. Updates on Ben ............................ |
. According to Me |
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I'm not the most thorough at getting every single detail down, but this history could very well be useful to someone on this planet. |
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September 30, 2025 It's the last race of the season at Imola. Ben rides well and gets two fourth places. Although that's not bad, you know he wanted to win, so he's not happy about his results. He finishes the season third overall, which is fantastic for his second year out. Plenty of seasoned WSB riders have never even made it this high in the rankings. September 9, 2025 Ben does dry. He doesn't do rain. Or sprinkles. Or dryness plagued with thoughts of sprinkles. Ben finishes 11th in both races at Assen, where the weather remained unsettled the entire weekend. The good news? Troy B clinches the 2001 title. Kudos to the Aussie who once painted cars for a living. September 2, 2025 Well, you go away for a month and somehow your underachieving teammate gets a fire lit under his ass. Still, Ben didn't do poorly with his third and fourth place finishes. And the double-pass on Corser and Yanagawa? Inspired! Last year Ben did poorly at Oschersleben, but this year he continues to show the folks how his solid riding is no fluke. July 29, 2025 A Bostrom double-rostrum at Brands Hatch...who'da thunk? Seeing how his best finish was 10th last year (out of four races), it's incredible that he not only podiumed, but topped both races. For some reason, Speedvision couldn't get the video feed on Sunday so I'm still waiting to see the race. Of tremendous interest to me is the "snogging" that took place at the end of race two. What's "snogging," ask my fellow Americans? Errr, think of one person trying to read braille on another person's molars. July 8, 2025 If ever there was a time to be a jingoistic American, this is it. Ben takes both races at Laguna Seca, California. Eric holds his own in a world-class field by finishing fifth in both races. Can we attribute Ben's win to his fiery love for the new woman? Well, I think it's more owed to the "prisoner" haircut he now sports (does it not scream of "I am incarcerated and lice is a problem in this penal institution"?). I think he rode like a madman to get away from that skinhead 'do. Regardless of his motivation, the racing was inspired. Well done, Benjamin. June 24, 2025 San Marino, Italy hosts the next WSB race. In race 1, Ben leads for most of the race only to have the lead taken near the end of the race by Bayliss. Ben must resist hitting Troy with his helmet and settle for second. In race 2, Ben smokes the pack at the start of the race and quickly gains a sizeable lead. Then due to a rider down on the track, a red flag comes out and the race is stopped. In the restart, Ben rockets to the lead again. This time, however, Hodgson comes with him and Ben spends the race fighting with Hodgson. As Ben builds a tiny lead of two seconds or so, Hodgson's rear tire chunks on him so he has to limp his way around the track. This allows Ben to take the race by about eight seconds over Bayliss. San Marino is the same track at which Ben garnered his first podium finish outside of the U.S. According to Ben, he does well at San Marino because the track "goes left." As a former dirt tracker, Ben first learned to race turning left only. June 10, 2025 Place: Lausitzring, Germany. Ben gets 11th in the first race, which is dry. In the second race, which is wet, he ends up in 20th. I think Bayliss about scared the crap out of himself when he came up on Ben near the end of the race. Troy kind of blew an apex as he was approaching Ben...probably couldn't believe what he was seeing and thought maybe he got squeezed through some track-side black hole by accident. Advice: Ben, you know how the old-school football coaches tell their players not to "get some" before the night of a big game because it weakens the legs? Might want to see if that advice has any merit. Couldn't hurt. May 27, 2025 Although he has pain in his knee and shoulder, Ben finishes 6th in the first race and 4th in the second race. Very good for a gimp. More importantly, it's my mother's birthday today and I've yet to call her. She will not want to hear that I was busy watching Ben on Speedvision and forgot to call her. May 13, 2025 Ben crashes out of the first race at Monza and dislocates his shoulder. He misses the second race. I'm convinced too much birthday cake threw everything out of balance. May 7, 2025 Ben turns 27 today. Today was his day to eat so much cake they'd have to change the sag setting on his bike. Hey Ben, take it from someone who knows: you're only going to get older from hereon out. April 29, 2025 Ben gets a 9th in race 1 and a 4th in race 2 at Sugo. Fourth is rather auspicious when you consider the fact that the first three places were taken by Japanese riders who have had a great deal more time on that particular track. This is Ben's last WSB race as a 26-year-old. When the next race rolls around, he'll be an advanced 27. April 22, 2025 Driving rains make Phillip Island an unpleasant place to be on this particular Sunday (not that my pain compared to the racers', but it also sucked to watch since many of the shots were through water-streaked lenses). Ben crashes in the final lap of the first race. Fifteen riders finished the race while 18 "retired." The second race is canceled. I know