2005 World Superbike rider, Ben Bostrom, made an impressive return to AMA Superbike action during testing at Dayton International Speedway from December 10-12 - when he outpaced team-mate, and former WSBK champ, Neil Hodgson - on his way to setting the second fastest overall time.

_{source: crash.net}

Bostrom, previously a race-winning factory Ducati rider in WSBK, is stepping back onto a factory Ducati after a three-year gap in which he rode for American Honda in AMA SBK and then with the privateer Renegade Honda team in World Superbike last season, when he took a best finish of sixth on his way to just 15th in the standings on an under-developed Fireblade

Although the Daytona test marked the #155's debut with the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin team and the 999, Bostrom was fastest of all when he completed his work and second quickest, 0.54secs behind Suzuki's Ben Spies, when the final day ended - despite suffering a fall.

"I loved the bike from the first laps on Saturday," said Ben after the test. "The Ducati 999 was just how I like a race bike, very firm and responsive. I could feel every little change we made to the settings. It was good at the test, but we really haven't pushed the limits with it yet. We made some small changes to the suspension and it just felt right to me. I'm excited about the new season ahead of us and I think the lap times showed that."

Regarding his accident, Bostrom explained that the bike - which flipped - came off much worse than he did: "It was a small crash for the rider but a big crash for the bike, unfortunately. My foot slipped off the brake pedal at the slowest corner of the track and down I went. I locked up the front," he said.

Bostrom's best lap, of 1min 37.849secs, was well below the existing lap record at the revised three-mile track and he admitted to being instantly impressed by the 999.

"It was interesting to ride the 999 after racing for Ducati while this bike was on the drawing boards a few years ago. I can tell the factory used the data and information us racers gave them to develop the 999. The bike is fantastic," the American declared.