Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Briefly... Continued from poge 25 America. Aaron Gobert brought two gear bags to Road Atlantl to dear out of the Yamaha trailer that's been his home since arriving in the U.S. VVhere will he end up? At. Erion Honda, replacing his younger brother Alex, who's retiring to pursue a career in journalism. "There's been some contact for sure," team owner Kevin Erion said. "He doesn't have a contract." Erion said that Honda traditionally announces its rider lineup at its dealer show, which is scheduled for September 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Erion Honda will race Supemock and Formula Xtreme. If Aaron does sign, it would make Erion Honda the fIrSt team to have employed all three Goberts. Aaron would replace his brother Alex and join the team that employed Anthony for one race, Fontana 2004, before the oldest Gobert was sacked for a drunk driving incident. Still the 1: Mat Mladin wan his sixth AMA Superbike title at Road Atlanta. Attack Kawasaki's Ben Attard is the other rider Erion is considering, but it appears that Attard will stly with his current team to contest the Supersport and Supemock championships. Kawasaki boss Mike Preston said no decisions had been made on the Attack rider lineup. Attack could end up as an all-Australian team, with Damon Buckmaster tipped for the second spot. Buckmaster, recently let go by Yamaha, would like to race a Superbike, but the opportunities are limited. Aaron Gobert ended his Yamaha career on Geo.II of our major sponsors are with us," team principal Tim Saunders said. "Everyone's been happy. We have a program." Saunders said he was waiting to see what Suzuki wanted them to do. "The assumption is they want to continue with us." The Corolla team was collateral damage when the Michael jordan Motorsports team took shape_ The jordan team will be stronger next year, and Mat Mladin has said he'd like to add a second rider to his team. VVhere that leaves the Corona team - the only one in the paddock that doesn't rely on the industry for sponsorship - is unknown. American Honda will have a surplus of personnel after the decision to abandon the Formula Xtreme class for 2006. Miguel Duhamel and jake Zemke will race the Daytona 200, then concentrate on Superbike. What does that mean for the FX team personnel? "It all depends on R&D," American Honda's Ray Plumb said. "Some guys will switch to R&D, other guys don't fit in. That plan isn't finalized. We're still trying to decide how to approach next year." Each team currently has a chassis and engine specialist. With more emphasis being put on developing the Superbike inhouse, there's room for more help at the shop. Mat Mladin will go under the knife on the Friday following Road Atlanta. The surgery is to correct the damage done when he crnshed during the JanlJaf)' Daytona tire test. A small piece of bone is floating around from the fracture that resulted when he ran off the track and into a tire wall. Dr. Thomas Bryan, the attending physician, will also wor!< on the ankle that he broke in an ultra-light accident in Australia Continued on poge CYCLE NEWS • SEPTEMBER 14,2005 3' 27

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