So they supply the bike?
You just need your riding gear?
Yup. Well and a real race license from your country of origin.
What was really amazing about the experience was being part of a group of guys that are trying to grow a sport and brand in a relatively new market. Two guys, both businessmen and passionate about bikes and Ducati found a formula that worked. Ducati Bologna took notice, cause they sent Carlos Checa and Dario Marchette, to help promote the series. I know these guys want to grow it. Will it mean traveling to other tracks in the GCC, or even coming up with a travel team that competes in both the UK and Bahrain, God knows. I can tell you the organizers have no limits in the heads.
I'm actually hoping people State side see the model and try it there.
The other thing about the series was to see different talent from different countries fly in for a day of racing. The talent pool is deep, but regardless of language or culture, bikers are bikers..lol. There was a Brit who was racing BSB and the BSBK at the same time, flying back and forth very month just to race. We had a 57 year old Norwegian, who's day job is an elementary school math teacher. Guy flies in, never having seen the track or an 899 and in the first free practice finishes 5th on the time sheets. I was like ....! He was like " yeah I use to race, kind of..lol" there were Daniah guys, local riders, an Indian rider, (i was the only one technically from the US). The Qataris ruled the roost. They were fast,( i'd be too if I grew up a stone's trow from Losail...lol). But other than killing it on the track, they killed you with kindness. They'd always be there to give out advice, talk to you about technique, or set up.
The series winner, Mishal Al-Niami, #95, destroyed the lap record, that had been standing for years but nearly 4 seconds on a stock 899 with SC2s, (makes me wonder why I go thru so much cash trying to upgrade a 1299...lol.). A very unassuming guy, if you saw his regular track bike you'd be amazed it made it thru scrutinizing at any track. An old CBR 1000 that look like it was dropped from a truck and dragged on it's side to the paddock. But is a great local talent, that has competed all over from Moto 2 to The Spanish endurance racing. But he would if he saw you struggling would jump right off his bike and come to chat about lines and set up. He is a real champion for that.
I hope I recover enough to try it again next year. My goal always will be not to kill myself and not to finish last..lol. The real trophy will be when I'm crusty and old I'll be able to say "I was road racing in my late forties, and fifties....WTF were you doing?".
