We met a lot of great kids this season. Blake, Damian, Kayla, Rocco, Eli Banish, The Luchette boys... Max is looking forward to racing a full season with Wera next year. We were going to do a couple MotoAmerica rounds and have decided to focus on Wera instead.
That's a great plan. A full season of club racing sharpens the race craft before the kids jump up to MA, and the endurance series provides a ton of track time.
I'm still not okay with Yosh not running the Suzuki program but I get it. Times change and when the economics change, times change faster and more violently. But one thing I keep thinking is these are strange times in racing but not all bad. Given a budget someone like RB, Hairgel or even a Chip could theoretically come in and cause a wave that might change the course of roadracing for years. Shit, look at Fat Chuck and what Westby has been doing. Punching way above their weight. There is a lot of talent that can be hired to race the bikes built by some really smart and talented builders. Just needs the cash to do it. and maybe some help with the electronics but that's for another conversation. The glass might be half empty but, given the desire, cash and the drive, it's half full and ready to set the world alight.
So, if you're American Honda and you have this shiny new CBR1000RR SP, and you write a check to Yosh. Who do you put on it???
I don't see Yosh moving totally away from Suzuki. I still think they will have plans together in the long term and blah blah blah, Japan superbike series, 8hrs and maybe WSBK. BUT if somehow Honda and Yosh team up I'd know what Toni's status was and grab him if available and then see what Herrin was doing. Dance with the devils you know. No Toni or Herrin, I'd look at Bradl.
OMG Racing BSB had already dropped Suzuki for BMW next season. One thing they said was BMW would give them all the same parts other teams get. Suzuki wouldn't give them the level of support they needed I guess with Buildbase in the paddock. As a result less Suzuki's on that grid too. OMG is a big team to jump ship.
What is Suzuki doing with that SRC program? That up and going? They could save cash, and team (or buy) Yosh for that role.
Going to a different manufacturer for SBK would be pretty awkward for Yosh, as I believe it was announced they are still doing dirty bike stuff with Suzuki.
Hasn't Crutchlow spewed out that he'd want to wrap up his career racing a factory Honder superbike in the US? Here you go, Honder runs a factory team in the US in 2021 with Crutchlow and some young kid with 2020 being a warm up year where they stick their toe in the water with a small private team.
You could be spot-on. His smooth style should allow the thing to fly, right up to its limits.....which will probably be lower than everything else on the grid.
I doubt you'll ever see him push a bike to 100% on the track again. He'll become a talking head for Sky or some other big broadcaster, he'll make Millions, be able to pick up the butterfaced pit groupies that no other racer wants and still he'll have a face for radio. He'd be stupid to ever go near a race motorcycle again and he might be a creep but he ain't stupid.