Kehoe Retires From Honda

mxtech1
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mxtech1
Edited Date/Time 9/22/2021 8:06pm
A well earned retirement from Eric. He’s had a great career and a nice run with Honda.

Who do you guys think fills the spot? Lars? Someone external?

Lawrence’s 250 MX title was much needed. I get the impression that Honda has really been putting pressure on Kenny and Eric the last few years to win a 450 championship. Do you all think Honda had any hand in “guiding” him into early retirement to get some new blood into the program that can relate better to the new guys?
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Johnny Ringo
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Johnny Ringo 9/20/2021 5:41pm
9/20/2021 5:41pm
Dude can you title this better? He retired, you worded it like he got canned
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felpro
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felpro 9/20/2021 5:53pm
9/20/2021 5:53pm
I doubt that any "pressure" from Honda (if there was any) would be different to the pressure that these people would put on themselves.

If you do everything right or just more right than wrong, tick every box you can, leave no stone unturned, nothing is guaranteed.

He is quoted saying "I know it’s time to slow down my pace".

And yes, that means new blood will come into the program. Maybe a good thing, maybe nothing much changes.

Maybe Darren Lawrence would fit in nicely ???
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flarider
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flarider 9/20/2021 6:12pm
9/20/2021 6:12pm
Good for Erik

See GuyB at the Early Bird
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CPR
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CPR 9/20/2021 6:39pm
9/20/2021 6:39pm
He’s been in team management for a long time, but this is always the Erik Kehoe I remember


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Sully
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Sully 9/20/2021 6:50pm
9/20/2021 6:50pm
CPR wrote:
He’s been in team management for a long time, but this is always the Erik Kehoe I remember [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2021/09/20/510935/s1200_89404EE6_C39B_4928_A0B3_6874B252089F.jpg[/img]
He’s been in team management for a long time, but this is always the Erik Kehoe I remember


I had a blue and white pair of those O'neal Ultra Lite Twos when I was a kid because I thought Kehoe was the coolest.
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KurtJ99
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KurtJ99 9/20/2021 7:02pm
9/20/2021 7:02pm
CPR wrote:
He’s been in team management for a long time, but this is always the Erik Kehoe I remember [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2021/09/20/510935/s1200_89404EE6_C39B_4928_A0B3_6874B252089F.jpg[/img]
He’s been in team management for a long time, but this is always the Erik Kehoe I remember


Sully wrote:
I had a blue and white pair of those O'neal Ultra Lite Twos when I was a kid because I thought Kehoe was the coolest.
Open face helmet, team yellow gear, Oakley facemask looking like mean business!
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FWYT
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FWYT 9/20/2021 7:21pm
9/20/2021 7:21pm Edited Date/Time 9/20/2021 7:21pm
Legend.


(Buckley photo)
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mb60
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mb60 9/20/2021 7:21pm
9/20/2021 7:21pm
CPR wrote:
He’s been in team management for a long time, but this is always the Erik Kehoe I remember [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2021/09/20/510935/s1200_89404EE6_C39B_4928_A0B3_6874B252089F.jpg[/img]
He’s been in team management for a long time, but this is always the Erik Kehoe I remember


Kehoe and Holland holding the RM army back in the day.
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PNWRider
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PNWRider 9/20/2021 7:28pm
9/20/2021 7:28pm
FWYT wrote:
Legend. [img]https://www.wewentfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Kehoe_McGrath-1993-copy_2.jpg[/img] (Buckley photo)
Legend.


(Buckley photo)
Look up “full send” in the dictionary and that pic is next to it…

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rf928
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rf928 9/20/2021 8:48pm
9/20/2021 8:48pm
FWYT wrote:
Legend. [img]https://www.wewentfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Kehoe_McGrath-1993-copy_2.jpg[/img] (Buckley photo)
Legend.


(Buckley photo)
I’m a young fella. I’ve seen this picture several times. Can someone explain what was on the backside of this or how the landing went?? Looks so badass but I’d like to know if it still looked badass 30 seconds after.
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profeshenal125 9/20/2021 9:06pm
9/20/2021 9:06pm
Flat landing in bumps. 97 the last yr it was a big double. I remember seeing Eric as the 80cc star also.
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Sully
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Sully 9/20/2021 9:07pm
9/20/2021 9:07pm
FWYT wrote:
Legend. [img]https://www.wewentfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Kehoe_McGrath-1993-copy_2.jpg[/img] (Buckley photo)
Legend.


