• Shoubridge puts the disappointment of the last round firmly behind him with a Race 1 win
• Baker wins Race 2 after an epic battle with Shoubridge
• Championship leader Tom Tunstall scores a double podium

Race 1
David Shoubridge (Rich Energy Ducati) put his last-round disappointment firmly behind him on Saturday after taking the honours at Brands Hatch with a convincing start to finish victory. He was never challenged from the off and showed he was determined to put his hands back on the Championship trophy.

Second place finisher was Blaze Baker (Trackdemons Racing Powered by HMY), continuing to show what a valuable addition he is to the series. He was 3.4 seconds adrift of Shoubridge over the line.

Championship leader, Tom Tunstall (Motorcycle Race Parts) came home in third after a great battle with Baker, narrowly missing out by 0.3s.

Adon Davie (JDF Racing) was fourth with Bob Collins (Team Aramex/ULS) coming home in fifth. Connor Rossi Thomson (Thompson Haulage/CRT Racing) fought a brave sixth place finish from a starting position of ninth, still nursing a badly damaged finger.

Race 1 results
1. David Shoubridge (Rich Energy Ducati)
2. Blaze Baker (Trackdemons Racing Powered by HMY) +3.464
3. Tom Tunstall (Motorcycle Race Parts) +3.803
4. Adon Davie (JDF Racing) +11.632
5. Bob Collins (Team Aramex/ULS)
6. Connor Rossi Thomson (Thompson Haulage/CRT Race Team) + 23.273

David Shoubridge (Rich Energy Ducati #86) - 1st
"Well, what a race! I had to get that monkey off my back. Crashing out of both races last week at World Superbikes put me a bit on the back foot. Obviously I didn't stop believing, I've been fastest here so far this weekend, the other guys are really pushing on, Blaze was incredibly fast for his first time here at Brands Hatch GP, it's my home circuit, somewhere I know relatively well, thankfully the next round at Cadwell is probably my favourite circuit on the planet, we've got a couple of good strong rounds for me but I really needed to go out and get that win, I pushed on but didn't really know where I was as my lap timer wasn't working, it came up memory full just as I got up to the grid which was useful! So, I was a little bit lost out there so I didn't know if I was on a fast lap or not. I tried to manage it as best as I could from the lap board but it's quite a long lap to find out whether you're doing alright or not. I just tried to manage the gap, got up to around three and a half seconds lead at one point which meant I could relax a little bit for the last few laps. It's my Brother's Birthday weekend so it was nice to get the big win. I'd just like to say thanks, a lot of controversy over Rich Energy at the moment but they've supported me nonetheless so big thanks to Rich Energy, thanks to everybody else that helps and one more thing I'd like to say to Matt Venn, unfortunately in warm up I accidentally collided with him at Hawthorns which meant he didn't get out so hopefully he gets out in race two and I'm really sorry and thank you to everyone for their support."

Blaze Baker (Trackdemons Racing Powered by HMY #51) - 2nd
"Really difficult race today, starting P3, we got a good start off the line and stayed in P3, so I said to myself to settle down a bit like Donington and we can follow the guys from there. It took a few laps then I hooked on the back of the front two and managed to pass Tom and I thought keep my head down and carry on pushing to try and catch David but unfortunately by that time the gap was too big. P2, first time here at the track so we're looking forward to tomorrow, we're going to do a few changes on the bike to make it more comfortable and hopefully to close that gap up to David. Huge thank you to my sponsors Trackdemons Racing, ATB Centre, without you guys it wouldn't be possible, looking forward to tomorrow now."

Tom Tunstall (MotorcycleRaceParts #21) - 3rd
"Perfect conditions. Shouey got a flyer, he's been quick all weekend from the off. What became apparent pretty quickly was that I'd got the wrong gearing, I was using the wrong gears at bottom bend, turn one and on to the back straight and when Blaze came past it was clear, a bit closer but a similar deal, I let him go, I think it was less than a second by the end. If was a new PB for me on the bike, some lessons learnt to try on the bike tomorrow, not a bad day, can't complain with that."

