It's been a closely-kept secret for the past month that Ducati is seriously considering whether they will have a Superbike team in the US next season. Company execs said at the recent USGP at Laguna Seca that the high cost of racing in the US and the fact that Ducati must build special bikes to race here—not of the same spec at WSBK machinery—are the main motivators for them to end their racing effort in the US.
Ducati's US racing team is operated by the Parts Unlimited Ducati effort which is based in Atlanta. When asked at the Utah round of the US series if his team expected to be racing in 2007, team owner Terry Greggoricka said he hoped to be racing with Ducati next year, but would be racing in '07 regardless. It's known there is interest from other manufacturers to join with the Greggoricka-run team for 2007, however the team seems intent to try and stay the course with Ducati.
While the loss of Ducati from the US Superbike paddock would be a gargantuan hole, the loss of Neil Hodgson from US tracks might actually be equally as large. His future in America is just as questionable as Ducati's.
While Hodgson has joined with a US management group to explore his 2007 options in both the US and abroad, it's nearly a foregone conclusion that the Briton will be back in World Superbike next year. The current direct from Italy rumor is sugesting that Ducati will run two teams in '07 WSBK, with Hodgson on a team run by former Ducati champion and Superbike king, Carl Fogarty.
In less than two seasons here in America, Hodgson has become a popular rider on the US Superbike scene. Losing him to another series would be a tough blow to the stature of the American national series.
Hodgson recently told British reporters that he welcomes a return to a factory team in a world championship series and is tired of finishing poorly in AMA racing. He also stated much of the reason for his poor finishes is because of the technical rules in AMA racing. Hodgson has won one race thus far in his short AMA career.
Ducati sources say that their wish is that the 999s being raced in AMA be of the same specification as the ones being raced in World Superbike.
Possibly the most ironic detail of this situation is that the Parts Unlimited Ducati Superbikes appeared quite competitve at Laguna Seca--at least Hodgson did--when he finished on the podium for the first time this season. It's no secret that Ducati has traction control that they use in WSBK and are now using in US Superbike. Ducati used traction control at Laguna Seca for the first time and finished on the podium. Are they about to quit racing in the US just as they regain race-winning competitiveness?
While no final decision on their 2007 US racing plans has been made, a quick dip into the water to test the current seems to indicate rough water ahead for the legions of Ducati fans in the US.
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