(Buckley photo)
rf928 wrote:
I’m a young fella. I’ve seen this picture several times. Can someone explain what was on the backside of this or how the landing went?? Looks...
I’m a young fella. I’ve seen this picture several times. Can someone explain what was on the backside of this or how the landing went?? Looks so badass but I’d like to know if it still looked badass 30 seconds after.
The "backside" of this is the guy in the light blue/dark blue jacket standing on the track (aka, flat-ish ground). I don't remember the details, but I'm pretty sure he rode out of it (and won, too), and proved there's a reason these guys run A Kit suspension.
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kiwifan
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kiwifan 9/20/2021 9:48pm
9/20/2021 9:48pm
Stellar job at Team Honda, it will be interesting who replaces him. HRC have been building up nicely in the last few years, despite lack of major sponsorship
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OR Racer46
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OR Racer46 9/20/2021 9:55pm
9/20/2021 9:55pm
FWYT wrote:
Legend. [img]https://www.wewentfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Kehoe_McGrath-1993-copy_2.jpg[/img] (Buckley photo)
Legend.


(Buckley photo)
rf928 wrote:
I’m a young fella. I’ve seen this picture several times. Can someone explain what was on the backside of this or how the landing went?? Looks...
I’m a young fella. I’ve seen this picture several times. Can someone explain what was on the backside of this or how the landing went?? Looks so badass but I’d like to know if it still looked badass 30 seconds after.
Gatorback
Thisusernameisavailable 9/21/2021 12:24am
9/21/2021 12:24am
Seems odd timing- 15 years of graft And no major successes, they sign the two brightest prospects of the sport, win a national title and he retires?!

Jett is destined to win indoors snd outdoors in the next few years, I would want to be a part of that after a 15 year drought.

It’s sad that things turned out how they did with Kenny- I don’t think he’ll win another championship now, that must be a huge disappointment for Eric.
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Bluelion
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Bluelion 9/21/2021 3:27am
9/21/2021 3:27am
FWYT wrote:
Legend. [img]https://www.wewentfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Kehoe_McGrath-1993-copy_2.jpg[/img] (Buckley photo)
Legend.


(Buckley photo)
I was there that day. And I am in the crowd on the fence in the photo. He pinned it to pass McGrath at the finish line. He won and landed it hard in the rough bumps but did not go down. Everybody went crazy for him...loved it!!!
12
Johnny Ringo
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Johnny Ringo 9/21/2021 5:25am
9/21/2021 5:25am
Thisusernameisavailable wrote:
Seems odd timing- 15 years of graft And no major successes, they sign the two brightest prospects of the sport, win a national title and he...
Seems odd timing- 15 years of graft And no major successes, they sign the two brightest prospects of the sport, win a national title and he retires?!

Jett is destined to win indoors snd outdoors in the next few years, I would want to be a part of that after a 15 year drought.

It’s sad that things turned out how they did with Kenny- I don’t think he’ll win another championship now, that must be a huge disappointment for Eric.
No major successes beyond 33 out of 35 national wins and 2 Supercross titles from 2002-2004
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RoflCopter726 9/21/2021 5:47am
9/21/2021 5:47am
FWYT wrote:
Legend. [img]https://www.wewentfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Kehoe_McGrath-1993-copy_2.jpg[/img] (Buckley photo)
Legend.


(Buckley photo)
Hard to believe he could launch it that high defying gravity with the massive balls he has.
1

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USA
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USA 9/21/2021 6:35am
9/21/2021 6:35am
https://www.wewentfast.com/2018/03/07/moment-gatorback-1993-paul-buckle…

Brett Smith did an amazing write up on the history of this photograph. Its also in podcast form if you don't like reading. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in this photo, great story and chance to get that shot.
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526
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526 9/21/2021 7:31am
9/21/2021 7:31am
Gotta Be Lars I would think ??? or hope anyone seems like a really good fit for the role.
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 9/21/2021 8:18am
9/21/2021 8:18am
I would imagine Erik is over being gone for 29 plus weekends a year. He over-saw Honda's 'reinvestment' in racing. Yes, the money they decided to spend to get KR can easily be seen as a huge re-investment; because, they hadn't done anything quite that huge since RC.

