And just when you think everything has been prepared for a return by three time Superbike champion Doug Chandler to Superbike racing on the HMC Ducati team, several details pop up that might throw an anvil in that threshing machine.

Well placed rumor # 1: The Austin Blue Bayou Superbike team, which ran Jordan Szoke on VR1000s last year, is in the process of buying some 2001-spec Ducati Superbikes (ex-Pegram) from Ducati North America.

Well placed rumor # 2: Austin/ Blue Bayou is purchasing 2002 Testa' engines from Ducati Corse in Italy to slot into those 2001 chassis.

Well placed rumor # 3: Austin/ Blue Bayou has set a goal of racing at the next round of the series, at California Speedway.

Well placed rumor # 4: The rider they are trying to sign? John Douglas Chandler.

Which, in total, bring about an interesting question. If Chandler rides the Austin/Blue Bayou bike, and Picotte is fired from the HMC team, who, then, rides for HMC?