09-08-02  ASSEN - RACE DAY Ducati Corse Press Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada), second in race 1, crashes out in race 2 and loses championship lead to Edwards. Troy Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada) lost his championship lead to Colin Edwards (Honda) after crashing out of an action-packed race 2 at the Assen TT Circuit in the Netherlands. The Australian, who had already seen his points lead reduced to 24 after claiming the runner-up slot behind his Texan rival in race 1, had an identical crash at the De Strubben left-hander to the one during yesterday’s afternoon practice session to DNF race 2, which saw victory again go to Edwards. With the final round remaining at Imola and 50 points to race for, Edwards and Bayliss are now separated by just one point. Two difficult races also for Ben Bostrom (Ducati L&M), who finished eighth and fifth on one of his least favourite tracks. “The first race was a struggle but while I was out there I was thinking of how to make improvements for race 2. I was riding on the limit and nearly crashed three times so I don’t want that to happen again. In the second race things were not much better. In the early laps I couldn’t even pass Walker or flick the bike in the corner without it spinning away from me. Then when Haga passed me on lap 13, I followed him for a bit to set him up for the final lap and then eventually got him on the sweeping left-hander.” RACE 2 TIMES in association with Breil, the official timekeeper of Ducati Corse. BACK    03/10/02 VALENCIA Spain 03/24/02 PHILLIP ISLAND Australia 04/07/02 KYALAMI South Africa 04/21/02 SUGO Japan 05/12/02 MONZA Italy 05/26/02 SILVERSTONE Great Britain 06/09/02 LAUSITZRING Germany 06/23/02 MISANO San Marino 07/14/02 LAGUNA SECA United States 07/28/02 BRANDS HATCH Great Britain 09/01/02 OSCHERS-LEBEN Germany 09/08/02 ASSEN Netherlands 09/29/02 IMOLA Italy