Honda quits Suzuka 8 Hours (Suzuka is Honda's own race track!)

[EJ25RUN]

http://www.honda.co.jp/Racing/race2008/8hours/

Hellforleathermagazine.....

Perhaps even more shocking than the unsuccessful Kawasaki quitting MotoGP is Honda -- which has won 11 out of the last 12 and 21 out of 31 total races -- giving up on the Suzuki 8 Hours. Honda has also recently withdrawn from both AMA Superbike racing and Formula One all in an effort to save money as the market for cars and motorcycles collapses.

The Suzuka 8 Hours is a championship race in the otherwise fairly unglamorous World Endurance Championship. It enjoys an extremely high profile due to the big budget factory teams the Japanese manufacturers roll out each year, they see the race as something of a pissing contest, spending inordinate amounts of money to beat domestic rivals. Last year, Carlos Checa and Ryuichi Kiyonari won aboard a faulty HRC CBR1000RR; previous winners have included Valentino Rossi, Colin Edwards, Wayne Gardner, Mick Doohan, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey and Wes Cooley.

Honda will continue its support of non-factory teams participating in the race and has reconfirmed its commitment to MotoGP, saying, "Honda won't quit MotoGP."

[Christopherr]

all in an effort to save money as the market for cars and motorcycles collapses.

That says it all...one after another. Whats next? Sad... This after news of the S2000 is being discontinued.

[DinanM3atl]

Kawi tried to leave?

[EJ25RUN]

Kawi tried to leave?

Kawi's contract with Motogp is until 2011. Kawi wants out because of "global economic crisis". Motogp says they will sue since Kawi will be breaking their contract. That is unless Kawi finds a way to get 2 of their bikes on the 2009 grid with a satellite team. Motogp requires at least 18 bikes and with Kawi leaving, it is down to 17. This is why Motogp says if they fiond a way to get those two bikes on the track, the contract will be forgotten. The most likly candidate was Aspar but talks haven't picked up for a month now.

I posted the story from day 1 and have updated the news as it happens. Just find that thread in the comp forum.

[EJ25RUN]

here...

Kawasaki will run a single bike effort in the 2009 MotoGP season with Marco Melandri