VOL. 52 ISSUE 32 AUGUST 11, 2015 P45
twice at Auburn at the North Vs.
South Civil war. This time Jan-
niro, off of a chosen gate two,
was first out of turn two and Fox
could not get close enough to
mount a serious challenge so
he settled for second. Ruml
came home third, with Venegas
fourth.
Series-wise, Janniro has a
nine-point lead on Ruml with
Nicol 17 points behind. Janniro's
magic number to claim the title
is 13 points at Auburn, a number
he has never failed to achieve
in the three years of the modern
day series.
That said, there is much to
race for at Auburn even if Jan-
niro has one hand on the title.
The top three podium spots are
highly prestigious, but this year
there is an added twist—new
permit rules in British Speedway
mean that the top four in the
series are eligible, if they wish,
to join a British League team
for the 2016 or 2017 season for
up to three years. Also the top
eight in final points are qualified
automatically for the 2016 AMA
National Speedway Series and
will avoid having to go to a quali-
fying round next April in Perris,
California.
Steve Evans
CRUTCHLOW, DUCATI TO REUNITE?
T
here are rumors galore as
the who-goes-where sea-
son gathers momentum. Most
top riders are settled, but the
most toothsome was that Cal
Crutchlow is set to return to
Ducati.
The former World 600 Su-
persport Champion had signed
with the factory team for two
years, starting in 2014, but after
a dire season, he was released
from his contract, and joined
the CWM-sponsored team on a
satellite Honda.
The new sponsor, however,
is under investigation on finan-
cial charges in Britain, and is
thought unlikely to return next
year, and perhaps not even to
finish this season.
Crutchlow would neither con-
firm nor deny the rumor.
"Obviously they're [Ducati]
great friends of mine," Crutchlow
said. "I don't know. I left on great
terms. It's obvious at the mo-
ment I'm speaking to everybody,
could it happen? Of course it
could happen. Will it happen? I
don't know. We'll soon see."
It is not a return to the full fac-
tory squad, rather to the satellite
Pramac team, in place of Yonny
Hernandez.
Second CWM rider Jack
Miller, backed by HRC, is also
expected to move—probably to
the Aspar team, where Nicky
Hayden's continued tenure is in
doubt.
Miller is top Open Honda rider
in his first season after leapfrog-
ging directly from Moto3.
Michael Scott
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
Will Cal Crutchlow return to Ducati?
