Kawasaki has just announced that it will be leaving the AMA Pro Racing series. Citing the economy as it core reason for leaving the American racing series, Kawasaki says it hopes to return to road racing when the economic conditions in the United States allow the company to do so. For the DMG & AMA, this is the second manufacturer that has withdrawn from the now beleaguered racing series, and just a continuation of the momentum that has become AMA Pro Racing’s downward spiral.
Kawasaki’s move is another black-eye for the DMG which has seen the series’s biggest star, Mat Mladin, leave under its watch, along with three manufacturers who will not be returning for the 2010 season (Honda, Buell, and now Kawasaki). Buell of course has ceased to exist as a manufacturer, and Honda and Kawasaki have both left under the auspices of the economy, with links to the DMG’s management of AMA Pro Racing occurring only in side-room chatter.
With prize many greatly reduced for the 2010 season, leaving privateers virtually no incentive to race other than for the pure love of the sport, and with Yamaha recently booted out of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship Series, which is also run by the DMG’s Colin Fraser, this latest news prompts us to officially start the Death Watch on when the AMA will finally give DMG the axe, and begin rebuilding what’s left of American road racing.
Happy Birthday Jesus, sorry your American motorcycle racing is so lame.
Kawasaki’s Press Release:
KAWASAKI MOTORS CORP., U.S.A. SUSPENDS ROAD RACING FOR 2010 SEASON
IRVINE, Calif. (Dec. 18, 2009) ? Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. announced the company will not participate in the AMA Pro Racing road racing series in 2010.
“While we’ve always considered road racing an integral part of our sportbike development process, the realities of the current economic situation dictate the temporary suspension of our U.S. road racing activities,” said Bruce Stjernstrom, marketing director.
Kawasaki’s long history of successful road racing includes 20 AMA series championships. Among the many champions who have worn the Kawasaki lime green racing leathers are Reg Pridmore, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Miguel Duhamel, Scott Russell, Doug Chandler, Eric Bostrom and more recently Tommy Hayden and Roger Hayden.
“We expect to see eventual improvements in the general economic condition and Kawasaki will reevaluate its road racing position as we monitor those issues,” said Stjernstrom.
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