P.Smart & Ducati [nice story & win]

MEETING THE NEW DUCATI FOR THE FIRST TIME

I got on the airplane tired, having just finished a race at Atlanta in
the USA. I was not real happy as I had the long trip ahead of me to
Imola for a race that my wife had committed me to. I was not at all
sure that I wanted to go.

Arriving in Italy, I was surprised to be picked up at the airport by a
big car. You know the ones with the curtains in the windows, the car of
the Directtore or something. That my initial attitude was negative is
an understatement, you see I was totally prepared to find that my
"ride" for the race was another old bike, patched together for the
weekend.

I went straight from the airport to Modena race track, and was greeted
by a great mass of mechanics and race personnel in their blue overalls.
I certainly got the message that something important was going on.
Franco Farné who was heading-up the race department spoke a little
English, and thank goodness there was Angela, his English speaking
South African secretary. From them, I got the feeling that they were
anticipating something very important in the works.

We went straight to the practice circuit in Modena, which was right in
the middle of town. The circuit was also an airport, with airplanes
parked along the sides of the track. This is the same place they used
to hold a round of the Italian Championship. The track was completely
surrounded by apartment blocks, and add all of the airplanes lining the
circuit it was very easy to be totally distracted. I hadn't been in
Italy for a day, yet by midday I was at the Modena track, ready to test
a brand new motorcycle, with the entire team and management looking on.
The Imola 200 was only days away and we were desperately short of time.


The first time I saw the bike was at the track. I thought, "This
thing is so long its never going to go round a corner...and it's got
a hinge in the middle". You get preconceived ideas just looking at a
bike. I had just gotten off one of the most evil handling motorcycles
in the world, and this new Ducati made me think that I was stepping
back in time. A four-stroke twin?

So I just went out and did 10 laps. Right away I could tell the engine
was the story. Ducati had obviously been working hard and put a lot of
effort into it. It just felt slow revving, like it fired every lamp
post (well it wasn't slow, it just felt it) but still quick enough,
and the chassis seemed to work fine.

After the first 10 laps the only thing I had to criticise was the TT100
street tyres. I wanted Dunlop race tyres, but the mechanics were sure
they wouldn't last for the 200 miles of Imola, but I kept insisting
that they were changed before we went to Imola. We made a few minor
adjustments - footrests, handlebars and the like and in 20 minutes I
went back out. I did about ten more laps and headed back to the
paddock. Remember, I was really tired and my mood poor, and when I came
into the pits I was ready to criticise and rip the bike to bits, but as
I came in to the pits I knew something was up. The whole team was
jumping up and down, clapping and patting me on the back. It seems I
had just broken the world Champion Agostini's lap record -- on street
tyres! And of course standing there was Ingenere Taglioni. He always
had a smile on his face and was constantly talking to you, asking
questions, analysing the situation. I will always remember that broad
smile.

The bike had only just been produced, created from bits and pieces from
the GT models that had just been introduced. My feeling was that it was
unlikely that such and unproven thing could finish a 200 mile race. The
bike was a lot quicker than I expected 84bhp to be and it didn't lose
power when it got hot during the race like the two strokes I had been
riding. It made really tractable power and allowed me to be more
aggressive with the throttle. All this was a surprise to me and the new
Ducati was much easier to ride and more powerful than the Triumph I had
ridden the year before.

There wasn't much more to do, Ducati had it all pretty well sorted.
The biggest hassle was the tyres, they just wouldn't listen; so I
just insisted, if we were down to the carcass at the end of the race,
we would deal with it then.

THE IMOLA 200
The race was the biggest thing in Italy. Dr. Costa's grand event, and
he really wanted every Italian manufacturer there, and all the top
riders. No excuses accepted, he wanted them all there. Arriving at the
track I knew a few people -- Agostini, the English riders and a couple
others who were all surprised to see me there. The secrecy in the
Ducati pits, Taglione's smile and my presence occupied everyone's
thoughts. Something was up at Ducati. All the top names and teams were
on hand. Agostini with his world beating MV Agusta, Villa on a very
strong Triumph, Jack Findlay on a really trick Moto Guzzi, Saarinen on
his Yamaha, Peter Williams and I think Croxford on the Nortons plus the
extended Triumph team with Pickford and Jefferies in the saddle. There
were also teams from Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki. A ride on the new
Ducati mounts was offered to a number of top riders, but all declined
to go out on such an unproven thing.

Practice went extremely well, with Bruno Spaggiari my team mate and me
setting most of the fastest laps. Immediately the grumbling started by
the people who had the chance to ride the bikes and chose not to. Much
to their surprise the bikes were up front.

Agostini's plan was to go like stink and win, or until his MV broke.
I think he was on Pole. I am pretty sure he was behind me in practice,
but he was on Pole. He was the World Champion after all, so no one
argued.

I wasn't too fussed or intimidated by the competition or my team mate
Spaggiari, by this time in my career my attitude was that no one was
going to faze me. I didn't care who they were, as long as they were
second.

On race day I couldn't believe how many people there were. The
atmosphere was electric and full of noise like only the Italians can
make. Thousands of people clogged the roadways and it took forever to
get into the circuit. Everywhere you looked were race fans watching
from any vantage point, from rooftops to the tops of trees, everywhere
you looked you saw a mass of faces.

