Whibbs not riding Suzuki GNCC next year

[takitimu]

Wow, from his website

"I'm back in NZ now for a bit of R and R. I plan to fit in a few races while home, so come and say hi if you see me at an event.
Bad news is I will not be returning to the Suzuki team for the 2009 season. Due to the economic situation and resulting budget cuts the four man team has been cut to two, I was not lucky enough to be one of them.

I am currently working on new and exciting things for next season and will have an update soon."

I'm pretty surprised Suzuki let Paul go, here's hoping he gets a quality ride next year.

[chop]

Very odd indeed... thought he would have been a sure thing

[mattwood]

shit, thats not good.

Hope he gets a better ride next year and takes it to them.

[Danger]

Wow thats not good thought he was one of their better performers. Perhaps some of the others had more than a 1 year deal.

[scott411]

that is a shock, he was 2nd in the championship, i wonder if the rides that were left went to US riders

[takitimu]

that is a shock, he was 2nd in the championship, i wonder if the rides that were left went to US riders

Maybe they wanted only one overseas spot out of the two & went Strang as the better long term investment.

Certainly the commentators were getting a bit grumpy about overseas riders winning.

You'd have to think KTM would be working bloody hard to get him for next year now because assuming he's on a factory ride & stays fit, I'd pick him to win the series.

[secondfield]

Man, thats queer ....

Sounds like some dopey internal politics going on over there.

Ah well, Suzuki's loss...

[takitimu]

Man, thats queer ....

Sounds like some dopey internal politics going on over there.

They've had a fair bit to deal with between 9/11, George Bush & Iraq.

Mind you if Suzuki only had Strang & Whibs in the GNCC, it would be like Honda New Zealand campaigning the NZ National MX with an all Aussie team, imagine how well that would go down !.

P.S. To be clear I know nothing about why any of this occurred, it's just me rambling on.

[noobi]

if we didnt spend so much money on rugby then there might be some left to support other athletes like whibbs, who right now need the support, also has any one seen anything in the media about him, is it any wonder that only the motorcycling communty is aware of it

vent over

[CHOPPA]

Suzuki are broke after signing Chad Reed

[Quicker_with_age]

i wonder if the rides that were left went to US riders

Took the words out of my mouth.

Idiots for letting him go, Hope that comes back to bite them on the ass!!

[CHOPPA]

Theres also Cody Cooper, 5th in the AMA MX on a privateer suzuki!
Yamaha next year for Joe Gibbs

[scott411]

have heard from some good sources that Whibs has a ride in teh states, and will be racing some events in NZ, first race on the new bike will probebly be at sumemrcross,

[takitimu]

have heard from some good sources that Whibs has a ride in teh states, and will be racing some events in NZ, first race on the new bike will probebly be at sumemrcross,

Sweet, good to hear. Hope he does some of the enduro's, be great if we could get Merriman/Whibley/Birch up against each other .

[WRFracer]

yes its a bummer pauls not on factory Suzuki next year, C Mullins was on a 2 year deal and Strang was going pretty much Pauls pace just he is 10 years younger.
I know this because I ride with Paul wen ever hes home , so anyway he is in the process of sorting it all out but basically hes riding Kawasaki's KXF's
he has one all ready here in NZ and will be racing it at a local XC race this weekend. He wont be on the Factory team its going to be a privateer kinda deal and he will have a couple team mates possibly J Jarret who was also his teammate this year on the Suzuki sqaud.
He seems to think this deal providing he does well will be better than what he was getting last year $ wise that is.
either way hes going back to kick some arse..