As Ducati starts production of its latest Superbike, the 1199 Panigale, it also prepares to mark the 40th anniversary of Paul Smart’s 1972 victory in the Imola 200. 

The famous race win, and second place by teammate Bruno Spaggiari, literally kick-started Ducati’s participation in production-derived racing by proving Engineer Fabio Taglioni’s innovative 90° L-twin engine configuration and Desmodromic valve control.
 
The Imola 200 victory was to be the start of many more international race wins using Taglioni’s original design, including Mike Hailwood’s® win in the 1978 Tourist Trophy with a Ducati 900, the titles won by Tony Rutter and the 600 TT2 Pantah from 1981 to 1983 and the championships won by Virginio Ferrari and Marco Lucchinelli with the 750 F1 in addition to the Battle of the Twins in Daytona in 1986. From 1988 onwards, Ducati’s World Superbike supremacy ran throughout the 851, 888, 916, 996, 998, 999, 1098 and 1198 model generations, enabling Ducati to achieve an incredible 17 Manufacturers’ and 14 Riders’ titles and over 300 World Superbike wins.
 
Ducati.com now celebrates this important anniversary, retracing the events that led Fabio Taglioni to produce the original race bike design based on the 750GT road machine and its arrival on the starting grid at Imola with Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari. Proving to be more than a match for the man who was then considered to be the greatest racer of all time, Giacomo Agostini on his MV, the result not only returned Ducati to the forefront of national attention, previously only enjoyed during the Motogiro d’Italia days of the 1950s, but also to motorcyclists all around the world.
 
The Italian manufacturer is set to organise a Ducati Vintage Contest and special display dedicated to the historic Imola 200 race and 40 years of success with Ducati L-twin engines at the World Ducati Week (WDW) event, at Misano 21-24 June 2012, with Paul Smart himself in attendance.
 
For further information about the history of the Imola 200 as well as more details about World Ducati Week 2012, visit the WDW2012 and Heritage sections of www.Ducati.com 

Exciting young Northern Ireland rider Lee Johnston will make his Mountain Circuit debut in June when he competes in the 2012 Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy.

The former National Superstock 600cc Champion will contest the Dainese Superbike, Royal London 360 Superstock and PokerStars Senior TT races on a 1000cc Honda Fireblade for East Coast Racing. Moving to the 1000cc category for the first time in his career, Johnston’s appearance adds further spice to the entry list and reaffirms the status, and appeal, that the races hold once more.

Affectionately known as ‘The General’, the Maguiresbridge rider shot to stardom when he dominated the inaugural National Superstock 600cc Championship in 2008, finishing on the podium in 10 of the 12 rounds, also winning the race at Knockhill. He scored points in every round, never finishing lower than 7th, as he ran out eventual Champion by a commanding 41 points.

He made his real road-racing debut in 2008, contesting both of the Supersport races at the North West 200. Despite only being 19 at the time, Johnston made a major impression as he took 11th and 18th in the two races, defeating a number of more experienced riders including Adrian Archibald, Chris Palmer and Mats Nilsson.

On the back of winning the Superstock crown, Johnston moved up to the British Supersport 600cc Championship where he has ridden for the last three seasons. 2009 saw him finish 12th overall with three 5th place finishes for Raceways Yamaha and a year later he took 13th, aided by four top-ten finishes for Gearlink Kawasaki and Oxford TAG Triumph.

Last season saw him join East Coast Racing where he was teammate to TT winner Gary Johnson on Honda machinery and the season got off to a brilliant start with 4th and 6th at the opening round. He was a consistent top 8 finisher for the first two thirds of the season, taking four top-six finishes in total before the team withdrew from the championship.

He also made his return to the public roads where, despite the inclement weather, he took a superb 9th place in the solitary Supersport race held at the North West 200, just one tenth of a second behind Guy Martin.

Now 23, Johnston is eagerly looking forward to his TT debut in June and commented:
“I’ve already been over to the Isle of Man and done a good recce of the course with the rider liaison officers which has really whetted my appetite but I can’t wait to get on the track for real at the end of May. Coming from Northern Ireland, TT has always been on my radar and I’m delighted to be getting the chance to race on this iconic course.

”Paul Phillips, TT and Motorsport Manager, Isle of Man Government commented:
“Lee already has a proven road racing and circuits CV and he looks like he’s going to be a star on the Isle of Man for many years to come. It’s great to see another leading circuit rider committing to road racing and he typifies the breed of talented young riders that are now opting for the roads.”

The Honda TT Legends team has signed an agreement with Motul, Europe’s leading motorcycle lubricants company. Motul will support the team as it contests the World Endurance Championship, the Isle of Man TT and the Northwest 200 aboard the 20th anniversary Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade. 
 
The team will use the lubricant specialist’s Motul 300V Racing Kit Oil, which has been specifically developed for the Fireblade in conjunction with Honda Racing Corporation and uses new Ester technology for maximum power output and engine performance.  
 
