Another Honda "no show"

[Shaun]

Wow, what is the world coming to


Fresh off a successful run at the AMA Pro Racing tire test at Daytona International Speedway, American Honda has announced that it will not field a factory American Superbike team in the 2009 AMA Pro road racing series.

Factory team mechanics who were told just weeks ago that they could bank on the fact that American Honda would go road racing one way or another because racing is in the company's genes, are now jobless.

[racerhead]

Yep heard this a few hours ago myself and with honda's f1 effort on hold for next year aswell it makes you think how much funding the moto gp effort is going to recieve?
It makes you think when one of the big manufacturers are finding it hard how are all the other teams fairing out?

[Quasievil]

Happy Birthday Shaun.
see ya this weekend maybe.

On the above yeah feeling for the mechanics mostly.

[Tony.OK]

Shit.......so if you add to that, that Suzuki may be pulling out next year as well.........its not looking too good.
Kwaka's might have a chance of winning something

Good ole Pres Bush has pretty much screwed the whole planet as his final act in power

Birthday boy aye?..........candles are getting expensive man, hard to fit that many into a cupcake

[Cajun]

Shit.......so if you add to that, that Suzuki may be pulling out next year as well.........its not looking too good.
Kwaka's might have a chance of winning something

Good ole Pres Bush has pretty much screwed the whole planet as his final act in power

Birthday boy aye?..........candles are getting expensive man, hard to fit that many into a cupcake

Yeah suzuki still not confirmed, and either is kawasaki, only team to full comfirm racing next year in the AMA is Yamaha.

Yeah i read this artcile sunday morning, ver interesting readying. honda pulling back from many areas.

[lostinflyz]

im not sure how much of this is honda really pulling out cause of the world economy or the fact that ama has been doing all sorts of strange things for a while and alot of people werent really interested. suzuki didn't appear to be going out and yamaha (im sure it was yamaha) looked dicey so i think honda must have decided itd be a waste of time.

[Hitcher]

only team to full comfirm racing next year in the AMA is Yamaha.

Yamaha FTW!

[slowpoke]

This is actually an incredible opportunity for a young fast racer wanting to make a name for himself. They are paying $15000 for 1st and $5000 for places 2nd to 20th. Dom Jones and the like could easily fund a season of racing from winnings alone.
With at least Honda and Suzuki out of it and less expensive machines, there is a real opportunity there. Ok so the championship might not have the kudos of other seasons but it's a chance to get your foot in the door for a pro-ride.

[steveyb]

This is actually an incredible opportunity for a young fast racer wanting to make a name for himself. They are paying $15000 for 1st and $5000 for places 2nd to 20th. Dom Jones and the like could easily fund a season of racing from winnings alone.
With at least Honda and Suzuki out of it and less expensive machines, there is a real opportunity there. Ok so the championship might not have the kudos of other seasons but it's a chance to get your foot in the door for a pro-ride.

I read that SpeedTV.com article too.
I have to agree that on the face of it, it does seem like a massive opportunity.
There are however a number of hooks in the package, such as promotional activities and the like, but hell, some of that is half of the fun.

It would be good to know in more detail what it would take to get some guys over there this coming season. I know one young fulla who has it in his sights as 'maybe the next move'.

Cheers

Steve

[tri boy]

Yamaha FTW!

Only if Team Tortoise gets knee capped.

[svr]

This is actually an incredible opportunity for a young fast racer wanting to make a name for himself. They are paying $15000 for 1st and $5000 for places 2nd to 20th.

Good point - it's not all doom and gloom. Certain privateer US riders have made lots of $$ due to prize money & contingency programs etc (remember Doug Polen?)

[Hitcher]

Only if Team Tortoise gets knee capped.

I thought Honda had already announced its withdrawal.

[Cajun]

Well the only real honda rider effect was Neil Hodgson, it looks like he might get a ride on on honda satellite teams Corona Extra Racing or Erion Racing, Which are still race, just not the honda factory team.

[suzuki21]

Is it because their Fireblades smoke so goddamned much, which isnt allowed in public areas?