Wilbur to GasGas question

hartebreak
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hartebreak
It sounds like Wilbur is leaving Star and going to GasGas in a coach/adviser type role. I wonder why he would leave Star where he was managing the team? It seems like a step down. Was he getting burned out being the manager? Was Star wanting to go a different direction (I doubt it, since the team has been killing it). Is he moving over to GasGas with the promise of becoming a team manager in the future for one of the KTM group teams? This whole thing just seems odd to me.
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Falcon
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Falcon 6/2/2021 11:09am
6/2/2021 11:09am
Complete speculation here, but it's possible he had a better offer. Clearly, his stock is at an all-time high right now and it makes sense for him to switch teams if it is a lucrative move. You alluded to the possibility of advancing to a team manager spot for one of the (3) KTM group teams, also. That group is definitely on the rise. There may simply be more room to grow there.
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Tarz483
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Tarz483 6/2/2021 11:09am
6/2/2021 11:09am
hartebreak wrote:
It sounds like Wilbur is leaving Star and going to GasGas in a coach/adviser type role. I wonder why he would leave Star where he was...
It sounds like Wilbur is leaving Star and going to GasGas in a coach/adviser type role. I wonder why he would leave Star where he was managing the team? It seems like a step down. Was he getting burned out being the manager? Was Star wanting to go a different direction (I doubt it, since the team has been killing it). Is he moving over to GasGas with the promise of becoming a team manager in the future for one of the KTM group teams? This whole thing just seems odd to me.
Could be any of the things you said, or could be cold hard Cash, But if he is going to TLD Troy Lee seems like the coolest guy ever who wouldn't want Hang out with him and be a part of that environment?
Another thought is maybe one or more of his guys is going that way? 250 or 450 in the near future and he wants to continue to work with that rider or riders?
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GrapeApe
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GrapeApe 6/2/2021 11:11am
6/2/2021 11:11am
Maybe he's tired of answering to Brad Hoffman?
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toddw12
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toddw12 6/2/2021 11:12am
6/2/2021 11:12am
Maybe he doesn’t want to move to Florida..
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Dimblewambie
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Dimblewambie 6/2/2021 11:23am
6/2/2021 11:23am
Maybe he wants to call in to say Fuck Steve Matthes?
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bigk218
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bigk218 6/2/2021 11:41am
6/2/2021 11:41am
The whole star team doesn’t sound like a overly fun work environment. Good for will to get out of there
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Sauce96
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Sauce96 6/2/2021 11:58am
6/2/2021 11:58am
Could be a option to move into the team manager role, it’s no mystery Tyler keefe hasn’t lived up to what the ktm/husky/gas gas expect.
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 6/2/2021 12:10pm
6/2/2021 12:10pm
Sauce96 wrote:
Could be a option to move into the team manager role, it’s no mystery Tyler keefe hasn’t lived up to what the ktm/husky/gas gas expect.
I get a kick outta what people think they know about Tyler Keefe’s tenure at TLD & who’s responsible for what.

That’s what’s so cool about the move to GasGas, they’re actually freed up a little bit to be “more TLD” & little less corporate. That combined with BamBam’s somewhat free-spirited approach is pretty damn refreshing, to me.