Race 2
Shoubridge started from pole and grabbed the lead from the off but unlike the previous race Baker didn't let him get away. Lap after lap they exchanged the lead, both setting their fastest laps on the final lap such was the pace at the front.

An early scrap for third place fizzled out once Tunstall overhauled the pack. By this time, it was evident the victory would be between two riders. Tunstall circulated alone for the remainder of the race to take the third step on the podium.

JDF Racing had some good fortune today with both their riders, Adon Davie and Max Lofthouse finishing fourth and fifth respectively. Rounding out the top six was Collins.

So that's four podiums and three wins for Baker, next round will be another new track for the South African to learn, a track Shoubridge labels as his favourite, so expect another close battle, will Tom Tunstall get that elusive first series win? Plenty of questions awaiting an answer in a few weeks.

Race 2 results
1. Blaze Baker (Trackdemons Racing Powered by HMY)
2. David Shoubridge (Rich Energy Ducati) +0.408
3. Tom Tunstall (Motorcycle Race Parts) +8.397
4. Adon Davie (JDF Racing) +12.687
5. Max Lofthouse (JDF Racing) +18.501
6. Bob Collins (Team Aramex/ULS) +19.197

Blaze Baker (Trackdemons Racing Powered by HMY #51) – 1st
"What a weekend! A second and a first today in race two. It's been absolutely magnificent. Coming here to Brands and not knowing the circuit and to come away with a double podium and a win it really has been something special. Looking forward to Cadwell and putting it back on the step!"

David Shoubridge (Rich Energy Ducati #86) – 2nd
"I'm relieved to get through the weekend with a first and second, thanks to qualifying we've managed to come away with the team trophy aswell so that's really good. I've been blown away by Blaze's pace this weekend, I thought I'd
have little extra in the bag in that race. I tried to ride a sensible race, sitting behind Balze to see what he had, see if he was faster anywhere, as it turned out he was doing the same game, he got out front, had a bit of a plan, whether he went all out on the last lap or had something se left in the tank, to do a 1.30.3 around Brands is quite fast, we both did our fastest laps on the last lap. Looking forward to going to Cadwell another place I'm really strong and see if we can regain the lead in the championship. Big thank you to Sublime for putting together the nice wrapped helmet for this weekend and also Rich Energy and Expel UK for backing me all the way."

Tom Tunstall (MotorcycleRaceParts #21) - 3rd
"Today's race was pretty tough, I got stuffed by two riders at the start and that took me a couple of laps to get clear, I lost a few seconds at that point but the pace of Shouy and Blaze, they were off, I seen a good race happening upfront! I pushed on for a bit but it was pretty clear unless they did something daft I wasn't going to have a choice today, fair play to them both, running a very strong pace."

So, at the halfway point in the series, Tom Tunstall heads the table with 152 points, still without a win, proving consistency is the key, not finishing lower than third all season.
Shoubridge's 1st and 2nd has dramatically reduced the gap only 7 points. Baker's amazing form has already placed him firmly in 3rd, 57 points behind Shoubridge.

Championship standings
1. Tom Tunstall - 152 points
2. David Shoubridge - 145 points
3. Blaze Baker - 95 points
4. Max Lofthouse - 79 points
5. Michael Tustin - 74 points
6. Adon Davie - 67 points

Win Marks Briar Bauman’s Third of the Season and Closes Championship Chase to 8-points

Jarod Vanderkooi Continues to Impress with Back-to-Back Second-Place Finishes

Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, had another outstanding night of racing at the Port Royal Half-Mile in Port Royal, Pennsylvania, with Briar Bauman riding unchallenged throughout the 26-lap Mission SuperTwins Main Event to claim his second consecutive victory. In another FTR750 podium sweep, Bauman was joined by privateer Jarod Vanderkooi in second and current points leader, Jared Mees, taking third.