San Diego was gorgeous. Why don't they have a Superbike race here? April 18, 2025 Somewhere in the vicinity of this date, Ben goes climbing in Australia. He and a climbing mate strand themselves on the climb overnight. From AMAsuperbike.com: "There were these rat-like things crawling over us in the dark. We couldn't see anything so we just had to sit there and wait for the morning light." Those "rat-like things" are an Australian native animal called a "Bilby" which is like a miniscule kangaroo and are on the endangered species list. When informed of this, both men were quick to agree. "For sure they are, as we were throwing 'em off the cliff." April 1, 2025 Ben takes fourth in race 1 and first in race 2. His time of 1:42.928 on the tenth lap in the second race eclipses Colin Edwards� race record. It's Ben's first first-place finish as a WSB racer (two years ago he finished first in Laguna Seca as a wildcard). There appears to be no sophomore jinx going on here. I credit his success to me. In China, where I'm not from, we rub Buddha's big stomach for good luck. Can anybody prove it's not me making Ben win via Buddha belly rubs? Or maybe it's the HAG... March 31, 2025 Ben takes Superpole at Kyalami with a time of 1:41.689. It's his first ever WSB Superpole. Superpole comes from the term "pole position," which is the front position on the starting grid in motor races. Now what the front position has to do with a pole is a mystery to me. Explanations accepted here. March 26, 2025 I made my debut on the official Ben Bostrom site. Go there and click on News. Unless I fall over and hit my head or otherwise incapacitate myself, I should be contributing something weekly. Never mind the fact that I already have a full-time job that drains me. Life is too short to live it comfortably. March 22, 2025 Eric is in Italy visiting Ben. Eric brings some plague with him from the states. Ben takes extra vitamins in the futile hopes of ridding himself of the plague. Problem is, Ben doesn't realize he has hoof-in-mouth disease, not a generic cold or flu. Note to Ben: Putting duct tape over the sores will do no good. Find a good veterinarian and stop partying with the livestock. March 12, 2025 First race of the season at the Ricardo Tormo track in Valencia (beats me who Ricardo Tormo is). Starting off the season strong, Ben places third in the first race. The second race is not so pleasing, as Ben is black flagged for jumping the start. When he comes in to do his stop-and-go penalty, he is penalized again for speeding in the pits. For some reason, he does not come back out. Whether that was his or the crew's decision remains to be seen. February 19, 2025 Ben practices at Valencia, Spain over the past couple of days. Ben's time of 1:35.228 was the fastest, putting him within .095 of the record held by Kenny Roberts Jr. Could it be that all those stars glued onto his previous set of leathers might've been creating too much wind resistance? Could it be that one huge L&M; symbol on the chest is more streamline and suitable for speeds over 150 mph? February 14, 2025 Ducati.com hosted a Valentine's Day chat with Ben. The girls most certainly came-a-flockin'. Find out whether or not Ben wears underwear. February 12, 2025 Ducati Corse has its official launch. Ben Ducati's Corse team will be sponsored by L&M;, a Phillip Morris tobacco brand. To show my support, I plan to take up smoking tomorrow. Photos of Ben's new bike and leathers are on the Ducati site. January 29, 2025 Ben crashes on the first day of a four-day test at Kyalami (South Africa). He is unhurt and finishes sixth fastest after the crash. Over the test period, Ben does well. Some of his success could be attributed to the fact that Ernesto Marinelli is Ben's engineer/crew chief. Marinelli was the Corse representative in America for the last three years with the Vance and Hines team and had a close relationship with Ben. December 25, 2024 Somewhere in the world Ben is eating Christmas dinner. My guess is turkey with appropriate side dishes and a beer. Unlike the rest of us, he does not overeat and have to unbutton his pants to alleviate the discomfort. December 10, 2025 Ben wins all three of the super motard races in Bologna. For those of you unfamiliar with super motard, it's this dirt-meets-road kind of setup. It looks like a best-of-neither world configuration to me, but I've never tried it so I can't speak intelligently about it. It just makes me think of dressing up a pig and taking it to a dance...there's something unnatural about it. November 16, 2025 Ben tests Dunlop tires at Valencia. Ben is happy about his new bike. His time of 1:35.90 puts him under the 2000 pole time. To use a youthful vernacular: "That doesn't suck." October 23, 2025 Ducati Corse officially announces that the 2001 World Superbike riders will be Troy Bayliss, Ruben Xaus, and Ben Bostrom. There are no references anywhere to them as the 3 Stooges, which is comforting. Early October 2000 It's the silly season! Rumors abound about where Ben will end up. There are even rumors that he will run his own Ducati team. I look for an address to send my umbrella girl application to, but find none. I wait patiently for more news and continue to shave my bikini line just in case I get a green light. May 7, 2025 Ben gets himself born in Redding, California. Although not evident at birth, he will some day grow up to inexplicably like golf. |
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