(Editor’s note: Davi Millsaps is out at Monster Energy Kawasaki, effective immediately. No word yet on Kawasaki getting a second rider for the 450 Nationals, although we’re inclined to believe that they will have the spot filled in order to fulfill sponsorship obligations.)

(Kawasaki press release – April 16, 2015) – Monster Energy Kawasaki has terminated its agreement with Davi Millsaps effective immediately. Unfortunately this means our factory race team will not be competing at the final three rounds of the Monster Energy Supercross season but we will be cheering on our 250SX support team Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki as well as TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed and Josh Grant in the 450SX class. With Wil Hahn continuing to recover from his injury, we are working hard on our motocross program and the factory team is looking forward to getting back to the track for the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season opener at Hangtown on May 16.

Davi issued a statement, but it doesn’t explain much. However, it makes a few things obvious.

DAVI’S STATEMENT:

WHAT WE KNOW IN A NUTSHELL

1. Factory teams do not fire riders for poor results. They have contracts with those riders and, even if there are performances clauses, the teams typically ride out the season and hope for progress. Take 250 World Champion Jordi Tixier for example. He struggled at the beginning of last year’s 250 GP series, and KTM called him into the office and told him that they were going to let him go at the end of the season. That is a nice way to do a not-nice thing, because it gives the rider ample warning to pick up his performance and find a new ride for the next year. A good team manager will tell a rider they plan to let go, “From now on you are riding for yourself. I will support you to my fullest, but you aren’t racing for me anymore, you are racing for your own future.” In the end, Tixier improved dramatically in the second half of the season and ended up winning the 250 World Championship (after Herlings got hurt). Tixier signed with Kawasaki for 2015 and KTM had to let the number 1 plate go with him.

2. As far as Davi being let go based on a “Performance Clause,” that is just ridiculous. What does he have to do, win every race? Plus, the Supercoss series isn’t over yet, so whatever kind of performance was required (and we’d guess there isn’t/never was a performance clause in Davi’s contract) Kawasaki would have to let the series run to its conclusion. A quick look at the points would reveal that Davi would have moved into the top ten when he passed the absent Ken Roczen (Davi was only 9 points behind Roczen with three rounds to go). Given that Davi was only 5 points behind Andrew Short, 9 points behind Ken Roczen and 12 points behind Broc Tickle, he could easily finish the 2015 Supercross series eighth in points with some luck (or bad luck for Short and Tickle). Davi had 8 top tens out of 14 starts and three of those are top 5s. You can cross any talk of Davi not meeting a performance clause in his contract off the list — because by firing him before the series ended, Kawasaki made it impossible for Davi to race the final three rounds — thus, they hampered Davi’s performance worse than his average, but still top-ten-worthy, finishes.

3. Since Davi is talking about suing Kawasaki, it is obvious that he was let go. However, “I have not violated any AMA or FIM rule or regulation,” is a very open-ended defense—and not the only things that could result in termination.

4. Factory rides are few and far between, especially for a rider who has had an mediocre season so far (especially for a rider with no National seat time to speak over the last few years). That puts Davi in a tough spot for getting the kind of equipment he is used to. However, it puts Kawasaki in a tough spot also, because all they have lined up for the AMA 450 Nationals at the moment is Wil Hahn. They need a fill-in rider to replace Davi, and they need him as soon as possible so that they can get outdoor testing done. But, good fill-in riders are few and far between, especially for a team looking to fill the shoes of the guy that was suppose to fill Ryan Villopoto’s shoes. The Team Kawasaki fill-in rider can’t be a run-of-the-mill AMA Pro that everyone with a brain knows is just out their marking time—it has to be a potential podium finisher (potential covers a lot of ground).

5. Most sponsors require a team to mount a full effort—unless a rider is injured and some times even if a rider is injured. That means that Kawasaki’s sponsors could want a kick-back on sponsorship money if only Will Hahn goes to the starting line in the AMA Nationals. Sponsors don’t want to pay big bucks not to be seen—they can do that by advertising on any of 100 cable networks—thus, they want a full complement on the track wearing their logos. Davi might also have sponsor issues; if he doesn’t return to racing or if his sponsor deals have the same clause that Team Kawasaki used.

6. Davi Millsaps doesn’t have a reputation as a rider who is open and forthcoming with many details — and if he hires a lawyer to sue, he’ll clam up. That doesn’t mean we won’t all know what happened. As the World War II poster said , “Loose Lips Sink Ships.” And motocross is a battleship graveyard because those that know, will tell. They always do! But, let’s not run rampant with rumors about what was in his locker in the Kawasaki semi truck. Instead — let Davi have some peace and let Kawasaki get on with business. None of us are out of a job or trying to rebuild a team mid-season. We can afford to wait for the truth—no matter how long it takes.