At last year’s Daytona 200, Jake Zemke came away with a Rolex Daytona Chronograph and very nearly an unexpected victory. Riding the underfinanced Project 1 Atlanta Yamaha R6, Zemke led 25 laps and made a strong run to the stripe, finishing third, .155 of a second behind Jason DiSalvo.
The team disbanded soon afterwards and Zemke, for the first time since the ‘90s, was left without a ride. Facing the possibility of a second season away from the racetrack, Zemke was given a lifeline early in February by Ducshop, a Ducati dealership in Marietta, Georgia, with a long history of racing success.
The Ducshop team is privately financed by a group of enthusiasts, all of whom ride and many of whom race. When Zemke first tested the Ducshop Ducati 848 at Jennings GP in north Florida, three of the team principals, Mark Sutton, Tim Robinson, and Rod Snyder, were also on track.
“Most teams I’ve been on have been supported by manufacturers and things like that,” Zemke said. “Whereas this team is supported by enthusiasts. It’s a little bit different. Everybody rides.”
For the complete interview, see this week’s issue of Cycle News at the following link:
http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20120306#pg73