Johnstown, OH (2 May 2010) - Lloyd Brothers Motorsports, Inc. is excited to have taken its first ever Grand National Flat Track victory in Saturday's Yavapai Downs Mile. Saturday's Ducati victory 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.

In the season opening round- and Ducati's third ever attempt at winning a modern era Grand National- Joe Kopp proved that a modern production engine can win a Grand National Flat Track race. The Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Ducati Flat Track Project began only a year ago, when Ducati Superbike rider Larry Pegram approached friends and flat track team co-owners David and Michael Lloyd about the potential of Ducati's air-cooled engine as an ideal flat track platform.

Pegram Racing and Lloyd Brothers Motorsports joined forces to build a stock-framed dirt track bike from a Ducati Sport. After a quick shakedown by Pegram the bike entered the 2009 Springfield Mile, where it immediately proved a formidable opponent to the dominant Harley-Davidsons qualifying for the 18 rider main event directly from the heat race. It has been close to 50 years since a stock framed motorcycle qualified for a Grand National Twins Mile main event.

After a summer of modifications- including the addition a custom VMC racing chassis- Pegram entered the Indy Mile and missed the main event by one position in the semi qualifier after recovering from a 120 mph low-side crash while in qualifying position in the heat race.

Incorporating everything learned over the 2009 season, the bike now races in its third generation of development. In Saturday's 2010 season opener rider Joe Kopp took the lead at the start and ran a fantastic race, only facing competition from Sammy Halbert, whom he drafted past on the final lap to take the checkered flag by .025 seconds.

Saturday's race was also a significant event as the Ducati upset the might of Harley-Davidson on the Mile, something no other manufacturer has been able to do for 17 years. The next race for the ENI USA R&M (which produces and markets Agip lubricants) / Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Ducati entry will be the famed Springfield Mile on May 30; featuring a cameo by Larry Pegram on a second bike alongside Joe Kopp.