From a press release issued by Ducati North America: Cupertino, CA (January 17th, 2008) – Hot on the heels of a remarkable season in which Casey Stoner earned the coveted MotoGP title, Ducati North America is pleased to announce the 2008 Racing Contingency Program. The Racing Contingency program is focused on regional club racing series and is based around our most performance-oriented models: the revolutionary Superbike family, agile SportClassics, versatile Hypermotard and the all new Monster 696. The race-proven 1098 Superbike and highly anticipated 848 Middleweight are the cornerstones of the 2008 program, with the 848 receiving additional support in select middleweight classes. Following strong success in the 2007 season, the SportClassic family continues to establish itself as a competent and accessible alternative for regional racers. Built around similar L-Twin power plants, the Hypermotard and Monster 696 are also now eligible for 2008. “Ducati sells motorcycles so that we can go racing. This spirit is embedded in everything we do, and we are excited to offer support for all the regional racers around the country who are competing week in and week out,” said Alex Dunstan, Promotions Manager for Ducati North America. “With a record number of club racers competing nationwide, our program is designed to help off-set the costs of competition. It is our way of saying thank you to all who put in the effort.” All claim forms and relevant program information (including schedules and payouts) can be viewed and submitted online through Ducati North America’s new contingency website, located at: ~http://racingcontingency.ducatiusa.com/~