The track is one of my lasting memories. It was a wonderful old style
Grand Prix circuit, which did, and still does run around the hills at
the back of the old town of Imola. The race was run primarily on
closed-off public roads and its layout encourage really high speeds. My
only worry was rain, as the track was lined in many places by steel
Armco barriers and trees, and putting a wheel off could have some
rather unsavoury consequences. The track was a bit damp and I could see
this would be a sprint - no backing-off or cruising for the entire
race. The critical part of the circuit was the Tamburello corner, the
same one where Senna crashed. To win, you would need to go through flat
out and be in the right place for the exit. It took more than skill to
get this turn right, it also took a fair amount of courage or insanity
to get through at race winning speeds. From the bottom of the hill and
through the turn it was full throttle situation and we were pulling
150mph+. These were not slow those bikes, and the tires were absolutely
skinny by today's standards.

Ducati team manager Fredmano Spairani was and incredibly determined man
totally focused on winning. Before the race, to stop any fighting, he
told Spagiari and I, "Listen, you and Bruno are going to be first and
second. I'd just like you two to agree to share the prize money for
first and second when we win." He was so convinced and convincing
that we all agreed. And to top it off, he said if I won, I could keep
my bike.

During the race, there was no pit board, just three batons -- Red for
danger - someone was close, yellow - hold your speed and green - slow
down. We would have to pit for fuel during the race, and again, no
signals. We had a clear stripe down the side of the fuel tank, which
would allow the mechanic to be sure he had filled the tank at the
refuelling stop. Definitely an "analog, no excuses" system.

As we rolled out to the start, all the drama and screaming fans begins
to fade, and by then you're oblivious to the amount of people around
and you're on your own. I was looking at the sky thinking 'oh
Christ its going to rain'. It was a full stop, engine running start.
When the flag dropped Ago's MV shot off, but I was cautious as I
wanted to keep both the clutch and me in one piece. I was very aware
there was a whole field of very hungry competitors just behind me; I
really didn't want to mess it up at the first hairpin.

Bruno and I quickly moved to the front, but I lost first gear very
early on. It always amazed me that Bruno never figured that one out and
blast past me. Again its just possible that without first gear I saved
a couple of gear changes and maybe I couldn't have gone through those
first gear corners any quicker. The biggest problem we had was passing
the back markers as Imola being a fast track and there some slow riders
on some slow bikes out there. Moreover it was a torturous 200 miles and
we were always dodging bikes retiring and running out of fuel. The
attrition rate was pretty high.

We did just one refuel and this was the tensest part of the race and
just to add to the drama, both Spagiari and I came in for fuel at the
same time. It all looked (and was) even more spectacular running
together up front and then pulling into the pits and refuelling
together. Ducati didn't just want to win they wanted the bikes first
and second, in formation for the whole race and even for refuelling.
Ducati wanted it all, and to pull it off would be a magnificent
achievement, (actually it would be a f*#%g miracle).

Spaggiari had come past me during the race but I had gone straight back
past him. He didn't press me again until the last lap when he tried
to ride round the outside of me coming out of the Aqua Minerale
section. At that part of the track we were going completely flat out
and I saw of his front wheel coming alongside, and to communicate my
displeasure I just let it drift wide. I didn't see him after that,
and when I did look back I wondered if he had just gone through the
hedge or something. We were a long way ahead of everyone else. During
the last few laps of the race you could hear the screaming voices of
the fans above the sound of the engines. Really impressive fans.

Bruno and I crossed the finish line first and second, and I think I
relaxed for the first time since boarding the plane Atlanta. The
realization of what you had done really hit when riding the bike back
into pit lane and seeing the faces of the entire race team, especially
Taglioni and Spairani. Total elation. They had gambled and their bet
paid off. The day was also notable for me in another way - you see it
was also my birthday. A really good birthday.

AFTER THE RACE
They really made a big fuss about Bruno, me and Ducati in Italy. They
put our bikes in this big glass-sided truck and us on the top and that
evening we had a grand tour around Bologna in a long procession of cars
honking their horns and waving flags. We stopped for what was to be
minute outside the railway station, but thousands and thousands of
people surrounded us and we just joined in the party. I was still in my
leathers and so tired and jet lagged, but there was no way you were
going to get any sleep at this party. It seemed and entire city came
out to celebrate this glory for Ducati, Bologna and Italy.

The next day Spairani reminded me that I would get to keep the bike,
subject to me racing at some international meetings in the UK. The
Ducati 750 and I went on to win the Hutchinson 100 at Brands Hatch
besting the then dominant Phil Read.

With the Imola 200 mile race and subsequent races I developed a real
affinity for the bike. It was quick and it just didn't do anything
wrong. If I could find a fault it would be ground clearance, but my
'hanging-off' riding style didn't allow it to become a big
problem. I still own the bike and have lent it to the Ducati factory
where it sits proudly in the Ducati Museum in Bologna, Italy.

Paul Smart

CHEERS [Its of course reborn in 06']

 

Put friggin'

Spoiler

in the header next time!

--
Clem
"Great Northern Pansy" -- Sharkey.


"" <> copy-and-pasted;

.....Bruno and I crossed the finish line first and second.....

 

You RACED? in ATLANTA???
---
Cheers

PeterC [aka MildThing]
'81 Suzuki GS450-s (gone on to better and brighter things - I hope)
'87 BMW K100RT (write-off)
'81 Yamaha Virago (XV) 750H (work in progress)
'01 Yamaha FJR1300

www.dmcsc.org.au
http://eladesom.com.au/ulysses/
# 37181

 

Ducati: "three times the price for half the performance"