I’m jus’ sayin’...
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mb60
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mb60 6/2/2021 12:12pm
6/2/2021 12:12pm
He did not want to move to Florida.
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inthebadboycorner 6/2/2021 3:51pm
6/2/2021 3:51pm
GrapeApe wrote:
Maybe he's tired of answering to Brad Hoffman?
Possibly, although we all have to answer to someone somewhere.
66TR66
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66TR66 6/2/2021 4:26pm
6/2/2021 4:26pm
GrapeApe wrote:
Maybe he's tired of answering to Brad Hoffman?
inthebadboycorner wrote:
Possibly, although we all have to answer to someone somewhere.
Yeah but he ain't got no Honey hole.
Dirty Points 6/2/2021 4:34pm
6/2/2021 4:34pm
He was lured by the opportunity to help develop a brand-new, untested bike platform for a small, boutique manufacturer.
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GrapeApe
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GrapeApe 6/2/2021 4:36pm
6/2/2021 4:36pm
Dirty Points wrote:
He was lured by the opportunity to help develop a brand-new, untested bike platform for a small, boutique manufacturer.
I hope the Spaniards give him the engineering support he needs to shine
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cloverdale
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cloverdale 6/2/2021 4:49pm
6/2/2021 4:49pm
Bingo, he does not want to move to Florida!
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Up Wind
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Up Wind 6/2/2021 4:51pm
6/2/2021 4:51pm
toddw12 wrote:
Maybe he doesn’t want to move to Florida..
Ding Ding!
Up Wind
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Up Wind 6/2/2021 4:57pm
6/2/2021 4:57pm
GrapeApe wrote:
Maybe he's tired of answering to Brad Hoffman?
Brads the smartest Team Manager/Owner in pits! No one is even close.
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FeetUp
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FeetUp 6/2/2021 5:24pm
6/2/2021 5:24pm
Dimblewambie wrote:
Maybe he wants to call in to say Fuck Steve Matthes?
Steve mentioned the other night that once Wilbur moves to GasGas, that he will be able call in again. He said it kinda light hearted LOL Whistling
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MX Guy
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MX Guy 6/2/2021 5:24pm
6/2/2021 5:24pm
When the news dropped that Eli was going to Star I immediately remembered back to when him and Wil were teammates at Geico and thought maybe that was a pivotal reason why Eli would be comfortable on that team, having an old teammate as personnel. I wonder if I was just dead wrong.

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GrapeApe
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GrapeApe 6/2/2021 5:25pm
6/2/2021 5:25pm Edited Date/Time 6/2/2021 5:26pm
GrapeApe wrote:
Maybe he's tired of answering to Brad Hoffman?
Up Wind wrote:
Brads the smartest Team Manager/Owner in pits! No one is even close.
Just because you're smart doesn't mean you're not miserable to be around
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Up Wind
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Up Wind 6/2/2021 5:29pm
6/2/2021 5:29pm
GrapeApe wrote:
Maybe he's tired of answering to Brad Hoffman?
Up Wind wrote:
Brads the smartest Team Manager/Owner in pits! No one is even close.
GrapeApe wrote:
Just because you're smart doesn't mean you're not miserable to be around
How would you know??? He wouldn't give you a autograph????
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GrapeApe
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GrapeApe 6/2/2021 5:36pm
6/2/2021 5:36pm
Up Wind wrote:
Brads the smartest Team Manager/Owner in pits! No one is even close.
GrapeApe wrote:
Just because you're smart doesn't mean you're not miserable to be around
Up Wind wrote:
How would you know??? He wouldn't give you a autograph????
Killer burn, man. Give your cat a high five.
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Up Wind
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Up Wind 6/2/2021 5:44pm
6/2/2021 5:44pm
GrapeApe wrote:
Maybe he's tired of answering to Brad Hoffman?
Up Wind wrote:
Brads the smartest Team Manager/Owner in pits! No one is even close.
GrapeApe wrote:
Just because you're smart doesn't mean you're not miserable to be around
I will take that as a yes.
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 6/2/2021 9:30pm
6/2/2021 9:30pm
MX Guy wrote:
When the news dropped that Eli was going to Star I immediately remembered back to when him and Wil were teammates at Geico and thought maybe...
When the news dropped that Eli was going to Star I immediately remembered back to when him and Wil were teammates at Geico and thought maybe that was a pivotal reason why Eli would be comfortable on that team, having an old teammate as personnel. I wonder if I was just dead wrong.
I'm thinking the GasGas job offer came well after the "pursuit of Eli" had happened. If I were a betting man, I'd bet that Wil was instrumental in getting Eli.

