more standard parts than in World Superbikes,
thus making it really difficult for Ducati to compete with the best
four-cylinder machines, will be revised for the future. We remain a very
strong and committed supporter of the AMA and, when our bikes will be
allowed to participate with a fair chance of challenging for the final
championship win, we expect to be racing competitively again very soon in
the AMA Superbike series. I would personally like to thank the team, the
riders and our sponsors, particularly Parts Unlimited, for their role in
the resurgence of Ducati's success in the USA."
Paolo Ciabatti, Ducati Corse Superbike Director added, "We have enjoyed a
very good relationship with Terry Gregoricka and his team and are very
proud of the results achieved together with them. It is always a
difficult decision to end a successful partnership, but we respect the
reasons behind Ducati North America's change of strategy. A special
thanks to Terry, Tom, Gabriele, Gary, Ben, Neil and all the boys at Parts
Unlimited Ducati Team for their hard and professional work. We are sure
that they will do their best to finish the racing season on a high note."
Ducati North America will remain committed to racing in the United States
through the continuation of a national and regional Contingency program
as well as various other racing support programs.
