Ducati and NCR team up for Canadian program

From Ducati North America

CUPERTINO, CA – Ducati North America has announced that NCR will serve as the official Ducati supported racing team in the 2008 Parts Canada Superbike Championship series. The team will campaign the new 848 Superbike in the Canadian Thunder National class.

The NCR - Ducati team will have two veteran racers on board campaigning the series. The 2007 European Supertwins Champion, Valter Bartolini, will race alongside Canadian racing sensation Andrew Nelson, who won the RACE regional 600 Championship in Ontario and finished a close 2nd in the RACE Superbike Championship last year. They will be on board the new Ducati 848 Superbike, which will be prepared by NCR.

The team will be managed by Joe Ippoliti, C.O.O. of NCR, who commented, "It will be a unique opportunity for NCR and Ducati to work together again in campaigning the Canadian Thunder Championship. The 848 is a fantastic bike to base a race platform on and we look forward to putting together an exciting new team while developing new technology and parts for the 848. We invite Ducatisti to join us in the pits at the Canadian National series as well as select AMA and European events. We look forward to a successful season."

“This is a great development,” said Jim McKenna, Canadian National Sales and Marketing Manager. “When Joe first approached me over the winter about doing this project with the 848 Superbike I knew there had to be a way to make this happen. You combine our history with NCR, their skills and professionalism, undeniable potential of the new 848 and the European flair NCR will bring to the show; it should really help put the Parts Canada Superbike Series and especially Canadian Thunder on the map.”