Deeley Harley-Davidson, the Canadian importer for the H-D brand, has announced that it will continue racing its discontinued Buell brand in Canada in 2010. The categories supported will be the Pro Superbike, Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike, and the new Sports Twins Pro/Am Classes, as well as the Western Canadian Championships.
The Deeley Racing/Ruthless Racing Inc. team will consist of the experienced Darren James – team owner/rider no. 29 – racing in the Pro Superbike and Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike categories on 2009 Buell 1125R bikes, with the possibility of Olivier Spilborghs joining in and racing in the Sports Twins Pro/Am Class.
Last season there were three full-time racers: James, David Estok of Florida, and five-time Canadian champion Steve Crevier. Spilborghs has raced with the team in the past and has made occasional National appearances in recent seasons. There’s been no word on what Crevier is doing next year; perhaps we’ll have some information after the Toronto Motorcycle Show this weekend, as Crevier plans to be there.
Racing a non-existent brand of motorcycle (Buell was canned by H-D in October) raises an interesting point for the National series. Until now, only operating brands that had literally bought into the series were allowed to race. Ducati and KTM, for example, did so for one year then declined further monetary participation, after which even privateers with those bikes were not allowed to enter the races. With Yamaha Canada’s withdrawal, will people showing up on Yamahas be treated the same way?
And if Buells and Yamahas are no problem, what happens if a Ducati superbike rider like Michael Leon shows up in registration and wants to ride?
Glad to see they are still racing, hopefully with Crevier but after their bikes earned top 5 results in AMA superbike do they really need to run them with 600’s still?
Yamaha Riders have been banned from the National :roll Series!! Is Suzuki next?
well that is a ray of sunshine !
hope crevier can grab a ride somewhere,hope to talk
to him this weekend,
mike