Motul already has significant links with the endurance championship through its support of other leading teams and uses the demanding discipline for extensive research and product development. The company also acts as the official lubricant supplier for the Isle of Man TT and, having crowned over 50 world champion titles, is hoping to add a TT victory to its list of triumphs. 
  
The Honda TT Legends rider line-up of John McGuinness, Cameron Donald, Gary Johnson and Simon Andrews will compete in EWC, while McGuinness and Andrews will form a two-man squad for the TT and the NW200. 
  
Neil Tuxworth, Honda TT Legends team manager
 
We are really pleased to announce the agreement with Motul. The company has valuable expertise in EWC, so this is an ideal collaboration as the team enters its all-important second year of competition. As an official partner at the TT, Motul is also ideally placed to support the team on the Isle of Man. We are looking forward to seeing the results of the relationship.
 
Hervé Amelot, Motul managing director
 
We are delighted to reinforce our links with motorcycling through our support of Honda Motor Europe’s endurance and road racing programme. The Honda TT Legends team has assembled an excellent rider line-up for 2012 and, in light of our role as official lubricant supplier to the Isle of Man TT, what better line-up is there to be involved with than the fastest man around that course and the 2011 fastest newcomer? 

The re-introduction of the Lightweight TT into the 2012 Isle of Man TT Races, this time under the guise of Supertwin machines, has seen an excellent response with over 60 entries submitted as entries closed. As well as being high in quantity, the race is also set to be high in quality with six former TT race winners in the line-up.

KMR Kawasaki’s Ryan Farquhar is an early favourite for honours, given his track record and the fact he’s been a major flag bearer of the class. He will be bidding for TT win number three but can expect tough opposition from a number of riders, not least his new team-mate Michael Rutter. In another terrific coup for the race, the Midlands based Rutter, a double TT winner himself, will ride a Farquhar-prepared ER6 Kawasaki. This will be his only appearance in the Supertwin class in 2012, and he will certainly be a potential race winner.

Another early contender for the race win will be Northern Ireland favourite Michael Dunlop. Winner of the 2011 Royal London 360 Superstock Race, Michael Dunlop has announced he too will contest the new 3-lap race on an ER6 while brother William, who will be chasing his first TT podium, has also entered with an ER6.

Cameron Donald and Ian Lougher are two more TT winners who have confirmed their entry in the class on the Kawasaki machines, the Australian riding for the DP Coldplaning team and the veteran Welshman in the colours of Stewart Smith Racing.

Indeed, the Kawasaki is the most popular choice of machine with James Hillier riding another bike prepared by Farquhar although he will run it in his regular Bournemouth Pr1mo Kawasaki livery. Last year’s fastest newcomer, Simon Andrews, 3 times TT winner Adrian Archibald and Irish road race aces John Burrows and Davy Morgan can also be expected to feature on the leaderboard on their ER6 bikes.

Although Kawasaki’s dominate the entry, Suzuki will have a strong presence with their hopes resting with Dan Kneen and Ben Wylie. The young duo not only have a great chance of spoiling Kawasaki’s hopes, but also claiming their first TT podium in Friday’s 3-lap race.

Meanwhile, a number of leading privateers have, as hoped, embraced the new class with Ian Mackman, Ian Pattinson, Paul Shoesmith, Russ Mountford, Rob Barber, Stephen Thompson, Dean Harrison and the returning Olie Linsdell all entering. TT Rider Liaison Officer John Barton will also contest the race whilst newcomer Jamie Hamilton will be the third orange and black KMR Kawasaki lining up on Glencrutchery Road. Winner of the corresponding race at last year’s Manx Grand Prix, Dave Moffit, is also amongst the entry.

Paul Phillips, TT and Motorsport Development Manager, Isle of Man Government commented:

“We’re really pleased with the quality of the line-up, which is exactly what we’d hoped for when we announced the race. We’ve had great response from teams and riders and this race already looks like being one of the highlights of this year’s event.”

Ken Sharpe, of York has started an e-petition to help stop VAT on Air Ambulance Fuel bills

When attending a fund raiser in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity last summer, it was brought to his attention that all 18 air ambulances in the UK have to pay VAT on their fuel bills unlike the RNLI who get an exemption. Here is a charity that is giving an essential free service and they have to pay vat on their fuel bills - the biggest cost to them after buying the helicopter!

Amazed that this was the case, he started to research the issue and found that it would require a change in the VAT rules as these are governed by the EU. His local MEP, suggested that as finance budgets were being debated in Brussels he should try and get the government to request the exemption for Air Ambulance charities. His letter to the treasury fell on deaf ears.
 
However Ken persevered and once again contacted his MP and asked him to table an Early Day Motion EDM 2709, which happened on the 9th February, 2012. By the 10th February this had been signed by 14 MP's from across all parties.

An e-petition went live on the 10th of February, 2012 and in that time has had over 13,000 signatures, however for the government to make time for a full debate on the issue, it needs 100,000 signatures... As Ken says "Then hopefully common sense will prevail and something will be done to change this ridiculous situation".
 
See and sign the e-petition here: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29349

For more details on the campaign or to talk to Ken Sharpe please contact him - [email protected]