Eric Bostrom and Neil Hodgson of the Parts
Unlimited Ducati Austin team will try to keep up the team's momentum this
weekend as they race their Ducati 999 Superbikes at the Road America AMA
Superbike doubleheader in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Eric Bostrom, the winner at the last event at Pikes Peak International
Raceway, took his first victory of the season with a final lap pass after a
race that saw him in the lead much of the event on his Ducati 999. "We've
improved how the bike works for me all season long, and it was fantastic to
win a race," said Bostrom, also the winner of a 2003 Superbike race at Road
America. "The 999 has always been a great bike but we've really come a long
way over the course of the year. It would be naive to think we're finally
finished or done because we have to continue to work hard and make things
even better. The series is very competitive and you can never rest, even if
you win. That said, it will feel really good at Road America if we can run
strong again."
Neil Hodgson is an unusual AMA Superbike rookie, having won the World
and British Superbike championships as well as being an experienced Grand
Prix racer. Neil, however, has never raced at the 4.0-mile circuit and did
not get to test at the track. "I must say the circuit looks like it would be
really nice, but having never been there before, I can't really say anything
about it," said Neil. "I am looking forward to racing the 999 there, and
looking forward to a good weekend."
"We're still on a bit of an emotional high since Eric's victory at
Pikes Peak," said team manager Tom Bodenbach. "Everyone's been working hard
at the shop as usual, but after a win, you seem to have a little extra.
We're looking to continue our progress at Road America. Hopefully, we'll
have better luck with both bikes this weekend so Neil and Eric can both run
near the front."
The green flag will drop on Saturday for the first Superbike race of
the weekend, with the second being held Sunday afternoon.
The Circuit: Located in the Wisconsin countryside, the 4.0-mile (6.43
kilometer), 14-turn Road America circuit is in many ways a European-style
track. There are three long straights for the powerful Superbikes to reach
top speeds, each with a 90 degree turn at the end that prove to be great
passing zones. Road America also features turns like The Carousel and The
Kink, which was altered for last year's race to improve safety.
