POURCEL WILL FINISH OUT THE 450 GPs WITH PRO CIRCUIT’S EURO TEAM, WHILE TOMMY SEARLE EXTENDS HIS CONTRACT THROUGH 2012

Christophe Pourcel had no choice, but to return to Europe…if he wanted to race. After failing to show up at Budds Creek, he was fired from the MotoConcepts Yamaha team …and in the insular world of American motocross, that was the kiss of death. Team managers don’t like to be embarrassed by their riders…which meant that Pourcel was poison to the remaining team managers…who felt they would look foolish for Pourcel did the same thing to them.

Thus, Pourcel’s best choice was to return to Europe and race for the Pro Circuit CLS Kawasaki team for four reasons: (1) Mitch Payton still has faith in him. Although Mitch can’t hire Pourcel to race in the USA because Pro Circuit is a 250 team only (and Christophe wants to race a 450), he could put him on his European team. (2) Ben Townley left the team and went home to New Zealand?leaving a KX450F sitting there. (3) Pourcel has been testing on a KX450F since recovering from last year’s injury. (4) Christophe will be reunited with several people whom he knows well; Jean Jacques Luisetti ? owner of Team CLS and the Floride Moto dealer shop in Marseille ? was one of his first sponsors, while Jeremy Fontaine was his mechanic in 2005 and 2006 and the team’s chief mechanic Yann Lozano accompanied him to discover the USA scene.

Pourcel reportedly is completely out of his 2011 U.S. contracts with MotoConcepts and O’Neal Racing and free to wear the CLS team uniform. Pourcel will not race this weekend in Sweden, but could be on the line in Germany next week.

Christophe Pourcel said, “I’m happy to be back with Team CLS, who offered me a nice challenge. I know the team and I’m sure that we will do a great job together. I know the KX450F Kawasaki well, as I’ve been training on this bike in Florida, and I will be back alongside my former mechanic Jeremy Fontaine who was already working with me in 2006 when I won the World title. I’ve also been working in the past with Yann Lozano, so that makes it even easier to soon be ready to join the MX1 World Championship.”

Tommy Searl at the French GP.

TOMMY SEARLE SIGNS WITH PRO CIRCUIT’S EURO TEAM FOR 2012 (WITH AN OPTION FOR 2013)

Tommy Searle, currently running third of the 250 World Motocross Championship for the Pro Circuit/CLS Kawasaki Team CLS, has renewed his contract for next year. Searle is the only Euro rider to compete head-t-head against the powerful KTM team of Jeffrey Herlings and Ken Roczen (and has won the French Grand Prix and two motos to hold down third place in the points as the series approaches the halfway stage. The one year deal also includes an option for 2013?which may not be as important as it sounds?because if Tommy wanted to return to the USA in 2013, he would most likely race for Pro Circuit’s American team…which would be fulfilling his option.

“I’m really happy to have signed another year with the CLS Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team, Said Tommy. “I believe in the team and I really appreciate everything they have done for me. I am already looking forward to an even more successful season next year. The bike is great and the team never stop improving it even more; this has impressed me a lot and I’m now excited to get the second half of this year under way… “