Ducati North America has announced that the HMC Ducati racing team will add rider Andreas Meklau beginning with the Sears Point race this weekend. Meklau is a former WSB racer, and he arrives with his long-time sponsor, Remus, the world’s largest producer of racing exhaust systems. Remus is also added as one of HMC’s major sponsors.
HMC team owner, Mitch Hansen, made it clear that Meklau was not replacing Scott Russell. Russell’s place on the team remains, and a bike will be provided to him should he return this season.
Rider Steve Rapp remains on the HMC team. Anthony “Slick” Bass, former mechanic to four-time World Champion Carl Fogarty, continues with the HMC team. Bass was Russell’s Chief Mechanic, and, until Russell’s possible return, Bass will be Chief Technician to Steve Rapp.
Factory sponsored Ducati riders in the AMA Superbike series have included former World Champions Scott Russell and John Kocinski, as well as former WSB star Aaron Slight. All of these riders (either through injuries or retirement) have left the Ducati teams in the past several months (HMC and Competition Accessories), leaving the factory to scramble somewhat. The second team, Competition Accessories, currently has only one rider, following the retirement of Slight.
