Employee Cuts and Changes At Suzuki & Yamaha

Rumors of employee cuts at American Suzuki and an official press release on changes in Yamaha's U.S. racing program were announced yesterday. The rumors regarding American Suzuki have the company terminating employees in their press department. This apparent cut follows a 15% cut in their work force back in April. The cuts don't come as a surprise in a U.S. market that has seen a 44% decrease in motorcycle sales that led to the recent closing of the Buell Motorcycle Company.

In an official press release Yamaha announced that they would be making changes that will result in the loss of jobs in their racing department. Graves Motorsports will continue to be a Yamaha partner in AMA racing and will assume additional responsibilities for the 2010 season. Yamaha finished second in the American Superbike and Daytona SportBike championships with Josh Hayes on a YZF-R1 and Josh Herrin on a YZF-R6.

The global economy and the sale of the AMA's race sanctioning rights to the Daytona Motorsports Group has led to cataclysmic change in U.S. road racing. The DMG initiated a multitude of changes that infuriated manufacturers and riders alike. The racing was often competitive, but inequities in the rules, safety concerns and a dictatorial management style led to dissatisfaction and low attendance at many tracks.

The changes at Suzuki and Yamaha follow Honda's announcement that they will be pulling out of AMA road racing for the 2010 season. It's hard to say whether the economy or the changes that the DMG has made to AMA road racing have led to the cuts and changes at the three companies. Whatever the case may be many AMA riders and teams are unsure about what they'll be doing next year. AMA riders like Jamie Hacking, Jake Zemke, Chaz Davies and Martin Cardenas had wild card rides in World Superbike and World Supersport during the course of the season, but most of those rides are taken for next year. Buell is out of business, Honda is pulling out of AMA road racing and the AMA has yet to announce the schedule for the 2010 season. There are going to be some sleepless nights this winter for anyone who makes their living in AMA road racing.