The first day Pirelli’s 2006 tire test at Daytona International Speedway saw great results by every team involved. Following a year of earning 16 podium finishes in the AMA Superbike Series, Pirelli showed its continued upward move in its commitment to road racing in the USA, during its annual tire test. This year’s Pirelli’s tire test included the Fast by Ferracci Superbike team, Team M4 EMGO Suzuki, Team Roadracingworld.com, Attack Kawasaki, Moto Uno Racing, Team Hotbodies Racing, Longevity Racing, and other pro riders. Multi-time World Superbike and AMA Superbike champions Fast by Ferracci is planning to return to AMA Superbike racing in 2007, as the MV Agusta factory team. The rider line up is presently Italian Superstock champion Luca Scassa and AMA-regular Matt Lynn. Scassa won the Italian championship on an MV Agusta fitted with Pirelli tires, so he is well prepared to for his assault on the American championship. At the test the team used 17″ Pirelli Diablo Superbike slicks. Ferracci said, “We already have a lot of good information. Our bikes are stock, right out of the show room, and so we have been concentrating on set up and suspension with these new tires. We’re looking forward to learning more tomorrow to be ready for March.” Matt Lynn, who was temporarily taken ill will a bug half way through the test’s first day, said, “I felt fine this morning and we were able to find a good baseline. Some of the tires are stable on the banking and others are faster in the infield, so we’re finding out a lot. We’re seeing how important this test is for having the right combination when we come back for the races.” M4 EMGO Suzuki has riders Geoff May and Michael Barnes returning for another year with the team and its continuing development of Pirelli tires. The tires they, and some other teams, are testing include the new DOT Diablo Supercorsas that have a revised profile providing a wider contact patch when leaned over. They are also available in four different compounds front and rear. Comparing these to last year’s Pirelli DOT racing tires Barnes said, “I could tell immediately that these tires have a more planted feel. Their feedback is also improved and they feel better in every way. Plus, we have more choices now so its going to be an exciting year. Pirelli just keep stepping it up.” Attack Kawasaki team owner Richard Stanboli has riders Ben Attard and Steve Rapp on one of last years Kawasaki 600s and the new 2007. Stanboli said, “We saw quickly that small changes on the bike have resulted in big changes on the track. Every time we made a change we dropped a second or two. If we keep this up, by the end of tomorrow we should be doing lap times in the minus numbers. We rode on Pirellis at Willow Springs recently and won every race we entered but one, finishing that one on the podium too. But Daytona gives us more useful information. We’re looking to a great year with Pirelli because we know we will always be getting the best product they have. This is a chance for us to move the team forward. Attard reported that the tires are rock solid on the banking and he is able to hold it wide open all the way around.” New to the Attack Kawasaki team for 2007 is racer Steve Rapp, whose career has seen him on a number of different brand of rubber. Rapp said, “The new Diablo Supercorsa fronts are nice. We’re learning that our set up has been a little too stiff and that we need to let the tires do their job for us. Tomorrow we’ll try some softer settings that we’re looking to have good results with. Changing brand for me is no big deal because in many ways it’s the same as just going to a new compound. You just let the tires speak to you. There have been no surprises and these have worked real good.” Former Superbike Rookie of the Year Cory West of Team Hotbodies Racing is at the test with crew chief Chuck Giacchetto, continuing his long relationship with Pirelli. West said, “I like how the carcasses of the new tires seem stiffer. All of the grip is there and the tires are consistent on every lap. I must have done about 30 laps and they never went off even though the tread was gone by the time I pitted at the end. Through the infield I tried to get the tires to spin and couldn’t. I have even more confidence than last year.” Pirelli personnel at the test includes regulars Richard Moore and Christoph Knoche, joined by World Superbike engineers Paolo Morandi and Alessandro Monzani. This is Morandi and Monzani’s first time at Daytona. Morandi said, “It is fantastic. We have heard about Daytona all of our lives so it is a great privilege to be here. The banking is fantastic. There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world. The wall is so close and they are going so fast. It is unbelievable to watch. Even though the weather has not been as warm as we might have liked, we are still able to learn a great deal. So the changing conditions are actually good. Maybe we are learning more because of it.” Pirelli would like to thank Morgan Broadhead, the new Race Director of the AMA Superbike series, and AMA Pro Racing, for joining Pirelli at the test and supplying use of its timing and scoring system.