[Crash]

Alright, just because I like to kick the buckets over once in a while, I'll start the pre-silly season chat now.

My brother and I were talking last night about the future of American Riders in MotoGP. We tried to make sense out of what might happen next year with rule changes and the new crop of kids coming out of the 250 ranks.

Here's some thoughts we had, please feel free to discuss.

1) Nicky's contract is up (I believe). Now if he wins the championship, it would be bad form for HRC to not renew his contract. However if he doesn't win it, he's a free man and most assuradly off the Repsol team. Limited scuttle butt has him as a possible team-mate to Rossi with Yamaha if he should be released from HRC. Remember Yamaha was the first company to try to get him into MotoGP.

2) CEII is most likely done in MotoGP. He's never really materialized the results we all thought he was capable of. I was a bigger fan when he was on Aprillia, he fought harder than anyone else in the paddock for his results. But since getting his dream ride with Honda and then switching to his Dream manufacturer with Yamaha, he's basically been mid-pack consistant. He's out and back to racing WSBK against Bayliss. But will he go back to Honda with the Ten Kate team? Or will he bring back the Castrol money? Or will he stay with Yamaha and race as Haga's team-mate?

3) Hopper will stay with Suzuki because he likes to throw his head against a wall every weekend. His only chance at getting a different ride, is if the Tech 3 Yamaha team gets more funding and he can go back the manufacturer that gave him success on the 2 strokes. If not, he's got about another two seasons before he's replaced.

4) KRJR has a ride as long as Daddy has a bike. I would hate to see Kurtis back on the team, even though he has a heap of talent, just don't care to see him back.

Thoughts....

[CBRVFR]

The mothership is due to install more soul suckers. If critical mass is reached, Dani "Podboy" Pedrosa may have to ask for some time off to participate in world domination by sucking people's spinal fluid. Which, coincidentally, is a major component in Repsol products.

If not, he'll definitely stay with HRC, who apparently think that they'll get more out of bending over for a Spanish Oil company than by providing a platform for an American MotoGP champ. Maybe someone got to their spinal fluid already...

[Linus]

Hmm? now if CE proves compatible again with Haga on an R-1 at Suzuka this year, like they were in 1996 on a YZF750, then he has a pretty good chance of regaining sucess in WSB as a Factory Yamaha rider. They were a great match before and could be a dream team for WSB. Let's face it he's a good development rider but needs to win to keep him MotoGP ride.

Nicky will stay with a top Honda team next year-as long as he at least places 2nd in the standings, he's maturing well, placing well-occassionally winning and I think Honda recognizes that.

Suzuki will not be too keen to replace Hopper-he is a pretty good test/development rider and crash test dummy.

I have no comment on KRJR.