The number of Ducati motorcycles testing at Daytona this week is down to one after having multiple Ducatis here in years past. But perhaps what they don't have here in quantity is made up for in quality.

New Ducati man Picotte goes very well at Daytona. He is precise and can manage traction better than most riders, both qualities which are absolutely crucial for a fast lap at Daytona. Picotte is a former pole-sitter for this race, on a Ducati.

The bike he is on, shipped in within the last few weeks direct from the Corse race shop in Bologna, appears to be about the best machine money can buy at Ducati. It's 99% a full-on WSC factory Ducati. This is notable because 2002 Ducati factory bikes, engines and spares are in very short supply.

One really good bike and one really good rider, Ducati won several world championships that way didn't they?

Spend enough time at Ducati and you'll learn that Daytona and a Daytona win is held in high regard by the Italians. Maybe even more so than it is here in America, at least in some corners. Daytona is still very important to Ducati. Sending a 2002 bike here for the test shows that.

Would it not be ironic if Ducati won Daytona, when at the same time taking a minimalist approach to racing in America?