Boulder Motorsports made a big splash when they announced plans to go AMA Superbike racing on Ducati 1098s at selected events this year. After the DMG take-over stalled, their principle, Brian Sharp, said that Boulder would be racing in the World Superbike championship on Ducatis in '09 instead.

It is known that the slowing global economy drastically altered Boulder's '09 plans. There they are not alone.

The rumor at the Portugal WSBK round was that Boulder would be teaming up with the Guandalini Racing World Superbike team in 2009 and running one American rider. Guandalini Racing entered the very talented Czech rider Jakub Smrz in 2008. Smrz, who, although he sometimes looks like an extra in the prison boat scene in Papillon, is a big talent in World Superbike, a promising rider for the future. He will continue with the team for '09.

Riders such as Jake Zemke and Josh Hayes were mentioned in regards to the Boulder ride last Summer.

However, Guandalini Racing announced recently that former Superstock world champion and Ducati Xerox Junior Team rider Brenden Roberts will fill their second rider position for 2009. The announcement on Roberts made no mention of Boulder Motorsports.

Ducati sources could not confirm that Boulder Motorsports have an '09 Superbike ordered.

Update Boulder Ducati's Brian Sharpe wrote this morning in an e-mail to 'Soup:

Due to the global financial crisis, we have been forced to take another path towards racing in WSBK next year. First let me remind you we are committed to carrying out our plan in some form as we announced at the Miller WSBK event. This plan, obviously is contingent upon the economic crisis becoming more stable and the recession situation ending.