Mason loses two rides in one weekend

Gary Mason may have the distinction of being the only rider in AMA racing to lose two rides on one weekend.

It happened at Barber Motorsports Park where the Englishman was without his Corona Extra Honda Supersport ride last weekend.

Why? Depends on whom you ask.

Mason’s manager David Pickworth said there were contractual issues. He also said part of Mason’s contract stipulated that he “bring some support to the team,” which he hasn’t done.

“That’s one of the issues, but it’s not the major issue,” Pickworth said.

“There were a number of other issues that needed to be resolved. We don’t want to go into them. It’s a private contractual thing and it’s been resolved amicably by all concerned.”

Unable to ride the Honda, Mason ended up on a Roadracingworld.com Superstock-spec Suzuki GSX-R1000 thanks to the generosity of Ben Spies who Mason hangs out with while he’s in the States.

The Yoshimura Suzuki rider reportedly paid $20,000 so Mason could ride.

Clad in bright red Roadracingworld.com leathers, Mason rode on Friday, but that was it. At a Friday afternoon sit-down with Pickworth, Corona Honda’s Tim Saunders, Roadracingworld.com’s John Ulrich, and American Honda road race boss Ron Heben, among others, it was evident Mason’s contract prohibited him from riding for another team.

Saunders said Ulrich later apologised for the misunderstanding, saying he was led to believe there were no contractual issues.

So where does it stand?  “There are contractual issues which are nearly resolved,” Pickworth said on Sunday evening.

“We’ve been talking about it all weekend with the team, with Honda. We’ve pretty much resolved those issues now.

“The likelihood… I don’t think Gary (Mason) will ride next weekend at California Speedway in Fontana. He’ll be back on the bike the following race, at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California on May 18-19.”

Asked if Spies would get a refund, Pickworth said, “That’s yet to be decided. But I mean, that’s not really the issue.

“We believe that the contract had been breached and that’s why we felt he was clear to ride for someone else. Then Honda came in and mediated and the issues have been resolved. So we’re all good now, we’re all friends.”