Michael Ray (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter MHayes
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StockersRock
Nitro Member
I guess I'll wait to hear the facts before I make a judgement. Hopefully there are no health or family issues to cause the immediacy.
Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Michael Ray, who is qualified No. 7 in the Countdown to the Championship standings, delivered a shocking announcement today when he announced his resignation from the Star Racing team, effective immediately.
“This is just a business decision,” said Ray. “If the performance isn’t there then a change has to be made, so I felt that I had to do what was best for me and my family. I can’t thank George and Jackie [Bryce, team owners] and Star Racing enough for all they’ve done for me and Gottspeed Racing over the last two years.”
Ray indicated that he does not currently have a ride for the upcoming NHRA Carolina Nationals in Charlotte, Sept. 12-14, but was hoping to find a competitive bike to ride. The Charlotte race is the first event in the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
George Bryce issued the following statement: “We just found out today at 2 p.m. [Eastern time] and we were shocked and surprised by Michael's decision,” said Bryce. “He’s obviously not happy with performance or the reliability we’ve had lately but we believe as a team that we’ve just turned the corner. For example, we had the quickest bike in the final qualifying session at Indy and earned three bonus points. We’re very disappointed but we’ll do what we always do, which is keep digging and keep moving forward.”
Bryce also indicated that he expects to announce the team's future plans shortly.
“This is just a business decision,” said Ray. “If the performance isn’t there then a change has to be made, so I felt that I had to do what was best for me and my family. I can’t thank George and Jackie [Bryce, team owners] and Star Racing enough for all they’ve done for me and Gottspeed Racing over the last two years.”
Ray indicated that he does not currently have a ride for the upcoming NHRA Carolina Nationals in Charlotte, Sept. 12-14, but was hoping to find a competitive bike to ride. The Charlotte race is the first event in the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
George Bryce issued the following statement: “We just found out today at 2 p.m. [Eastern time] and we were shocked and surprised by Michael's decision,” said Bryce. “He’s obviously not happy with performance or the reliability we’ve had lately but we believe as a team that we’ve just turned the corner. For example, we had the quickest bike in the final qualifying session at Indy and earned three bonus points. We’re very disappointed but we’ll do what we always do, which is keep digging and keep moving forward.”
Bryce also indicated that he expects to announce the team's future plans shortly.
Scotty Pollacheck, last year right around the start of the countdown.
kansasnitro54
Nitro Member
Pollacheck DEFECTED to the MAtt Smith team FROM Star Racing last year at the beginning of the countdown. No one from Matt Smith's team left, someone has things a might backwards.
Gearge and Star racing are a CLASS TEAM,they will recover nicely like they did last year....
Chaz Kennedy is a great rider,just needs more laps to get in the thick of it.
Gearge and Star racing are a CLASS TEAM,they will recover nicely like they did last year....
Chaz Kennedy is a great rider,just needs more laps to get in the thick of it.
Silly Savage
Nitro Member
Oh, just wait for the announcement from Matt Smith Racing....LOLOLOLOL 
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
"Ray said he has no bike to ride at Charlotte but he is hoping to find a competitive one to ride."
BULL$H!T. He is not going to hop off a Countdown bike to sit out the rest of the season if no one happens to pick him up. We'll see where he is when qualifying starts at ZMax ... I am pretty sure Ray won't be on his couch. It is pretty wacky that Star Racing has gotten someone in the Countdown 2 straight years to watch them take the points somewhere else, what is going on over there at Star?
-OR-
Ray doesn't have the money to pay George Bryce for the ride, either sponsors or out of his own pocket. George ain't gonna foot the bill for him. When Star came back, they made no bones about the fact that to ride one of their bikes, you had to bring the cash.
PS There sure is a lot of drama in the bike ranks.
BULL$H!T. He is not going to hop off a Countdown bike to sit out the rest of the season if no one happens to pick him up. We'll see where he is when qualifying starts at ZMax ... I am pretty sure Ray won't be on his couch. It is pretty wacky that Star Racing has gotten someone in the Countdown 2 straight years to watch them take the points somewhere else, what is going on over there at Star?
-OR-
Ray doesn't have the money to pay George Bryce for the ride, either sponsors or out of his own pocket. George ain't gonna foot the bill for him. When Star came back, they made no bones about the fact that to ride one of their bikes, you had to bring the cash.
PS There sure is a lot of drama in the bike ranks.
Silly Savage
Nitro Member
We are all waiting for that other shoe to drop...LOL Hell who knows, maybe there will be a third Sreaming Eagle....
willy
Nitro Member
Now, there you have it.
I've thought this for years, especially since the onboard computer came into play. The Crew Chief and
crew have much to do with the vehicles performance. Unlike the earlier days when the driver also had to
report how the vehicle ran during the run. Now days driver/rider cuts the light and stops the vehicle.
StockersRock
Nitro Member
Ok then. After reading the Bits From the Pits piece, and now the piece on CompPlus, it's not a family or health issue, so... The usual blah blah is spout out about "different directions" and "best interests", etc, by the party that initiated the leave. Obviously there's more to stories and relationships then we generally know. George Bryce strikes me as a "my way or the highway" sort of guy, and that's fine, it's his bike. He, however, has never struck me as someone who is going to allow his team to remain mediocre, so I tend to believe him when he says that they're getting to their issues. In one article, Ray mentions that he hopes to get on a competitive bike and in the other he mentions "at least represent his long time sponsors". You can "at least represent" your sponsors on any bike, provided you pay the entry fee and pass tech, but that's only going to get you through Friday and Saturday. Seems to me he was on a competitive bike, one that he could certainly "at least represent" those sponsors on Sundays. All race teams go through ups and downs. A bike carrying a number plate with "2" on it, qualifies as a ride with a proven upside. If adversity is an issue, between his "retiring/not retiring" last season, and now this, I'm not sure I'd want to be his sponsor or have him on my bike.
Don't you think he brought money to the table (indirectly/directly). When you are looking for a rider with $ I'm guessing that your threshold for who you'll "have on your bike" might be pretty low. In terms of sponsors he brings, I'll bet that represents a pretty strong personal relationship and he's done nothing here to tick them off. It appears George is pretty tough to work with RELATIVE TO THE MONEY YOU HAVE TO BRING TO THE TABLE .... that's the problem with paying for rides as the cost goes up, you become a "customer" as much or more than a "rider."
StockersRock
Nitro Member
I think at this point, it's just assumed that drivers/riders are bringing the money. I quite agree with what you're saying, Jeff; though I don't think I could qualify myself to comment on working relationships with Bryce per dollar, however. Ray does seem lucky to have committed sponsors that maybe allow him the freedom to do as he sees fit in regards to rides and sponsor activation. I was merely commenting on the seemingly inconsistent manner of commitment (towards that team - not his riding). he has shown over the last year's time, and how it could affect him going forward in the eyes of others. Bringing money to the table still requires great time, effort and commitment on the team's end to make things work for the driver/rider - both on and off the bike/car. He is a talented and proven rider, so hopefully he does land somewhere soon and get to take advantage of that spot in the Countdown that he earned.
Rajunz
Nitro Member
Matt is already maxed out with 4 bikes, and they're all in the Countdown.Oh, just wait for the announcement from Matt Smith Racing....LOLOLOLOL
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