In the main event, Bauman was swift off the starting line, getting the hole shot and an immediate lead over Mees, running close behind in second. Despite early attempts by Mees to overtake him, Bauman remained unphased, opening up a gap on Mees and the rest of the field. Bauman led wire-to-wire, ultimately taking the checkered flag for his third win of the season. Meanwhile, Mees was entangled in a heated battle with Vanderkooi for second. With less than a minute and two-laps remaining, Vanderkooi made a bold move, taking the higher outside line to pass Mees and secure his second-place spot on the podium.

“Tonight was another incredible night of racing and a testament to the talent and grit of our riders. Considering the restrictions that have recently been imposed on the FTR750, it’s all the more gratifying to sweep the podium for the second consecutive weekend,” said Gary Gray, Vice President Racing, Service & Technology for Indian Motorcycle. “Briar’s [Bauman] incredible will has been on display at these past two events, and as a result, he’s back in the hunt as the battle for the championship tightens. It’s looking to be an absolute dogfight over the remainder of the season.”

Mees continues to lead the championship with 173 points, while Bauman now sits solidly in second place trailing by a mere eight points.

In addition to the incredible racing action, the night was filled with emotion for Bauman and the entire paddock, following the tragic loss of a fellow racer, Ryan Varnes, at the recent New York Short Track. Bauman paid tribute to Varnes throughout his winning night, memorializing Varnes’ by donning his number 68 and including Varnes’ girlfriend, Jennifer Hoshauer, with him on his victory lap.

The 2022 AFT season will continue on Saturday, July 30 at the Peoria TT in Peoria, IL.

Sponsors for Indian Motorcycle Racing’s American Flat Track efforts include Progressive Insurance, S&S^®, Indian Motorcycle Oil, Mission Foods, Bell Helmets, Drag Specialties and Parts Unlimited.

along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE^®
Indian Motorcycle is America’s first motorcycle company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivalled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion are reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.eu

INDIAN and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE are registered trademarks of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC. Always wear a helmet, protective clothing and eyewear and insist your passenger does the same. Ride within the limits of the law and your own abilities. Read, understand, and follow your owner’s manual. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Riding a motorbike is a thrilling experience, but it is also vital that you know how to ride safely as you are a vulnerable road user and motorcycle accidents can be incredibly dangerous. This post will look at a few of the best ways to stay safe while on the roads.

Wear a Helmet & Protective Clothing   

Obviously, wearing a helmet is one of the most important steps to take. Not only is wearing a helmet a legal requirement in this country, but you will also find that it provides essential protection for your head if you were to come off the bike. In addition to a helmet, you should also wear other protective clothing such as leathers, goggles and motorcycle boots.

Keep Your Bike in Good Condition 

As much as you love riding your motorbike, there might come a time when, for whatever reason, you can’t. Be it the weather, an injury, illness, a family occasion, or anything else, it can become rather boring very quickly if you were hoping to use your bike and then realize you can’t. So what can you do instead? Having a backup plan for when you can’t ride makes sense; it means you’ll never be bored, and you’ll always be able to keep yourself occupied when required. So here are some ideas of things you can do.

Learn How To Maintain Your Motorbike

Owning a bike means more than just knowing how to ride it, or at least, it should. If you own a powerful machine like a motorbike, it’s wise to know how to maintain it. Any small problem can mean you’re not able to ride it when you would like to (perhaps adding to your initial problem of having to find something else to do), and you’ll have to pay a mechanic to fix the issue, which can be even more problematic.

If you spend your non-riding time learning how to maintain your motorbike, you can make minor repairs yourself and get back on the road much sooner, saving yourself money in the process. Of course, sometimes an expert is needed, so bear that in mind, but for small things that should be an easy fix once you know how to do it, DIY is best and will give you a great sense of satisfaction.

Reorganize Your Garage

If you’ve been telling yourself – and others – that you’ll reorganize your garage soon, why not do it when you can’t ride? It might feel like a big job, but the truth is, once you get started, and you work methodically, you can get it cleared and tidy in no time. Of course, the first task is to throw out anything you no longer need. Once you’ve done that, you’ll have more space to play with, and you can start categorizing the items that are left, arranging them however you want them. Often it can be useful to invest in storage boxes or large tool chests with drawers to help keep things safe, and don’t forget the walls – shelving is always useful.

