Paddock Gossip

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World Superbike legend Troy Bayliss is to make the journey from his homeland, Australia, to be the guest of honour at the Carol Nash Classic Motorcycle Show at Stafford over the weekend of April 22-23. Although a late starter to the sport by today’s standards, Troy quickly showed his potential by winning his first race aboard a Kawasaki ZXR750. Contesting the Australian Supersport and Superbike Championships troy first came to be noticed during a wildcard ride in the 1997 Australian 250 Grand Prix riding for a Dutch Suzuki team, when he finished a great sixth after having held third place in the race. As a result Bayliss joined GSE Ducati to race in BSB in the UK. In a season beset by crashes and mechanical breakdowns, his first win came at the toughest track in the calendar, Cadwell Park. The following year he won the series for the team. Bayliss started the following season by racing in the USA Superbike series but he was called up by the official Ducati team to replace the injured Carl Fogarty who, ironically, is the only rider in WSB history to amass more wins than Bayliss. From 2001 Bayliss was a full-time member of the factory Ducati team and won the championship for them. He just failed to win the title, beaten by Colin Edwards the following year. After an unsuccessful period in Motogp Bayliss returned to WSB in 2006 and the Ducati team, with whom he took the title once again, and in 2008 he clinched the title once more. Troy will be on stage on both days at the show, sharing stories of his glittering career, and also in the Classic Racer Grand Prix Paddock, were it is hoped there will be some noisy Ducati race bikes to keep him company.