This is just an educated guess.
mattyhamz2
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mattyhamz2 6/2/2021 10:37pm
6/2/2021 10:37pm
MX Guy wrote:
When the news dropped that Eli was going to Star I immediately remembered back to when him and Wil were teammates at Geico and thought maybe...
When the news dropped that Eli was going to Star I immediately remembered back to when him and Wil were teammates at Geico and thought maybe that was a pivotal reason why Eli would be comfortable on that team, having an old teammate as personnel. I wonder if I was just dead wrong.
Don’t forget Kawasaki too
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quadzrulebro 6/3/2021 4:51am
6/3/2021 4:51am Edited Date/Time 6/3/2021 4:52am
If I had to guess, he probably didn’t want to move to Tallahassee. On top of that, I guarantee a role as a coach is a whole lot less stressful than being a team manager. I’d way rather hang out at the gym and track all day instead of booking flights, making sure parts are on order, managing sponsor relationships, etc…
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dirtworldmx
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dirtworldmx 6/3/2021 5:12am
6/3/2021 5:12am
So is he replacing TK...or that 'coach' who was berating Pierce Brown in the video? Seems like a big clash of personalities for Wil. From the well-edited videos I've watched, Troy is the only guy there who isn't abrasive.
quadzrulebro 6/3/2021 5:39am
6/3/2021 5:39am
dirtworldmx wrote:
So is he replacing TK...or that 'coach' who was berating Pierce Brown in the video? Seems like a big clash of personalities for Wil. From the...
So is he replacing TK...or that 'coach' who was berating Pierce Brown in the video? Seems like a big clash of personalities for Wil. From the well-edited videos I've watched, Troy is the only guy there who isn't abrasive.
TK is the team manager. Hahn is coming in as a coach. Unless the team changes hands, I don’t see TK going anywhere since his uncle’s name is plastered on the side of the semi. How do you think he’s held on to that job as long as he has with the complete lack of results? In pro sports, if the team isn’t performing, management is usually one of the first changes made.
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88FYNN88
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88FYNN88 6/4/2021 7:17am
6/4/2021 7:17am
Could Gas-Gas be bringing Wil on to try and pull some amateur talent to the team? I know he seems to connect really well with these young guys and curious if Gas-Gas will use him to bring that talent over to the team.

As of right now, KTM Factory, Gas-Gas, and Husky don't seem to have a ton of younger talent but Star is full of it.

The first name to come to mind would be Daxton Bennick. Wil has a family connection with the Bennick family and I know they tried to get him to join Star but he passed because he wanted to stay with the KTM family.
byke
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byke 6/4/2021 10:30am
6/4/2021 10:30am
Gas-Gas was thinking to themselves, "wow it's awesome that this guy helped Star look like whiney bitches filing pointless complaints, maybe he can help us too!!".
GrapeApe
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GrapeApe 6/4/2021 10:45am
6/4/2021 10:45am
88FYNN88 wrote:
Could Gas-Gas be bringing Wil on to try and pull some amateur talent to the team? I know he seems to connect really well with these...
Could Gas-Gas be bringing Wil on to try and pull some amateur talent to the team? I know he seems to connect really well with these young guys and curious if Gas-Gas will use him to bring that talent over to the team.

As of right now, KTM Factory, Gas-Gas, and Husky don't seem to have a ton of younger talent but Star is full of it.

The first name to come to mind would be Daxton Bennick. Wil has a family connection with the Bennick family and I know they tried to get him to join Star but he passed because he wanted to stay with the KTM family.
The KTM Group amateur program in the last few years had Derek Drake (Horizon Award), Jalek Swoll (Horizon Award), Pierce Brown (arguably the best amateur of that class), Stilez Robertson (Horizon Award), Nate Thrasher and Max Vohland. No lack of talent there. Hopefully Wilbur can help with their transition from successful amateur to successful pro, which seems to be the problem.

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