awesome news, unfortunate for Cam, but kinda anxious to see what Herrin can do back on Factory equipment!
So, the only rider left with a mathematical chance of beating Elias for the championship now is Porkchop?
Good thing is at less now the gosh bikes will have blue marks on them vs black: yellow. May save them some money
Is Cam staying? This press release sucks! Where is the RRW link? Nevermind: He's subbing. Robby Lazy's headline looked like Herrin was back for good. http://www.roadracingworld.com/news...r-rounds-or-theyve-made-herrin-factory-again/
This should be interesting. If he does well, that'll make an interesting off-season on who gets the 2nd Graves seat.
I don't know maybe I'm a bit naive but I would suspect the graves team would sit him down and try to manage expectations a bit. Now that being said once he puts the helmet on it's all up to him.
Someone else must be waving $$ at Toni. I just watched the PIR round again. Interesting how his riding style has changed so much since those GP days. Maybe he can give Iannone some tips on adapting to different motorbikes.
I don't think Toni is going any places but to Suzuki. Probably to WSBK. Pork Chop and Hayes would be fine with me at Yosh.
Or he could go into torpedo mode again, take out a couple more front runners and pretty well kill any chance of getting anymore factory rides.
Who would replace him? I love Hayes and have always have. I think he should have been on a Factory bike long before he was. Yes - he isn't as dominant as he once was, but IMO that is because of Yosh bringing in Elias, Hayden stepping up his game, and Suzuki finally giving them a new/much better bike. In other words, Hayes hasn't diminished, the others have gotten better. But, it is sorta like the Pedrosa situation. Who would be a better choice? Hayes is still one of only 4-5 guys who has a real chance of winning on any given weekend. I can't think of anyone that could take his place that would produce better results, and represent Yamaha (and his other sponsors) better.
I think maybe Fong could do the riding part but it would be hard to beat Josh for the second half of that.
The only thing Josh will do after his Graves tenure, is enjoy "retirement". No way he's going to another team.
Is the Yosh WSBK team rumor more than a rumor at this point? If Yosh USA wins the #1 plate with Toni wouldn't they want to at least run it? They couldn't run the last #1 plate they won with Mladin in 2009 because he retired that year, or the year before because the #1 plate that Spies won in 2008 he took with him to Yamaha WSBK in 2009.