We run the above WSBK footage as it is the most amazing wet weather riding we've seen since Scott Russell won Loudon in 1993.

The 2008 World Superbike season is winding down, with only 3 more rounds left to go, assuming the Portuguese race at Portimao goes ahead as planned. All year long, there has been conjecture about who will replace (as if anyone could) Troy Bayliss at Xerox Corse Ducati. Some of the names banded about included Max Biaggi, Shane Byrne, and Chris Vermuelen. The latest rumors indicate that Nori Haga has locked the ride, which on the surface seems a huge surprise, given Haga's strong ties to Yamaha.

If Haga does indeed switch to Corse Ducati, they both will have made a very smart choice. Nori has won four races this year, including a double victory at the Nurburgring. He was fast on the Renegade Koji Ducati 999 in 2004, and was in the Championship hunt until the very end of that season. Haga is beloved in the WSBK paddock, with a well-established work ethic and known for his good sense of humor. He's gotten close to grabbing the #1 plate many times, but seems to lack consistency—something needs to change. Xerox Ducati Corse team manager Davide Tardozzi is known for extracting the best from his riders, using flowers & candy (or a pair of pliers) if need be. Under Tardozzi's guidance, and with Corse Ducati behind him, Haga might finally lift the Championship Trophy which has eluded him for so long. But will Nori open himself to guidance, and be able to withstand the iron will of Tardozzi?

The pairing seems far less risky than if Max Biaggi had made the move from Sterilgarda to the Xerox ride. Many paddock insiders were sure that Tardozzi/Biaggi would have been as entertaining a bout as Foreman/Ali's "Rumble In The Jungle". Neither men became famous thru compromise; Biaggi can be very demanding of his crew, and Davide would not tolerate any condescension. Despite a full season of chatter about Biaggi making the move to the factory Ducati team, it now doesn't seem likely to happen. Max has had an OK season on the satellite 1098R, but hasn't won any races on the bike yet, and is currently seventh in the Championship. A stronger performance would have made the choice between Haga and Biaggi a more difficult one. So where will Biaggi end up now? Will he stay on the Sterilgarda satellite bike for another season, on a package he knows is inferior to the Xerox machine? You could probably fill a, uh, diaper with Biaggi's enthusiasm for non-factory rides.

Haga's move to Ducati opened a seat which was quickly filled by rising British Superbike star Tom Sykes, who impressed in wildcard rides at Brands Hatch and Donington park. BMW has expressed interest in current Yamaha pilot Troy Corser, as he would surely be an asset setting up their new S1000RR superbike. However, Yamaha will want a mature rider to nurture Sykes and develop their new R1, so one would expect them to try to retain Corser. Let's not forget that he has yet to win a race for YMC, despite trying for two years. A big paycheck and a new bike might be very attractive, plus its a no-lose situation for Corser: no one will be expecting wins from a first year bike & team. If he does win, he'll look like a hero. Of course, if Aprilia does come to WSBK in 2009, they'd likely also be interested in Corser, who finished third and fourth on the old RSV twin in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Corser told Soup in 2004 that the Aprilia was the best bike he'd ever ridden, but his potential was limited by Aprilia's choice of Dunlop tires instead of the de rigeur Michelins. Alex Hoffman has been developing the Aprilia and he too could end up as one of the factory entries on the new V4.

Ruben Xaus, confirmed at BMW for 2009, crashes a lot less these days, possibly because he's been financing his own equipment. He isn't known as a development rider but there's always a chance that he'll spit the dummy and either win, or crash and turn a S1000RR into many small piles of S100RR. Elsewhere, Regis Laconi, winner of the 2008 Mr. Clean look-alike contest, has stated he will leave PSG-1 Kawasaki as he does not believe the machinery is competitive. Where he'll end up is anyone's guess, although he also rode for Aprilia in both WSBK and MotoGP. Over at Ten Kate, they now run three bikes in the SBK class; Kiyonari looks set to stay after his mid-season performance improvements. One has to wonder if Kenan Sofuoglu will keep his ride after a dismal 2008 switch to Superbikes from 600 Supersport. Carlos Checa is rumored to be on the short list for Jorge Martinez's Kawasaki Aspar MotoGP team, if the bike is made available. This could mean two open seats at Ten Kate, one of the most highly desired rides in the WSBK paddock. Who will end up on those machines?

Over at Alstare, Neukirchner is signed for two more years, and Fonsi Nieto brings the lion's share of non-Suzuki sponsorship dollars to the team, so it's doubtful Alstare would want to lose him. Yukio Kagayama is loved by the factory, but his rollercoaster results, frequent crashes and subsequent injuries seem to be taking their toll. There are only so many times you can get thrown down the road at over 100 miles an hour before your skeleton "does the Gumby"...at Miller, he looked 20 years older than we last saw him at Valencia in 2005.

Anthony West and Sylvain Guintoli will probably lose their rides in MotoGP, so there's a good chance they'll end up in WSBK. Shane Byrne may make the switch to WSBK after his almost certainly guaranteed victory in BSB. HM Plant may well be returning from the British Superbike Championship, and then there's the entry of US Boulder Motorsports Ducati team—will Jake Zemke be moving his family to Italy? With so many slots open, new manufacturers and teams entering competition, riders are doing the Ozzy Shuffle full time from garage to garage.

However things play out, the World Superbike Championship will look very different in 2009, and it will surely need a boost, with Bayliss retiring. Hopefully, Soup will be at the final WSBK race in Portugal, as the paddock will surely throw a massive party for him...even Gumby and Mr. Clean will be there.