Play Online Games  

Can’t ride? Then search online for some games to play. Playing online games will take your mind off not being about to get outside, and they are also a great way to relax if you’re feeling stressed or unwell for any reason. There are thousands of games to choose from, including motorcycle simulators. There are also adventure games, casino games such as sports games, and puzzles. No matter what you enjoy, there will be a game or genre of the game available to try.

What’s great about online games is that you can still play even when you can go out and about on your bike again. Of course, not while riding, that would not be safe, but when you need a break from the road, the games on your phone can be ideal entertainment.

article supplied

• 80,000 attendees over the three days with participants from 84 countries and over 6 million impressions on social media for an event that involved fans from all over the world
• The record-breaking parade of motorbikes coloured the Misano circuit and the entire Riviera Romagnola
• Pecco Bagnaia triumphs in the Lenovo Race of Champions on the Panigale V4 S in special livery after having also set the fastest lap in 1m35.886s
• Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO: "World Ducati Week celebrates the deepest soul of Ducati: we don't sell motorcycles, but we design experiences and emotions for our fans"

Misano Adriatico/Borgo Panigale, Italy, 25 July 2022 - The eleventh edition of the World Ducati Week, which after a four-year absence returned to bring together Ducatisti and fans of the world of two wheels for three days of passion, fun and unforgettable experiences at Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, has officially come to an end.

The passion for the brand and the desire to be present at the great Ducati gathering attracted many fans to Misano who, despite the difficulties in moving around and travelling that still characterize today's scenario, as well as the pandemic and the extraordinarily hot temperatures of this period, crowded the paddock reaching 80,000 visitors over the three days.
The participants came from 84 countries, demonstrating the global dimension of Ducati and the appeal that the brand has on motorcyclists all over the world.

The main protagonists of the three days were the 235 Ducati Official Clubs present at the event, which animated the area of ​​the International Village dedicated to them together with all the Ducati subsidiaries.

The success of World Ducati Week was also digital: in the three days of the event, over 6 million impressions were generated on Ducati's social media channels.

"At World Ducati Week we can experience the celebration of Ducati's deepest soul: we do not merely sell motorcycles but we design experiences and emotions with bikes at the centre for our fans - declared Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO -  We all wanted to go back to being together with the Ducatisti and they arrived in massive numbers, as usual, from all over the world, even though we are still in the presence of travel restrictions and therefore we were not able to welcome anyone from China for example. Once again we were able to touch the great passion for Ducati and the desire to meet again, the happiness of the Ducatisti to be with us in Misano, the courtesy and kindness of everyone. The big parade on Friday, the crazy Lenovo Race of Champions, the Rustida on the pit straight, the greetings of the riders at the Misano stadium, the musical evenings, a fireworks show in time with the music that really impressed and excited me are just some of the moments that will remain in the memory of each person who came to this 2022 edition. I want to thank all the participants but also all the staff made up mainly of Ducati employees who, as usual, were present in great strength and worked hard to make this incredible experience possible. Thanks also to all of Ducati Corse and in particular to the riders, the heroes of the WDW, who, as usual, were available and close to all the fans, and who gave us a unique show in the world like the Lenovo Race of Champions.”

The most keenly awaited moment was certainly the Lenovo Race of Champions starring 21 Ducati riders competing in the MotoGP, Superbike and Supersport championships, who fought it out on standard Panigale V4 S and Panigale V2 bikes, equipped only with slick tyres and racing exhausts. A unique show that only Ducati can offer its fans, which saw Pecco Bagnaia triumph after also setting the fastest lap in 1m35.886s, only 2 and a half seconds more than the time from this year's Superbike pole position at Misano. Federico Caricasulo instead took the victory in the Panigale V2 category.

