Neil rushing to Ducati's 200th WSB victory

 

To say sunday's double victory at Monza was glorious, was an understatement. Team Ducati Fila in it's native land, and in front of 71,000 wildly cheering fans. Established a new bench mark for all other factories in the world of superbikes to aim at, 200 victories in 16 years.

Ducati Team watch history in the making.

 This event took place with Hodgson's victory in the first race and what was to again be another in his amazing string of victories in the 2003 of World Superbike Championship ( WSBK ). Neil raced to the chequered flag in front of (NCR Ducati) Laconi and Lavilla of Corona Suzuki. Hodgson's unmatched ability to race at the razors edge of the Ducati 999 design envelope, is and continues to be, a display of skill unseen after the departure of Carl Fogarty from Ducati and WSB.

Victory 200 for Ducati and Hodgson !!

Niel commented after the race, "I had a two second lead on the last lap,-but thenI got held up by the back markers as we went through the chicane and I lost a lot of time."  Hodgson went on to say " I eased off towards theend to take the win, but I didn't realise everyoneelse was so close behind me."  Hodgson also commented on his winning streak and the effect on his mental perspective. Neil said " Now that I've got this 200th win and Troy's (Troy Corser) record for six wins on the run at the start of the season out of the way, I feel a lot more relaxed for the second race".

Neil Hodgson savors the history of the moment at Monza

It is very difficult for many modern readers and modern owners of Ducati's to apperciate the massive historical impact of the 200th win for Ducati.  Most modern owners and young motorcycle riders of today, were maybe only 7-10 years old (at most) when Raymond Roche won the first world superbike championship in 1990. From that point forward until today Ducati has created a true "juggernaut" in superbike racing.

What is a juggernaut? It was the name of a a Hindu God : lord of the world: A massive inexorable force or object that crushes everything in it's path. 

Ducati & Roche combined for first WSB championship L.Marvin 1990

Take even a casual glance at the history books for WSB racing, and there is no other motorcycle company, not even Honda that can even come close to the accomplishments of Ducati in World Superbike. The level of superior achievement casts an embarassing shadow from the list of championships of the Ducati Team and it's riders. When Ducati began superbike racing, the motorcycle racing world was sure, no twin cylinder engine could ever come close to besting the superior Japenese 4 cylinder engines. Honda has been the only serious long term challange to Ducati, over  the last 16 years. The list of Ducati's winning riders reads like the "Who's Who" of racing success.

The 851 return winners / WSB at LeMans 1990 L.Marvin 1990

The full list winners is as follows: "King Carl Fogarty" 55 , Doug Polen 26, Raymond Roche 23, Troy Bayliss 22, Troy Corser 16, Giancarol Falappa 13, Pierfrancesco "Frankie" Chili 11, Neil Hodgson (now) 11, Ben Bostrom 7, John Kocinski 5, Ruben Xaus 2, Mauro Lucchiari 2, Marco Lucchinelli 2,  Stephane Mertens 2, James Whitham 1, Andreas Meklau 1, Anthony Gobert 1, John Reynolds 1.  Carl Fogarty scored Ducati's 100th win in Austria in 1995 with a Ducati 916 sporting the number 1# plate as champion from the previous year. Carl Fogarty won more superbike championships for Ducati than any other rider to date.

DUCATI: shaping the future of motorcycle racing

The racing world has been turned upside down due the sucdess of Ducati and the Desmo V-twin from little factory in Bologna, Italy. Now with the new 999 Ducati program and Neil Hodgson's talent for winning the Ducati juggernaut is gaining even greater speed in crushing it's japanese factory competition teams. The race winning streak of Neil Hodgson is creating another chapter in both superbike history and also Ducati's.

Setting up a move on Lavilla into Ascari

In the second race Neil Hodgson battled all the way to the line against Lavilla and his Corona Suzuki for another double race win at monza. After race two Neil commented "It was fun out there battlingelbow to elbow at 190 mph, and hats off to Gregorio who rodea fantastic race. Frankie and Regis were also unbelievably agressive but safe. I had no plan for the race 2, I was just lucky, and ended up in the right place at the right time. All sorts of things happened to me oht there, the bikewasn't perfect at the front, I ran over the kerb at the chicane and then after a flying start I lost touch for a few laps. But I managed to focus on the race, get back with the leading group and win. I'm really happy I could get the 200th win for Ducati today".

Hodgson winning the battle another double victory at Monza

After what was could only be best described as a rotten weekend for Ruben Xaus. Ruben almost did not race on Sunday, he crashed hard in dramatic fashion on Saturday. Ruben was cleared to race on Sunday, but everything started to go wrong, when Ruben made contact with Walker during the first lap of race 1. Xaus recovered and managed to finish seventh. Race 2 started much better but ended up worse, by crashing out at the Ascari chicane on the penultimate lap.  To anyone who has ridden at Monza the Ascari is always a difficult chunck of Monza to deal with. For our younger riders & readers it was named after Alberto Ascari Ferrari's Grand Prix Champion, who died near this spot while testing for Ferrari. Both the entry and exit are difficult.

Xaus "spiderman" attacking the chicane

After the race Ruben made several comments that reflected is dismal weekend. "The whole weekend has been a nightmare " commented Ruben. "I just got started in the first race before Walker touched me and I wnet into the gravel trap. Then in race2 I lost the front end at Ascari, it was my mistake. I was having problems with teh brakes the whole race and I just wnet down. I thought I could get some points from this weekend, I'm still second in the championship but now I just nned to put this one behind me,  and concentrate on the next races and score some points".  We are very sure that Ruben will be back on track in the next round.

Thousands of Ducati owners, breaking for Ascari's chicane

Just in case you wondered what Ducati owners do when they go to Monza. Heres just a few thousand or so getting an escorted "flying lap" at Monza. I talked with a friend over the weekend and the guess is that over 5,000 Ducati owners were on the track, and pushing the Alfa pace car at well over 100mph.