BOSTROM AND HODGSON READY FOR US GRAND PRIX WEEKEND Monterey (California) 20 July 2006: The Parts Unlimited Ducati Team returns to AMA Superbike racing this weekend at Laguna Seca. Fresh off his Utah podium performance, Ben Bostrom and teammate Neil Hodgson, plus the rest of the AMA stars, will race as a support class at the US Grand Prix. The Ducati 999 pilots will contest the 28-lap AMA Superbike battle on Saturday afternoon in what is becoming one of the most significant races in the USA. For Bostrom, the race at one of his favorite tracks can’t come soon enough. Bostrom has found his form of late. Ben has been quick in testing, practice, and the races. Bostrom and the Ducati 999 finished a close third in the first race in Utah and on Sunday led the race before spectacularly crashing out of the contest. Laguna Seca has seen some of Bostrom’s proudest moments in racing. Ben won a World Superbike race in Monterey as a “wild card” entry in 1999, a victory that helped spring the Californian into a works Ducati World Superbike ride the next season. Bostrom also won the last Superbike race he entered at Laguna Seca, taking the 2004 AMA win before returning to World Superbike last year. “I’m ready,” said Bostrom. “We’ve made a lot of progress lately and learned a lot in our time with the Ducati 999. At Utah, we were able to run up front and it felt great to be back. Of course, we want to do it again and we have a pretty good record at Laguna. I consider it my home track. There won’t be much time for getting up to speed with the limited practice this weekend, and that will make it even more of a challenge.” There is a sole practice session Friday morning. Saturday will see qualifying at 11:15 AM and the 28-lap race at 4:00 PM local time. Neil Hodgson has finished on the podium at Laguna Seca before, including twice in his World Superbike championship season. “Laguna Seca was a track I learned in my World Superbike days, so in a way it is the track I am most familiar with in the States. I’ve had some good races here. They have made some changes to the circuit again this year, so we’ll have to see how it goes because we haven’t tested the new configuration yet. I’m excited to get back racing again after some time off.” In addition to the on-track racing action, Laguna Seca also plays host to one of the largest gatherings of Ducati fans in North America. Ducati-related activities at the track are centered on Ducati Island. The Island, started in 1998, is located on the circuit infield and will see the launch of a special new 2007 Superbike model this weekend. With over 150,000 fans in attendance for the three days of last year’s race, the 2006 event promises to be one of the largest of the season. The Circuit: The 11 turn, 2.2 mile (3.6 kilometer) Laguna Seca circuit is known for challenging, flowing turns. The landmark corner at the track is the Corkscrew, a left/right chicane that features a dramatic elevation drop of more than 50 feet. The Corkscrew has been modified for this race. The final corner, Turn 11, is the slowest on the circuit and has featured many passing maneuvers in the previous races held in Monterey. AMA Superbike Points (after 11 races): 1. Ben Spies, Suzuki 388 2. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 367 3. Miguel Duhamel, 302 4. Neil Hodgson, Parts Unlimited Ducati 288 5. Aaron Yates, Suzuki 278 6. Jake Zemke, Honda 273 7. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki 272 8. Ben Bostrom, Parts Unlimited Ducati 244