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Just got to thinking about this I think they talked about it on pulp but where will Joey go for his 450 ride?? Will he take Grants spot at kawi?
Grant has fit in well at Kawasaki. Factory Kawasaki hasn’t brought a PC guy into the Factory truck since Weimer and RV.
The Shop
AC is the heir apparent to Tomac at Kawasaki in 2020.
Grant’s contract is up at the end of this year.
The only 450 rides secured for the next year and possibly more already.
Musquin
Tomac
Anderson
Roczen
Osborne
Hill
Everyone else is racing for a ride.
Grant is likely to be out at Kawi, and rumours are that Eli hasnt and isnt going to re-sign . For me Plessinger is the key, he is the only 250 guy i am looking at if i am a team manager.
More bums than seats, IMO having 2 250 teams for SX , and not enough places for them to go into 450 is stupid, thats why 450 is spilt pretty much in half , with so many privateers in the mix. It needs second supported teams like Suzuki and Kawasaki to be there ,
budget this in, create more jobs and get these 250 riders spots on teams without turfing good riders like Grant.
Look at Yamaha, Webb rode injured last night and for what? Just to have a Yamaha in the field. That’s dangerous and just stupid.
Realistically the series should do away with the 250 east and west and just have a 250 and 450 series. Teams can run 3 riders in each series so instead of having 2 450 and 4 250 riders its still 6 per manufacturer. It may be cheaper too to add a 450 and take away a 250.
Anderson will not be leaving Husky and will be joined with Osborone.
Pit Row
I like the 3 rider 450 team scenario (again, just dreaming). I want them to make room for the guys that need to move up (AC, Savatgy, Pless, Martin, Davalos, Craig
A 450 team of Anderson, Wilson and Osborne would be really good. A top tier guy and two 2nd tier riders with all the possibility to be in tier 1 also.
Kawasaki could be Tomac, Grant and Savatgy (year later, Grant or Joey out, AC in)
Yamaha: Webb, Barcia, Plessinger
etc...
With that being said, there isn't a lot of wiggle room for rides next year. Isn't McElrath, Plessinger, and perhaps a few more moving up full time?
Honda - Seely and Roczen
Kawasaki - Tomac and Grant
KTM - Musquin and Tickle
Husqvarna - Anderson and Wilson (and Osborne*?)
Yamaha - Open slot?
Suzuki - Peick and Hill (Bogle?)
Rocky Mountain - Baggett and open slot?
Motoconcepts - Brayton and open slot?
RockRiver - Open slots?
I like the idea of 3 riders on a team but not sure if they could afford it. In my opinion only riders I see for sure worth a 450 ride right now are Osborne, AC and Plessinger. Going to be tough on Mc Elrath and Savatgy to secure good rides on a factory team.
Yamaha - Webb is moving on. Barcia most likely will sign an extension.
Husky - I'm assuming they'll fill 3 bikes. Osborne is riding the 450 outdoors. That's not cheap.
Suzuki - Bogle most likely out.
If Webb doesn't stay on Yamaha, though, where do you think he goes? I don't see KTM paying his asking price, especially when they already have Tickle putting in decent rides for (I'm sure) a lot less money.
Would he maybe look to stay on blue another year seeing as he seems to be finally clicking a bit with the bike?
The 350 hasn't been developed at all in the last couple of years, and by all accounts from Kenny and Shorty, was a lot harder to ride at that pace.
Peick will be staying put, Hill will be a 450 rookie so in my opinion it makes sense to bring on Webb. Not to mention he already has a history with JGR in the amateurs. He's also from that area right?
Been awhile since the 2 has been on yellow.
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