Bayliss preview for Vallelunga

by Dave · September 19, 2008

Troy Bayliss heads to Italy hoping to seal a 3rd championship.

Troy Bayliss left Donington Park with a win and a DNF under his belt, and a 101 point lead in the championship. This weekends round may see him seal his 3rd World Superbike title, in his last season before retirement.

The Ducati Xerox Team head for a weekend’s racing at the Vallelunga circuit in Rome, a "home" race, especially for factory rider Michel Fabrizio who was born and raised just a few kilometres from the track. Having already raced at Monza and Misano this season, Vallelunga is the third Italian appointment on the Superbike calendar for the Ducati Xerox riders Troy Bayliss and Michel Fabrizio.

The last round, held at Donington Park, saw Troy and his F08 significantly increase the lead when Troy took the win in a wet Race 1 while, in a rare turn of events, his four closest rivals Corser, Neukirchner, Checa and Haga all crashed out. It is these five riders that all still have a mathematical chance of taking the world title.

Bayliss and Fabrizio have now just three races left – Vallelunga, Magny-Cours and Portimao – before the close of the 2008 World Superbike Championship. There are 150 championship points still to play for and, with Bayliss now holding a 101 point advantage over second-placed rider Corser, this means that the coming weekend is also the first chance that he has to take a third world Superbike title, which would be his first on board the Ducati 1098 F08, a bike that only made it’s track debut this year.

Troy had a great weekend last year at Vallelunga, with a win and a second place finish. A repeat of that performance this year and Troy would walk away with the title.

Troy Bayliss (1st in championship, 359 points)

"It is very strange to think that I only have three races left before I conclude my Superbike career. I’m trying not to think about the fact that I could sew things up at Vallelunga, I’ll just be going out there and giving it my all as I have done every weekend until now and see what happens! Everything went well here last year so I’m hoping to have a similarly successful weekend again this year."