The Hypermotard-engined Ducati flat-tracker that took historic win

This is the Ducati that took a historic and unwelcome win against a field of Harley-engined flat trackers – the first twin-cylinder flat track race in almost two decades that the XR750 Harley has lost.

The race took place at the Arizona Mile in Prescott Valley, Arizona and the rider was Joe Kopp.

According to Ultimate Motorcycling, who know about this sort of thing: “The AMA Pro Grand National Championship is the oldest and most traditional form of motorcycle racing, tracing its roots back to the early 1900s when young daredevils tested each other on county fairground ovals all around the United States.”

So the redder-necked among the onlooking yanks will have a hated wop-motored mongrel stuffing it to the Harleys at their own game.

There are already mutterings of discontent groping after a way of handicapping the Italian twins.

The Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Ducati Flat Track Project began a year ago, when Ducati Superbike rider Larry Pegram approached friend and flat track team co-owner, David Lloyd, regarding the potential of Ducati’s air-cooled engine.

A GT1000-based version showed promise ­- Pegram making it the first standard streetbike-framed bike to qualify for the main event at the Springfield Mile in 45 years.

The promise was finally realised when the bike was revised with the brand new Hypermotard 1100 EVO engine, the torque-laden, flexible motor and its fine throttle metering proving ideal for flat track.