World Ducati Week is shaping up to be a massive event yet again, with the 2010 event running between June 10 and 13 at Misano in Italy.
One of the draw-card events will take place on June 12, the Saturday night of the four-day festival, with MotoGP and World Superbike riders going head-to-head in a drag race. Expect fireworks...
The world's best motorcycle racers will line up at the Misano race track's start/finish line, all of whom will be riding Ducati Streetfighters in a motor racing celebrity dragway race expected to garner massive crowds.
And the riders? Where we do we start... Australia's own MotoGP world champion, Casey Stoner, will be vying for bragging rights with teammate Nicky Hayden and another Aussie Troy Bayliss.
The knockout challenge will also include Michel Fabrizio and Noriyuki Haga, who ride for the Ducati Xerox Superbike Team, and Ducati has a number of "guest stars" in the form of Carlos Checa, Shane Byrne and Franco Battaini.
Now in its sixth year, the 2010 World Ducati Week has been dubbed "The Red Planet Returns" and the Italian motorcycle company says that details for the event are being finalised as we type.
Held primarily at the Misano race track near the Emilila Romagna riviera region in Italy, Ducati is expecting tens of thousands of Ducatista to rock up to the shindig, which includes the following events:
- Ducati Garage Contest: Bike-builders, customisers and tuners will 'duke' it out to see who has the best modified machine on the day. Expect eye candy galore with crazy trellis frames and wild single-sided swingarm designs. The 10 best bikes will be on display the entire week long event.
- Test Rides: The entire 2010 Ducati range will be available for "anyone" who has tickets to the event to test ride. We like that one.
- Ducati Vintage Contest: An historic event where any visitors can display their classic Ducati motorcycles in two categories: the single-cylinders between 1946 and 1978, twin-cylinders between 1971 and 1990. The owner of the most impressively restored motorcycle will be crowned "King" or "Queen" of the Red Planet.
- Ducati Desmo Challenge: A special round of the championship will be held on the Misano race track for all Elte license-holders. Several races will be held between Friday and Sunday.
- The Red Plant Returns: According to the press release, this event will "present some big screen action with a genuine cinematic spaceship ready to transport everyone to an incredible selection of movie thrills in pure Ducati style." It's basically non-stop screenings of the best Desmo scenes from the world of cinema.
- Bike Wash: An extremely popular and "relaxing" element of World Ducati Week, this area features an "unexpected source of entertainment" thanks to busy Playboy bunnies.
If you've interested in going to Italy to attend the World Ducati Week, tickets can be found at WDW2010.Ducati.com. The website also includes programme details and that sort of thing.