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Team Honda Change. Mike Childress out!

By BWB63,
in XR600R & XR650R/L

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Grand Master

BWB63

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News Release

Mike Childress, an intergal part of the championship trio that has captivated the motorcycle desert racing scene for the past two years, and American Honda split up on Friday morning. By mid-morning, American Honda's team manager, Johnny Campbell, had arrived to Childress shop to collect the Honda team motorcycle and gear.

For the past two seasons he has teamed with the multiple Baja 1000 champion, Steve Hengeveld, on the American Honda "A" Team.

Sources revealed in the past few weeks that Childress and Honda were struggling as they attempted to ink their 2007 contract and discussions were at a stand still. Childress has long been acknowledged by his peers as one of the fastest riders in the desert and that coupled with his passion to get the job done at all costs proved to be an asset that American Honda team had captilized on. Childress raced regardless if he was injured, sick or was told to run more miles without a question. The young and diverse desert racer is a multi-talented prospect that has proved his ability to not only race fast on two wheels, but can also go fast on four wheels.

In early 2006, Mike Childress and Steve Hengeveld had the opportunity to race the Jesse Jones Motorsports # 76 Trophy Truck at the BITD Parker 425. Childress and Hengeveld pushed the truck hard finishing 3rd at one of the toughest races in the Nevada desert.

Reportedly, Childress is slated to join the Bi-Polar Pro-Truck team for the 2007 season where they will race the SCORE Series. Childress is slated to drive one of the two Bi-Polor race trucks. DIRTnewz contacted Mike Childress at his high-desert shop on Friday afternoon and he confirmed that he and Honda have parted ways after two great years of racing in the desert. "Joining American Honda was a great experience for the past two years, but its time to move on."

I actually have a couple of other things I have yet to consider and I am not limiting my involvement in off-road racing to the pro-truck deal mentioned above. You'll see me on a bike and what is nice is that my opportunities aren't limited and I am excited and looking forward to this year in racing. Check back to see what's up or I'll just see you in the desert.

Kris Hernandez

Fabtech Motorsports

909-597-7800 Ext 2305

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Grand Master

ThunderChicken

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Congratulations Honda......you managed to piss off another champion. Remember, Ricky Carmichael........check Suzuki's RM450 sales figures...

What did Honda do wrong?

I'm not sure how you blame Honda in this situation.

BTW, Suzuki isn't exactly selling a ton of 450s.

...not that Suzuki ever expected that their signing RC would have a direct impact on selling bikes, which is what you are implying.

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Grand Master

JohnnyAirtime

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Congratulations Honda......you managed to piss off another champion. Remember, Ricky Carmichael........check Suzuki's RM450 sales figures...

If you knew the true story... it's not a Honda issue.

American Honda's Baja team is managed by a single individual (somewhat), and there were some issues that led up to this. Some news worthy, some not. Some posted and for the public to dispute, some not.

All that matters is Mike is a fast individual. He came into a rider change with a broken colar bone at last year's Baja500 where I was standing... for Henge to get on the bike. I fed him some Vicodins, and he rode a bike back to Honda Pit. STUD if you ask me. He had just ridden 90 or more miles with a broken colar bone, and not at a snails pace.

His ethics and "how" he got it done were not how American Honda wanted to be portrayed.

He's off to 4 wheels!

:censored:

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Experienced

dukeryder

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Congratulations Honda......you managed to piss off another champion. Remember, Ricky Carmichael........check Suzuki's RM450 sales figures...

:censored:

Suzuki isn't selling hardly any RMZ450s compared to Honda's CRF450. Even in the AMA it seems like only the Factory Guys are on anything other than a HONDA. The top privateers if I'm not mistaken are virtually all on HONDAs.

Childress probably just wanted to do other things and racing for Honda just wasn't paying enough anymore.

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Grand Master

dezracerE

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If you knew the true story... it's not a Honda issue.

American Honda's Baja team is managed by a single individual (somewhat), and there were some issues that led up to this. Some news worthy, some not. Some posted and for the public to dispute, some not.

All that matters is Mike is a fast individual. He came into a rider change with a broken colar bone at last year's Baja500 where I was standing... for Henge to get on the bike. I fed him some Vicodins, and he rode a bike back to Honda Pit. STUD if you ask me. He had just ridden 90 or more miles with a broken colar bone, and not at a snails pace.

His ethics and "how" he got it done were not how American Honda wanted to be portrayed.

He's off to 4 wheels!

:censored:

Hey airtime- has Honda called you yet?

Are you racing San Felipe?

Check RDC for possible course changes this year.

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Grand Master

JohnnyAirtime

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Hey airtime- has Honda called you yet?

Are you racing San Felipe?

Check RDC for possible course changes this year.

HaHaHa....

I'm not sittin by the phone if that's what ya mean!!! :ride:

... a couple oppurtunities came up for the SF250, but one on a KTM and the other on a Husky. No Hondas. :censored: I'll be riding the cooler and watching this year. No time for it to be a 'race'. Work prevails on this one.

And Ya, I heard the course may not "loop"... SuckS!

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Grand Master

dezracerE

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HaHaHa....

I'm not sittin by the phone if that's what ya mean!!! :ride:

... a couple oppurtunities came up for the SF250, but one on a KTM and the other on a Husky. No Hondas. :censored: I'll be riding the cooler and watching this year. No time for it to be a 'race'. Work prevails on this one.

And Ya, I heard the course may not "loop"... SuckS!

We are chasing for a new Artic Cat running the UTV class.

Trying to get them to finish - sponsorship may follow.

I am running the new USDR race in Ridgecrest next week to get my rocks off.

Seems like a good new series.

I'll do a thread if it is worth it.

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Rising Star

Thumpage

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Now that would be a sort of irony wouldn't it? Kawasaki claiming new victory status on their newer 450 in the Baja 500,? , then winning a 1000 against the Honda 450x's, :ride:. It would be like in the 90s when Kawi ruled and Honda needed to design a bike that could compete & beat a KX500 in baja. I can see the 450s dicing it out and winning in the shorter more technical Baja races. Of course the 650R is still showing to be right there in any case. But if there is too be real dominance in the faster and or longer races there needs to be a bigger bore bike. Conceptually KTM should have that wrapped up with all the bike choices they have. It just appears they need to organize a serious multi rider team of great Baja style riders to make an impact. Something maybe like, Childress, Blaize, Grider? or some other newer hotrod. I hate to plot & talk against the Honda brand as I love their XR650R design but we want a NEWer bike of that same breed dang it! :censored::applause:

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Grand Master

JohnnyAirtime

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... I hate to plot & talk against the Honda brand as I love their XR650R design but we want a NEWer bike of that same breed dang it! :censored::ride:

I agree!

Honda needs to get off their duff, and make a bike that is the 650R... but with newer ideas and such. Maybe a CRF600X as we've all mentioned before. Mild bike (based off a 450X motor) but less compression and more grunt... street legal... ... I know, keep wishing!

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