Maree...........THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!!!

IT ARRIVED YESTERDAY ......IT WAS MY VERY FIRST!!!! THANKS LOADS AGAIN!!!

You are very welcome

BAYLISS PLOTS FAREWELL GLORY

World Superbike legend Troy Bayliss expects 2008 to be his last season of racing - especially if he succeeds in winning a third world title.

The 38-year-old, WSBK champion in 2001 and then again on his return from MotoGP in 2006, sunk to fourth in the 2007 standings after accidents and injuries on the aging 999 Ducati - but will return for what looks like being his final world championship battle armed with a brand-new, 1200cc, 1098.

"I was going to stop in 1997, and in 2002 and again in 2005, but this job just keeps going. This time, I'm thinking next year will be my last," Australia's Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reports Bayliss as saying.

"I'd really love to finish off with a win on the 1098. And if I win, there's no reason to keep going," confirmed Troy. "I've had a good run; I'm nearly 39 and I can't go on forever. I've won lots of races, won a couple of World Superbike titles, won my last MotoGP race, and really enjoyed my racing."

Bayliss' brilliant first-and-last MotoGP victory came while replacing the injured Sete Gibernau at the 2006 Valencia season finale - and marked one of the proudest moments of his eight-year international career. Troy had been a full time MotoGP racer from 2003-2005, but a promising debut season turned sour in 2004 - culminating in the loss of his Ducati seat - while a switch to Honda also proved unsuccessful.

A serious wrist injury while training looked to have marked the end of a winless grand prix career and Bayliss returned to WSBK with Ducati for 2006. Troy then rebuilt his reputation by winning 12 of the 24 races en route to the title, before being asked by Ducati to make one last MotoGP appearance.

Despite his previous grand prix misery, Bayliss dominated the race - which also saw Nicky Hayden take a shock title victory over Valentino Rossi - and put his GP demons firmly to rest.

"That [MotoGP] win closed the book for me," said Bayliss. "I didn't have to say anything. We did our thing and walked away. I never intended to go back." Bayliss has now taken 41 WSBK victories, placing him second on the all-time win list, although some 18 behind factory Ducati predecessor Carl Fogarty. Bayliss has previously expressed a desire to beat the Briton's records, but a tumultuous 2007 means that Troy would surely need to race on into 2009 to stand a chance of toppling 'King Carl'.

A minimum of two more years would definitely be needed for Bayliss to try and match Foggy's four world titles, but Bayliss - a former spray painter who didn't get a full time WSBK ride until Fogarty was injured in 2000 - has only competed in 124 races, compared with Foggy's 219. "I wish I'd had a chance in world supers earlier, but there were no seats available," he reflected.

Bayliss may have been made to wait for his big chance, but fellow Australian Casey Stoner, has set the MotoGP world alight by winning his first title at the age of just 22.

"When Ducati was looking to sign Casey, I told them to grab him and that no one is gonna open the gas like Casey does," revealed Troy. "At this time, he's as fast as anyone in the world. He came to Ducati at the right time, too." While Stoner has a long two-wheeled career ahead of him, Bayliss admits he's now starting to think about a different kind of racing.

"I've got a thing for touring cars," said Bayliss. "I don't know if I can get something happening in touring cars, but I'd like to..."

Troy has a thing for touring cars and Angela has a thing for Troy

We do think alike!!

THat darn fellow has his hand in the way!!