Eric Bostrom to MotoGP?

Sources close to Crash.net have indicated that both Garry McCoy and Andrew Pitt could lose their seats at Kawasaki, as team green calls-up AMA Superbike star Eric Bostrom to join Alex Hofmann in 2004.

With the Brno announcement that test rider Hofmann would be promoted to Harald Eckl's race team next year it was clear that either Pitt or McCoy would go at the end of the season.

However, it seems Kawasaki may now have decided to drop both Australians as part of a major reorganisation of their GP efforts, and instead give the experienced Bostrom his overdue GP break.

Bostrom began racing aged 8, turned pro at 16, and has won four AMA titles to date: Dirt Track in '96, SuperTwins in '97, Formula Extreme in '98 and the 600cc Supersport crown in 2001.

For the past 4-5 years Eric has arguably been the fastest Kawasaki rider on the planet - and this year provided the Japanese manufacturer with their only success in top level racing through his performances in the AMA SBK championship.

In 2001 he finished runner-up to Mat Mladin in the series, and last year took eventual champion - and current Repsol Honda rider - Nicky Hayden (riding a superior V-Twin Honda with a 250cc capacity advantage) right to the final round after a thrilling season long battle.

With Hayden fast proving himself a future MotoGP star, Kawasaki appear ready to put Bostrom - their own 'Hayden beater' - into the premier motorcycle championship to help revive the team's fortunes.

The 26-year-old, younger brother of former World Superbike star Ben, has won two AMA SBK rounds this year on an aging ZX-7R (750cc) against the 1000cc opposition, and was leading the championship heading into Laguna Seca in mid July.
There, while competing as a wild-card in the WSBK race, his title hopes were literally knocked off course when AMA rival Aaron Yates sent Bostrom somersaulting after he lost control into turn one, of race one. Yates collected several other riders in the accident, but Bostrom was the most badly hurt - dislocating his shoulder, as well as injuring his neck and back, forcing him to miss the following rounds to date.

Meanwhile, Kawasaki's GP effort has been a major disappointment since their debut at Motegi last year and - despite signing former GP winner McCoy to join Pitt for 2003 - the team has struggled to bridge the performance gap to race winners' Honda and Ducati. Instead they have regularly rounded out the field.

Although the ZX-RR's chassis, engine and Dunlop tyres were all known to need significant improvement, question marks were raised about the team's race riders after Hofmann, with little four-stroke experience, was able to consistently out-pace the race regulars in occasional wild-card outings.

As a result of those rides, Ducati were eager to snap-up the young German to partner Neil Hodgson in the almost certain deal with Luis D'Antin's team, thus Kawasaki responded by taking up their option to keep Hofmann 'green' in 2004.

That leaves a dilemma for the second seat: 27-year-old Pitt is a long time Kawasaki rider who delivered the 600cc World Supersport championship, but has little GP or 'big bike' experience and has yet to sparkle after a year in MotoGP.

Meanwhile, 31-year-old McCoy is an experienced GP frontrunner on a two-stroke, but has little four-stroke knowledge and - from recent comments to the Australian press - appears unhappy at the time it's taking to develop a machine he's rarely looked comfortable on.

And so it's no surprise that Bostrom, a proven race winner with stacks of four-stroke experience, is being considered. Crucially, he is said to have support from Kawasaki Japan and Kawasaki USA (with whom he is under contract) in making the move.

Watch this space...

Eric himself is currently recovering from surgery on his injured shoulder, but will take time out of his rehabilitation schedule at 4.15pm (EST) today for an appearance on New York's 92.7 WLIR station.

'The Boss' will be interviewed by lifelong race fan Orli, aka 'The English Muffin', who regularly promotes motorcycle sport by broadcasting results and discussing racing with listeners to her show.

"It's been great watching both Bostroms race (in the AMA SBK championship), but I first contacted Eric's manager because there is nothing like watching the underdog ride the *&$!* out of one of the oldest bikes on the track," said Orli of Eric's efforts this year. "I had him pegged to win the title 'till Yates took him out. Not to mention the fact that he rides that thing like he's being chased by a herd of horny rhinos, but then you hear him speak and he's a sweetheart. How can you not love him?"

The station's website www.wlir.com will be providing a link for fans to listen to the interview if they are unable to catch it on the radio.