Various and sundry previews of this weekend's WSBK event at Autodromo internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola:

2006 SBK CORONA EXTRA SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

IMOLA 11th ROUND - 29th, 30th SEPTEMBER and 1st OCTOBER

Imola, Thursday 28th September 2006

CORSER'S GOALS - Troy Corser could reach in Imola two important milestones. The first is related to race starts; at the moment the Suzuki rider counts 248 race starts and at the start of race 2 he will be the second rider after Pierfrancesco Chili to reach the milestone of 250 race starts in WSBK.

At the moment the all-time top-10 is as follows:

1 Pierfrancesco Chili 272
2 Troy Corser 248
3 Aaron Slight 229
4 Carl Fogarty 219
5 Piergiorgio Bontempi 194
6 Fabrizio Pirovano 182
7 Lucio Pedercini 176
8 Colin Edwards 175
9 Noriyuki Haga 174
10 Steve Martin 158

The second goal for Corser is the one related to points gained in career. He could be the second rider after Carl Fogarty that manages to have scored more than 3000 points. Fogarty stopped at 3020 so Corser could be the all-time scorer soon.
This is the all-time top-10:

1 Carl Fogarty 3020
2 Troy Corser 2992.5
3 Aaron Slight 2834.5
4 Colin Edwards 2393.5
5 Pierfrancesco Chili 2380.5
6 Noriyuki Haga 2003
7 Fabrizio Pirovano 1678.5
8 Neil Hodgson 1566.5
9 Troy Bayliss 1536
10 James Toseland 1411

AFTER 60... 61? - Both Troy Bayliss and Noriyuki Haga at the Eurospeedway Lausitz gained their 60th career podium and in Imola they could Reach Pierfrancesco Chili at the 5th place all-time. Troy Bayliss climbed on the podium 14 times this year and Haga 10. It will be difficult for Chili to defend his position: he doesn't score a podium since Assen 2004 race 1, when he finished second.

This is the list of riders that scored more podium finishes:

1 Carl Fogarty 109
2 Troy Corser 104
3 Aaron Slight 87
4 Colin Edwards 75
5 Pierfrancesco Chili 61
6 Troy Bayliss 60
7 Noriyuki Haga 60
8 Raymond Roche 57
9 Fabrizio Pirovano 47
10 Stephane Mertens 45

DUCATI CIRCUIT - Ducati bikes dominated almost all the races run in Imola. In 2003 race 1 and 2004 race 2 the podium was made only of Ducatis, in the second case this domination was extended to the fifth position, while in 2002 race 1 the manufacturer from Borgo Panigale managed to put 10 bikes in the points.

In 5 times out of 9 races run at the Santerno circuit, there have been 9 Ducatis in the points.

The amount of wins is: 5 for Ducati, 3 for Honda and 1 for Aprilia, the podiums are 16 for Ducati, 6 for Honda, 2 for Aprilia and Suzuki and 1 for Yamaha. Yamaha managed to climb on the podium only in 2005 with Noriyuki Haga (3rd).

ANNIVERSARIES OF THE WEEK

* 25th of september - 1988, Oran Park, Mick Doohan scores his first pole position at his second race weekend in WSBK. It's the first pole position for Yamaha. - 1994, Mugello race 1. Kawasaki scores his 25th fastest lap with Scott Russell, at the moment the japanese manufacturer counts 37 fastest laps;

* 28th of september - 2003, Imola, Ruben Xaus scores his first fastest lap. The 28th is Fred Merkel's birthday. The american rider was the first World Champion in 1988 and won again in 1989;

* 29th of september - 2002, Imola race 1, Colin Edwards scores Honda's 75th win, at the moment the japanese manufacturer counts 88 wins;

* 30th of september - 2001, Imola race 2, first win for Regis Laconi, that beats Ruben Xaus for only 21 thousandths of a second, the fourth lowest margin recorded in SBK(tm) history. The slightest margin is 5 thousandths recorded 3 times (Australia 2 1999, Corser-Fogarty, Monza 2 1999 Fogarty-Edwards and Monza 1 1997 Kocinski-Slight), 7 thousandths, Monza 1996 (Chili-Slight) and 10 thousandths, Manfeild 1992 (Falappa-Polen). Regis is the rider that scored the highest number of wins in Imola, with 3 wins together with Ruben Xaus.

MILESTONES IN IMOLA
* 2005 - Troy Corser wins his second World Championship and equals Colin Edwards, Fred Merkel and Doug Polen. At the top of the ranks Fogarty with 4 titles.

HIGHS AND LOWS OF 2005 IN IMOLA
* worst season qualifying result for Chris Walker (16th) and for Ivan Clementi (24th);
* worst season race result for Andrew Pitt (16th), Regis Laconi (9th) and Yukio Kagayama (15th);
* best season race result for Steve Martin (5th).

