Ducati won its first ever Grand National Flat Track victory in Saturday’s Yavapai Downs Mile. Joe Kopp’s victory aboard a stock-framed dirt track bike built from a Sport 1000 by Ducati Superbike rider Larry Pegram and partner David Lloyd marks the first time that a readily available production engine has won a Grand National Twins race in 29 years. Limited production, flat track race-only Honda RS750 and Harley-Davidson XR750s have won every Twins National since 1981.Kopp’s win on the Ducati is a major upset, as XT750s have owned the flat track mile podium for the last 17 years.
The Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Ducati team will be in action again at the famed Springfield Mile on May 30; featuring a cameo by Larry Pegram on a second bike alongside Joe Kopp.