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Ducati makes history with its first
US Grand National Flat Track victory
Joe Kopp took his Hypermotard 1100EVO powered flat-tracker to Ducati’s first ever Grand National victory in Saturday’s May 1st Yavapai Downs Mile in Arizona, USA. The win marks the first time a readily available production engine has won a Grand National Twins race in 29 years and ends 17 years of Harley-Davidson domination.
The Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Ducati Flat Track Project began just one year ago, when Ducati Superbike rider Larry Pegram approached friend and flat track team co-owner, David Lloyd, regarding the potential of Ducati’s air-cooled engine.
Pegram Racing and Lloyd Brothers Motorsports then joined forces to build a stock-framed dirt track bike from a Ducati Sport 1000 and, after a quick shakedown by Pegram, entered the 2009 Springfield Mile where it immediately proved a formidable opponent to the dominant Harley-Davidsons. After a summer of modifications, including the addition of the 2010 Desmodue engine from the Ducati Hypermotard 1100EVO and a custom racing chassis, Pegram entered the Indy Mile and missed the main event by just one position in the semi-qualifier.
Fast-forward to 2010’s opening round and Joe Kopp proves that Ducatis don’t need asphalt to beat the competition. Putting the Ducati into the lead from the start of Saturday’s event, Kopp ran a fantastic race and faced little competition before finally drafting past Sammy Halbert’s Harley-Davidson on the final lap to take the checkered flag by 0.025 seconds. The result represents a significant milestone in the history of the sport with the Italian Ducati stealing victory from Harley Davidson on the Mile, something no other manufacturer has achieved in 17 years.
The next race for the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Ducati entry will be the famed Springfield Mile on May 30, where Ducati AMA Superbike star, Larry Pegram will pilot a second bike alongside Joe Kopp.
Photos:
Joe Kopp on the Ducati Hypermotard 1100EVO powered flat-tracker.
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