Racing

The MotoGP / WSBK / AMA Racer Merry-Go-Round

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As the end of the season approaches, the punishment which the riders have taken is starting to take its toll. With several riders out or moved, replacements are being sought to complete the season, or at least fill in for the next race.

In the MotoGP class, the knock on effect of Ben Spies’ extended absence means that a vacancy arose at the PBM team. With Michele Pirro unable to race in the overseas triple header, dedicating himself to testing for the remainder of the year, Yonny Hernandez has been moved to the Ignite Pramac squad for the last five races of the year, as was announced after the Misano test.

That meant that Hernandez’s spot at PBM needed filling, preferably by a rider with some kind of Grand Prix experience. That rider has now been found, and Damian Cudlin is to take the place of Hernandez at the next round of MotoGP at Aragon.

Whether Cudlin will continue at PBM after Aragon is yet to be determined. Cudlin has GP experience, having replaced Hector Barbera in 2011 at Motegi and Phillip Island. He has also raced both as a wild card and as a replacement rider in Moto2.

Luca Scassa will also be making an appearance as a replacement rider. The Italian will be taking the place of the injured Karel Abraham at Cardion AB, initially for the Aragon race. Depending on Scassa’s performance, the Italian could replace Abraham for the remainder of the season.

Scassa has had a checkered career, having raced in World Supersport, World Superbike, and AMA. His best season came in 2011, when he challenged Chaz Davies for the WSS title for much of the year.

There is also a replacement in the World Superbike series. WSBK regular and current WSS rider David Salom will be taking the place of Loris Baz in the Kawasaki Racing Team for this weekend’s Laguna Seca round of WSBK, racing alongside Tom Sykes.

Baz is not the only replacement rider at Laguna Seca: Michel Fabrizio will continue to replace the injured Jonathan Rea at Pata Honda, and Blake Young is in for Leon Camier at the Fixi Crescent Suzuki team.

The WSBK grid will be boosted at Laguna Seca, with Roger Hayden and Danny Eslick entered to compete as wild cards. The Jordan Motorsports team entered the two men for the World Superbike round, citing a lack of TV coverage of the AMA series, which is also racing on the same weekend, as the reason for choosing WSBK over the AMA series they normally compete in.

Photo: © 2013 Scott Jones / Scott Jones Photography – All Rights Reserved

This article was originally published on MotoMatters, and is republished here on Asphalt & Rubber with permission by the author.

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