Josh Hayes leaving Valvoline?

Anyone know where Josh Hayes is going when he leaves Valvoilne after VIR? It's sad to read on RRW. I thought they were doing pretty well after Josh came back from having a hand injury early in the season.

 

It wasn't the part after his hand surgery that was the problem. It was the trail of destruction leading up to the surgery that was.

From the sounds of the article (coming to an agreement on ending his contract) Josh will be actively pursuing another ride post haste.

 

If what Tom says is true (which is always a big IF), then does this mean that corporate belt tightening has hit professional roadracing? I'm hearing that Hacking is out at Suzuki due to his trail of destruction. Same with Xaus on the world scene. Heck, I broke a windscreen and my team is grumbling!

Are the days of "Win it or Bin it" over!?!?!?

 

Hacking and Zaus have left trails of destruction for a few years and IMO have been given far too many chances for top rides.

Hayes hasn't always been that bad of a crasher however when he does crash they are usually "good" ones.

Roger Lee Hayden is another person that crashes too damn much. It seemed he was coming out of it but went back to his old ways.

My guess it that Valvoline felt that supporting four riders is too much then Josh and JU weighed their options and decided this was the best path to take... but who really knows.

 

Good Luck Josh

I think Josh is a very good rider and as fine person. I hope him all the best. One door closes another opens.

 

Re: Good Luck Josh

I agree and would like to think that opening other doors was part of the decision process. There possibly is still time for Josh to get a good ride for the remainder of the year and silly season.

 

Well that sucks!

Maybe I miss the races that he's crashing in, but I haven't seen him crash all that much. It's too bad for both parties, because Josh seems to be a pretty nice guy.

Josh, you could always come ride for us. You like FZR's right?

 

Josh is a great guy. He's just had fairly miserable pro-career to this point because of events beyond his control.

I hope that the "spin" RRW put on his deal is accurate and Josh already has a ride in the works. But if not I can understand JU making that decision.

 

Hmmph. No bite on the JU bait yet, huh?

Someday ring me if he chimes in. I'm going to get popcorn.

 

I don't think it has anything to do with corporate belt tightening. It has to do with riders trashing equipment on a regular basis. The goal of every team is to win races and ultimately win championships. You can't do that if the bike and rider are in pieces.

Just look at most professional sports as an example. Head coaches are fired if they don't win a championship in a season or two. People want results. Team owners want results. They hire an established rider with a good track record and expect them to win. If they don't then most of the time they move on.

Hell, look at Honda. Ben won the championship and Eric won 3 races filling in for Miguel and they still let both of them go. It's just like the NFL where franchise players are a thing of the past. It's all about winning and money.

 

And that is the saddest thing of all.

 

Re: Re: Good Luck Josh

He is riding with Hammer until the end of the season (VIR IS the end)

 

Not really, it always has been about winning. That's why it's called racing and not riding around.

 

Josh has fallen three times since signing w/ Valvoline. two in preseason and once at Fontana and injuring his hand. Everybody sure is quick to say he is a crasher...maybe some are on the wagon... Josh has had an unfortunate last couble of years that have hidden some great riding ). He had a lot of mechanicals in 2000(he hounded roberts in a lot of the xtreme races only for the bike to break plus the totally unavoidable crash at Daytona on the 600). 2001 he rode well...not quite what I have seen him do before, but not horrible. And that leads us to 2002 were he is now.

Josh started slow with Valvoline in 96/97. Then he started to pick up steam and took off. He definitely hasn't crashed as much as some of the other pros. Unless you are in the inner circle of teams, none of us know why things happen. It is all SPECULATION until said rider/team owner makes a statement.

Some might say my opinion is baised, which isn't exactly true for the fact that I am a big Team Valvoline fan. I have watched them give guys rides that deserved them. Just take the press release as it says and don't read into it.

"That's all I have to say about that" (in my best forrest gump voice)

 

I don't know enought about Josh, but Xaus is the only professional rider that I have EVER heard of crashing TWICE on a warm up lap!!! And Hacking is MUCH tougher than anyone racing today. He has to crash at least 2 bikes a weekend and that has got to really add up. Hacking will either win it or bin it, it just really amazes me that he can come back wreck after wreck and still twist that throttle open.

 

da da

dada ullrich has to keep a spot open fo the slow son ullrich..

 

Re: da da

It's Ulrich, slapass.
Funny that "slow son ullrich" co-rode to the WERA endurance championship last year. He also got a win at Laguna last year in 750ss, finishing 5th in the points at the end of the year. Slow alright.

 

My boys will always have a Josh Hayes poster in there room. GOOD LUCK. We'll come harass ya soon...
Keep showin' them what class is.

 

If crashing is the issue here, does it mean that I should pull my own contract?