Many fans followed the race from the Misano stands, giving rise to some extraordinary cheering. They were joined by tens of thousands of spectators who connected from home to the live streaming on the Ducati website. But not only that: as many as 9 international televisions and online streaming services broadcast the race live in their schedule, making the Lenovo Race of Champions a truly international event. In Italy, the race was broadcast on the Sky Sport MotoGP channel with the commentary of Guido Meda and Mauro Sanchini and the contribution of Sandro Donato Grosso from the starting grid.

The autographed motorcycles of the Lenovo Race of Champions, unique pieces in racing configuration, characterized by the riders' liveries and the triple clamp bearing a lasered logo of the rider's name, will be on sale online for a selection of Ducati’s best and most enthusiastic customers globally, who will be able to access a timed online sale, before the possibility of purchase is open to everyone. The e-commerce site dedicated to this special project was created in collaboration with Drop E-business & love, one of the leading operators in the supply of e-business services.

Enormous success also for FantaWDW, which allowed the fans to have fun creating their own team of riders on which to make a prediction of victory for the Lenovo Race of Champions. In all, there were more than 18,000 accesses to the web-app in the three days.

The parade of Ducatisti on Friday evening will remain as one of the most memorable moments of this eleventh edition of the WDW. The biggest parade ever saw a massive number of bikes that first filled the circuit and then paraded along the coast before arriving in Riccione, where the Scrambler Beach Party was held to the music of Benny Benassi. At the head of the ‘Big Red Snake’ was Claudio Domenicali with MotoGP and Superbike riders, the authorities and Ducati management.

On Saturday evening, however, the pit straight of the Misano circuit was transformed to welcome the Rustida typical BBQ, this year enriched by a special recipe created by Chef Riccardo Monco of the three-star Michelin restaurant Enoteca Pinchiorri. Immediately after, on the large stage set up for the occasion in the Santamonica Municipal Stadium in Misano, all the riders who took part in the WDW greeted the fans, excitedly telling how they experienced the Lenovo Race of Champions and what it means for them to be true Ducatisti. The evening ended with a DJ set from Meduza and an incredible fireworks display to the sound of music that left everyone amazed.

Ducati is pleased to confirm that part of the contribution requested from participants for the use of the gear and helmet deposit inside the paddock will be donated to the Casa delle Donne of Bologna, a women's association and an anti-violence centre committed to combating all forms of gender-based violence, promoting activities related to cultural change, awareness raising and prevention of the phenomenon of violence against women and children.

Here are the numbers of World Ducati Week 2022:
- 5,805 laps of the track covered in total by motorcycles and cars over the three days
- 51,000 photos taken by staff photographers and 60 hours of video footage
- 84 nations represented by the participants
- 235 Ducati Official Clubs present
- 30 the number of world titles of the past and current riders who took part in the WDW
- 15 Panigale V4 S and 6 Panigale V2 made in special livery
- 33 minutes the time it took the snake of Ducati motorcycles to exit the Misano World Circuit "Marco         Simoncelli" to form the motorcycle parade for Riccione
- 1,244 experiences lived by Ducatisti in three days on the track, off-road and on the road
- 600 simulator tests on the Panigale V4 R and Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary
- 4,320 leathers tested with virtual try-on
- 45 Ducati Talks spread out over 5 stages
- 102 “mechanics graduates” participants at Monta Smonta
- 1 wedding celebrated by Paolo Ciabatti and 1 wedding vows made at WDW2022
- 22 hours of music between DJ sets and live shows in the paddock and at evening events
- 548 Ducati workers actively participated in the event
- 9 international television and online streaming services broadcast the Lenovo Race of Champions live on their schedule
- 56 are the Ducati directors and managers from Borgo Panigale and Ducati subsidiaries around the world who served and cooked during the Rustida (typical BBQ)

The digital numbers of World Ducati Week 2022:
- 552,000 page views on the Ducati website page dedicated to WDW since the opening of ticket sales
- Over 6 million impressions on Ducati social media
- Over 18,000 accesses to the FantaWDW web-app in the three days of the event
- More than 150,000 viewers connected to the live-streaming of the Lenovo Race of Champions on Ducati's YouTube channel and MotoGP Facebook page