From a press release issued by FG Sport Group:

SBK TITLE CHASE ENTERS PENULTIMATE PHASE AT IMOLA

FOUR AND SIX: As the 17th season of World Superbike approaches its penultimate round there has never been quite so much at stake, for quite so many riders. Any one of six top competitors have a mathematical chance of the title but, in more realistic terms, four riders will be contesting the final two rounds with full expectations of winning the title. New technical rules for 2004, making all engine configurations more competitive, plus the adoption of a single tyre supplier, have been the prime factors behind this most closely contested of seasons.

MOTORWAY CITY: The 4.933km Imola circuit hosts World Superbike for the fourth time this year and the city centre parkland circuit has been the scene of some breathless SBK action in each of those years. The fast and flowing nature of the venue, combined with the undulations laid out by Mother Nature mean that even the proliferation of speed calming chicanes do little to hamper the riders’ high overall pace around the lap. With lap times over 160kmph on average, Imola is one of the fastest on the calendar and rated as a true rider’s circuit – where the machine performance is important but always secondary to the input of the rider.

CLOSE TO HOME: Such has been the keen competition in SBK this season that the championship battle features four riders within a mere 14 points of each other. With a total of 100 points up for grabs for any who can win the final four legs of the championship, first of all at Imola and the final round at Magny Cours in France, there are no certainties at this point. Regis Laconi (Ducati Fila 999F04) lost his championship lead to his team-mate James Toseland (Ducati Fila 999F04) at the previous Assen round, but the French ace still sits in third place overall, only ten points from Englishman Toseland. Imola is almost a ‘home’ race for both factory Ducati riders, as Imola is a short Autostrada blast away from the Ducati Fila team’s headquarters in Borgo Panigale, Bologna. With the vociferous ‘Ducatisti’ in attendance Imola will be its usual cauldron of crimson banners on raceday. Each factory rider has an individual reason to feel confident for Imola, with Laconi the only current SBK rider to have won at the venue, while Toseland’s resurgence gave him a win at the most recent 2004 SBK event in Assen.

FOUR CYLINDER CHIEF: SBK rookie Chris Vermeulen (Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) has consistently belied his relative Superbike inexperience and trails Toseland by only three points, 255 to 252. With the reigning World Supersport Champion having an unquestioningly spectacular impact in the premier class, another new SBK star has been born. Vermeulen’s current championship position is also a remarkable achievement for both his Ten Kate Team, which also made the jump to Superbike this year, and the new-for-2004 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, in its first season of international competition. Raising their game at every crossroad they have come to so far, the Ten Kate trinity of rider, team and four-cylinder machine have scored a quartet of impressive wins so far.

FOURTH HORSEMAN: Noriyuki Haga (Renegade Ducati Koji 999RS) currently lies fourth in the championship, 14 points from Toseland, but he is nonetheless holder of a 2004 winning record the envy of all except Laconi, with five full-pointers under his belt so far. Fully in the hunt, Haga is the most experienced of all the current championship contenders, but has yet to win a Superbike race at Imola.

THE DYNAMIC DUO: Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati) has had a typically eventful season so far in SBK, with a single race win on his hybrid 998/999 machine, five DNFs in total and arguably more column inches in the media than any other single rider. The local hero, 40-years-old and in his 22nd year of senior racing competition, may be a remote 42 points from the lead at present, but at Imola, riding a wave of local emotion, he could perform in a fashion that sometimes only Chili can. A rider with an even more up-down season than Chili is the most experienced SBK rookie imaginable, Garry McCoy (Ducati Xerox SC 999RS). A single race winner at Phillip Island, McCoy has taken only two further podiums, despite his best efforts and a dramatic tail steering style. At a fast track like Imola, McCoy could find things going his way, despite being surrounded by Superbike’s best exponents.

THREE TIMES: Troy Corser and Chris Walker have posted some impressive results on the 900cc, three-cylinder Petronas FP-1, a unique machine in its own right. Corser has taken a second place and Walker a third, but each will be out to make their ultimate mark before the season reaches its denouement at Magny Cours on October 3.

PRIVATE PARTY: Among riders looking for their first ever SBK wins, at Imola or elsewhere, are Leon Haslam (Renegade Ducati Koji 999RS) and Steve Martin (DFX Ducati 999). Each has podium finishes, but that elusive win has yet to be attained. Other top Superbike privateers out on force at Imola will be the Bertocchi Kawasaki duo of Mauro Sanchini and Ivan Clementi, with Suzuki represented by the privately entered Zongshen team from China, running hired guns Warwick Nowland and Piergiorgio Bontempi. Martin’s DFX Ducati team-mate Marco Borciani is another in the frame for a good result.

PRIVATE PRANCERS: Ducati 999 and 998 series machines proliferate in the privateer ranks, and in addition to the usual slew of regular SBK combatants, there will be several local riders running locally sponsored machines. In addition to the usual suspects, such as Giovanni Bussei, Gianluca Nannelli, and Lucio Pedercini, there will be wildcards aplenty, plus the fascinating induction of an MV Agusta machine, in the hands of Andrea Mazzali.

SUPERSPORT: In the World Supersport Championship five time race winner in 2004 Karl Muggeridge could put his hands on the trophy with any result equal to, or better than 4th. The Ten Kate Honda rider is currently 38 points ahead of Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Yamaha Italia R6), with van den Goorbergh having only two races in which to make up that substantial gap. Third placed rider Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) is now coming under pressure from Sebastien Charpentier (Klaffi Honda CBR600RR) after an Assen DNF for Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Deutschland R6) dropped him to overall fifth.

SUPERSTOCK: Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni Yamaha riders Lorenzo Alfonsi and Gianluca Vizziello carry on their own in-house battle at their local circuit once more, each vying for the right to call himself champion in this hotly contested class. With two rounds remaining, Vizziello leads by 16 points, having taken four wins to Alfonsi’s three.

OPEN HOUSE: As well as a full race programme Imola will feature its traditional open paddock on Thursday, plus a fun minimoto race between riders and some of the World Superbike paddock regulars.