'Doug Polen' (born
September 2,
1960 in
Detroit,
Michigan) is a former world champion
motorcycle road racer. He raced successfully in
AMA Superbike, Japanese Superbikes,
World Superbikes and
Endurance racing.
He was a private entrant in AMA in the early
1980s, before quitting racing to concentrate on business commitments. In 1986 he returned to AMA, ultimately getting a works
Yoshimura Suzuki ride in 1988 before going to international racing.
[1] Polen joined Eraldo Ferracci's "Fast By Ferracci"
Ducati team in 1990. After breaking his contract to go to World Superbikes, he won the
Superbike World Championship in both 1991 and 1992.
[2] In 1992 he also finished third overall in the AMA national championship series. For 1993 he left the world championship series to compete exclusively in the United States and won the AMA national crown. In 1994 he joined the
Honda UK team in WSBK, inisisting on
Dunlop tyres. He left the team abruptly in early 1995 but not before teaming up with
Aaron Slight to win the prestigious
Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race on a Honda
RC45.
[3] After returning to the AMA series, he set his sights on the World Endurance championship and eventually won that series in 1997.
His total of 18 AMA pole positions was a record until
Mat Mladin matched it in 2006. His 14 fastest laps in WSBK in 1991 is a single-season series record.
[4]
Referenes
1. Aztrackday Superbike School To Offer Instruction By Polen
2. Eraldo's Boy Speaks Out: Interview with Larry Ferracci from 1995
3. Doug Polen
4. 2006 Superbike World Championship - Round 12 - Magny Cours
External links
★
Doug Polen's AMA Career profile