Jake Zemke to replace John Hopkins at Stiggy Honda

American Formula Xtreme champion Jake Zemke is likely to replace injured Stiggy Honda rider John Hopkins in the Monza World Superbike race on May 10, MCN can reveal.

Zemke, who is riding for the Erion Honda team in the 2009 Pro Daytona SportBike class, will join British rider Leon Haslam after Hopkins suffered a dislocated hip in a huge practice crash at the Assen round last month.

Hopkins described the practice crash as the most painful of his life and he underwent surgery in California recently on the badly damaged hip.

Hopkins has targeted a return to action in his home race at the Miller Motorsport Park at the end of May, while the Swedish Stiggy Honda squad will confirm Zemke’s Monza appearance soon.

Zemke had planned to race in the Monza WSB round in 2008, replacing Italian Roberto Rolfo on a Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR.

But problems with paperwork meant he was unable to take the ride.