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Thursday Sep 28 2006
Preview
BAYLISS (DUCATI XEROX) RETURNS TO IMOLA IN SEARCH OF CHAMPIONSHIP GLORY

Imola (Italy), Thursday 28th September: Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) returns to the Autodromo Enzo & Dino Ferrari di Imola this weekend for the penultimate round of the 2006 World Superbike Championship and another championship finale, four years on from the memorable battle with Honda's Colin Edwards in 2002.

This time round however Troy finds himself in a completely different situation, having strung together ten victories throughout the 2006 season to stamp his authority on the series. This has left him with a comfortable 87-point lead in the standings, with two rounds (Imola and Magny-Cours) and four races left to run.

At Imola the 37 year-old Australian basically just needs to finish fourth or better in race 1, irrespective of how his rivals Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha) or James Toseland (Honda) do, to clinch the World Superbike title for the second time.

"I have been thinking about this weekend for sure, but just normally really" said Troy. "My approach is the same as everywhere. We start off tomorrow, work on the bike, try and get a good race set-up and then go for the win. There are lots of different scenarios but the most important one is that I need a fourth or better and that wraps it up, but I'm certainly not going to be riding around for fourth place. I'm looking forward to Imola, I like racing here, I went pretty good in 2002 and had a great race with Colin. This time I'm sure Nori and James are out to do whatever they can to try and stop me but it's going to be difficult for them. Imola's a great track, lots of character but the surface is variable especially in the wet. But the forecast is looking good and we want to see a lot of people here on Sunday".

Team-mate Lorenzo Lanzi still has a couple more opportunities to search for that vital spark that has eluded him throughout the year, performances that will enable him to repeat his sensational race-winning form of the end of 2005. Imola presents an ideal opportunity as the 24 year-old from Cesena hails from just down the road.

"I am calm and relaxed even though I know that this race is going to be important for my future" declared Lorenzo. "I hope to start the weekend off well and go well, not only in qualifying but this time also in the races on Sunday. I like the Imola circuit, last year I went well in qualifying but then in the races on the wet track things were a bit more difficult. However this track is really great, all ups and downs, technical and difficult. I can undoubtedly count on some local support here; Sunday will probably be crazy at the Lorenzo Lanzi Fans Club curve, there will be a lot of them, hopefully I'll give them something to shout about!"

Troy and Lorenzo will be racing at Imola with a special emblem on the side fairing of their Ducati 999F06s in honour of a 'twinning' between the Friuli Aircraft Brigade, based in Bologna, and the factory Ducati Xerox Superbike Team. In addition on Sunday parachutists from the Friuli Brigade will make a spectacular jump onto the circuit between the two races.

THE CIRCUIT
Name: Autodromo Enzo & Dino Ferrari di Imola
Length: 4.959 km
Pole Position: left
Finish line length: 358 metres

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after 10 of 12 rounds): Riders - 1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 357; 2. Haga (Yamaha) 270; 3. Toseland (Honda) 264; 4. Corser (Suzuki) 211; 5. Pitt (Yamaha) 210; 6. Barros (Honda) 186; 7. Kagayama (Suzuki) 177; 8. Walker (Kawasaki) 134; 9. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 133; 10. Nieto (Kawasaki) 127. Manufacturers - 1. Ducati 376; 2. Yamaha 339; 3. Honda 328; 4. Suzuki 320; 5. Kawasaki 196; 6. Petronas 19.

STATISTICS: The Variante Alta has been modified and the Imola track now measures 4.959 km instead of the previous 4.933 km.

2005 RESULTS: Race 1 - 1. Vermeulen (Honda); 2. Corser (Suzuki); 3. Haga (Yamaha). Race 2 cancelled.
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World Superbike Round 11 of 12

IMOLA OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL HONDA SUPERBIKE RIDERS

Imola has been the scene of victory for Honda in Superbike in the recent past and despite a minor change to the Variante Alta chicane since the last visit of the winged SBK hordes, the always-popular city centre venue should offer James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) and all his fellow Honda riders a weekend of opportunities. Currently third in the championship fight, Toseland is some 93 points behind current championship leader Troy Bayliss, yet only six down on second place rider Noriyuki Haga, with four individual points scoring races still to go. In his first season with Honda in World Superbike, Toseland has scored two races wins, plus seven further podium places. His most recent race victory was in the most recent race in Germany, a fact which boosts his pre-Imola confidence still further.

Alex Barros (Klaffi Honda CBR1000RR) is looking to Imola as a possible best option for his first win in World Superbike, having raced for Honda at the classic Italian venue during his 500cc GP career, and finishing second there in 1999. Barros is now sixth overall, but has designs on finishing in the top four, being only 25 points away from that placing at present.

Home tarmac should be a mighty spur for Michel Fabrizio (DFX Honda CBR1000RR) to show his increasingly well-rewarded talents, having finished on the podium three times in his rookie SBK season already. Just outside the top ten at present, he is fully intent on running back into the upper echelons at this race, on a track he can expect great support at.

Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) enjoyed his best race weekend of the season so far in the previous round at Eurospeedway Lausitz, putting together two good races - sixth and then fifth - at a circuit few believed would be an ideal venue for any of the Honda riders.

Imola will be an emotional final farewell in World Superbike rider guise for Pierfrancesco Chili (DFX Honda CBR1000RR). The 42-year-old rider, already holder of the record number of SBK race starts at 274, and 17-times a race winner in the class, will retire at the end of the year, in large part due to the 2006-season injuries which are currently preventing him from riding in his usual place at the sharp end of the action.

With the title now seemingly impossible to wrest from the grasp of Bayliss, Toseland only has race wins, and an eventual second place in the championship itself, on his mind as he approaches Imola.

"I'm ready for Imola," said Toseland. "The test in Magny-Cours has helped to set the bike up for the last race of the season, to be held on that very same track, and it also helped us to try some new parts for the bike. The victory at Lausitz lifted the team's morale and I know all of us want to win again in these last four individual races. The fight for second place is still open and I will be doing my best to win it."

Barros is banking on several points which he knows will help his championship placing, and his chance of individual race victories at Imola.

"It is quite a long time since I rode my last race in Imola, actually it was back in 1999," affirmed Barros, "I finished second in the 500cc Grand Prix. The Imola track is beautiful and the layout suits my riding style. As the bike is more competitive since the Eurospeedway event, I think that I can challenge for a race victory. Ramon Forcada will be back as my crew chief for the final two meetings. I will take it race-by-race and I want to score a race win, as the gap in the championship is now too big to make up."

With prospects of last year's deluge at Imola, which cancelled race two, seemingly not about to be a factor this year Fabrizio is out for the best possible showing at home.

"Last year the rain was the main protagonist at Imola," stated Fabrizio, "But I hope to be the most important man for Honda this year. Lausitz did not turn out the way I wanted so I hope to make up for it in Imola."

Muggeridge now feels that his physical condition matches his ambitions for results, after suffering a serious back injury earlier in the year.

"We're getting close to the end of the season and I really want to step on the podium at least once," said Honda's Australian rider. "It hasn't been a lucky racing year for me, due the injury right at the beginning of the season, which held me back for a while. It was hard to recover from it, but in the last few races I've felt good again. In Imola I will give all I have to get on the podium. The weather forecast promises sunshine and warm temperatures, and this should help us to reach our goal."

Chili is expecting an emotional rollercoaster at Imola, but knows he needs to overcome his debilitated physical condition before he can have a realistic chance of going out with high-scoring Imola race results.

"For me Imola will be very difficult because I have many wonderful memories of this circuit," said Chili, "I know that ?Frankie' is now old but my passion for racing is the same as it was 20 years ago. My body is still suffering after the last big crash and I'm not sure if my staying power will be OK. I'm sure I will be in tears on Sunday evening but that's life."

The final round of both Supersport and Superbike Championships take place one week after Imola, at Magny-Cours, between 6 and 8 October. *********************

Winston Media Information
2006 Superbike World Championship
Round 11 - Imola (Italy) - 29 September - 01 October
Circuit: Enzo e Dino Ferrari (4.959 meters)

Preview

TOSELAND AND MUGGERIDGE READY TO END THE SEASON ON A HIGH

The penultimate World Superbike Championship round is about to be held at Imola, on the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit, only one week before the season finale at Magny Cours, France. This stage of the season sees the Winston Ten Kate Honda Team in the role of one of the main championship protagonists, thanks to the efforts of James Toseland. The English rider, having won the most recent race in Germany, is still fighting to secure second position in the championship and Imola is an ideal track to make his decisive attack - and the circuit will also offer opportunities to Karl Muggeridge. Until now fortune has not smiled on him too often, but the Australian rider is back to good form as he aims to step on the podium for the first time this year, on a track which has previous delivered him two World Supersport Championship race wins.

Ronald Ten Kate - Team Manager

"Last year, in the final part of the season, we were consistently fast and we are hoping to have the same results this year. At Lausitz we did quite well and I believe we are really on the right track for Imola - in every meaning of the word. The recent test at Magny-Cours went well, we tried some new electronic parts and got some positive feedback from both of our riders. Both Karl and James are in good form overall and we are determined to win some races in the next two rounds."

James Toseland - Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider

"I'm ready for Imola. The test in Magny-Cours has helped to set the bike up for the last race of the season, to be held on that very same track, and it also helped us to try some new parts for the bike. The victory at Lausitz lifted the team's morale and I know all of us want to win again in these last four individual races. The fight for second place is still open and I will be doing my best to win it."

Karl Muggeridge - Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider

"We're getting close to the end of the season and I really want to step on the podium at least once. It hasn't been a lucky racing year for me, due the injury right at the beginning of the season, which held me back for a while. It was hard to recover from it, but in the last few races I've felt good again. In Imola I will give all I have to get on the podium. The weather forecast promises sunshine and warm temperatures, and this should help us to reach our goal."

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