HSBK Ducati's Troubling Off-Track Antics

After losing three races in a row to a rider who has been on the cusp of front running all season, HSBK Warhorse Ducati filed a protest against Landers Racing Yamaha, alleging that they were using illegal camshafts and transmission components. MotoAmerica officials found no infraction, and the teams results from Pittsburgh International Raceway will stand. Protests are nothing new in racing, and HSBK Warhorse Ducati were certainly within their rights, but the decision to protest, and force their competitors to expend considerable resources to defend themselves is curious when their rider is leading the championship by over 70 points, and he won Race 2 at Pittsburgh without any drama. The article also reveals that HSBK Warhorse filed a protest against Fresh N Lean Attack Yamaha and Cam Peterson for exceeding track limits at Laguna Seca, where Danilo punted Peterson off-track at the corkscrew, but Peterson held the position by riding through the drainage area. Thankfully, MotoAmerica rejected their appeal and protest, but it the actions of HSBK Warhorse Ducati seem to be part of a much bigger pattern within the Ducati organization and it's affiliates.

Ducati has always been a political organization, and they've never been above lobbying for rules changes, while making political alliances to compromise the underlying integrity of the technical regs, sporting regs, or whatever. Recently, it seems the organization has taken an even more aggressive tack, and they are actively pursuing short term glory, knowing that their actions are harming the sport and undermining its going concern. Maybe, I'm mistaken, or maybe Ducati think four-stroke racing is singing its swan song, and they want to make sure the book closes with Ducati at the top of every championship.