I'm stoked for him and the simple fact that Honda was wise enough to bring him back...out of "retirement"... at the end of 2017.

If I recall correctly, the person responsible for hiring Erik -and- hiring Kenny is also retired (just before COVID); so, I'm wondering who's making those decisions, now...?
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davistld01
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davistld01 9/21/2021 8:58am
9/21/2021 8:58am Edited Date/Time 9/21/2021 8:59am
Somebody call Trey Canard...
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MX Culture
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MX Culture 9/21/2021 9:05am
9/21/2021 9:05am
TeamGreen wrote:
I would imagine Erik is over being gone for 29 plus weekends a year. He over-saw Honda's 'reinvestment' in racing. Yes, the money they decided to...
I would imagine Erik is over being gone for 29 plus weekends a year. He over-saw Honda's 'reinvestment' in racing. Yes, the money they decided to spend to get KR can easily be seen as a huge re-investment; because, they hadn't done anything quite that huge since RC.

I'm stoked for him and the simple fact that Honda was wise enough to bring him back...out of "retirement"... at the end of 2017.

If I recall correctly, the person responsible for hiring Erik -and- hiring Kenny is also retired (just before COVID); so, I'm wondering who's making those decisions, now...?
No, it's Brandon Wilson. He's still there.
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 9/21/2021 9:19am
9/21/2021 9:19am
TeamGreen wrote:
I would imagine Erik is over being gone for 29 plus weekends a year. He over-saw Honda's 'reinvestment' in racing. Yes, the money they decided to...
I would imagine Erik is over being gone for 29 plus weekends a year. He over-saw Honda's 'reinvestment' in racing. Yes, the money they decided to spend to get KR can easily be seen as a huge re-investment; because, they hadn't done anything quite that huge since RC.

I'm stoked for him and the simple fact that Honda was wise enough to bring him back...out of "retirement"... at the end of 2017.

If I recall correctly, the person responsible for hiring Erik -and- hiring Kenny is also retired (just before COVID); so, I'm wondering who's making those decisions, now...?
MX Culture wrote:
No, it's Brandon Wilson. He's still there.
I thought it was Scott. Glad that the folks that "want to go racing"are still in-charge!
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YZed250
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YZed250 9/21/2021 9:32am
9/21/2021 9:32am
Way too many down votes in this thread ... wait for it. Laughing
Congrats Erik!
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Moto Nomad
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Moto Nomad 9/21/2021 9:48am
9/21/2021 9:48am
First I heard of Erik Kehoe was about 40 years ago when he was a long-haired kid ripping a YZ80 in magazine photos. I idolized him of course- dude is as old-school moto as it gets. His retirement is well-earned.
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LOOnatic
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LOOnatic 9/21/2021 10:25am
9/21/2021 10:25am
USA wrote:
https://www.wewentfast.com/2018/03/07/moment-gatorback-1993-paul-buckley/ Brett Smith did an amazing write up on the history of this photograph. Its also in podcast form if you don't like reading. I highly...
https://www.wewentfast.com/2018/03/07/moment-gatorback-1993-paul-buckle…

Brett Smith did an amazing write up on the history of this photograph. Its also in podcast form if you don't like reading. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in this photo, great story and chance to get that shot.
Thanks for that link...really awesome story of how it all went down.👍
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Langhammx 9/21/2021 10:35am
9/21/2021 10:35am
Lars is your guy…. Stamp it
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Brent
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Brent 9/21/2021 11:54am
9/21/2021 11:54am
All that travel must have been brutal, especially lately. That job must be a tough one.

Imagine being at an airport or on a plane or a hotel room or in a rental car going to BFE Raceway 3 or 4 days a week over and over? Eating shitty road restaurant food and sleeping with hotel bed bugs?

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK that.
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RalphS
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RalphS 9/21/2021 12:19pm
9/21/2021 12:19pm
Well Larocco, Betley, Geico and now Kehoe in 3 years. HRC management and Honda powersports have seen many changes lately.

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