From a press release:

Victory The Number One Aim For Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team As End Of An Era Looms

No matter what the outcome of the Flexirider Formula Xtreme TT meeting at Eastern Creek this weekend (November 26-28), it will be a sombre occasion for the Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team as it will be the last appearance for the outfit that has set the standard in Australian road racing for so many to follow.

It is with deep regret that Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager, Steve Trinder, has announced that the partnership between himself and Yamaha has come to a close but obviously the team will desire to go out with a dominant victory in both the Formula Xtreme and Supersport classes.

“We are very disappointed to see the alliance come to an end but it was purely a business decision. We couldn’t come to a satisfactory agreement with Yamaha so we have decided to exit the sport.

“In the past three years we have tipped in, well in excess of $1 million and we were not prepared to keep pouring money in. It is as simple as that. We were having negotiations for some time now but in the end we couldn’t agree to terms, so that’s it.

“I would also like to state emphatically that there is definitely no animosity between ourselves and Yamaha. As I said, it’s purely a business decision.

“The folk at Yamaha have been exceptional during the past three years. We have enjoyed a simply wonderful relationship and have attained a remarkable amount of success for both Yamaha and ourselves. There is no way that there is any problem between us; it’s just the way sport is becoming.

“It’s also disappointing that we will no longer be testing the variety of riders that I had envisaged a few weeks ago. I apologise to all those riders I had pencilled in but there is no point to be wasting anyone’s time now that this has come about.”

Defending “King of Xtreme”, Daniel Stauffer, will compete in both the premier classes aboard the Yamaha YZF-R1 and R6 while the rider of the second R1 in the Formula Xtreme class will be 17-year-old South African, Sheridan Morais, who this year was runner-up in his domestic Superbike Championship at his first attempt.

It will be a tall order for both riders, as both will have an uphill battle to gain supremacy.

For Daniel it will be his first ride back since having further surgery on his shoulder that he originally fractured during private practice for the third round of the Australian Superbike Championships at Winton in May.

Since then he has undergone the surgeon’s knife again after the bone failed to knit and the screws were pulled out due to the forces inflicted during the subsequent meetings – including the Suzuka 8-hour in July – before his doctor ordered the extra bout of surgery.

As for Morais he has to learn the Eastern Creek layout on an unfamiliar bike with a new team.

This overall situation will no doubt add to the determination of all concerned to ensure that the Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team flag will be flying high come Sunday afternoon

“It will not detract from our usual commitment of aiming to win every race the Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team enters,” said Steve Trinder.

“The team will be trying that extra bit harder as well, I think, as we all know that this will be the last time we all work together. No matter what happens it will be the end of an era for the team that has surpassed many expectations in the short time it has been in existence.

“My brother, Craig, and I can walk away from this sport with our heads held high as to what we have achieved. Not only have we attained great success on the track over the past three years with our riders, Daniel Stauffer, Kevin Curtain, Brendan Clarke and Shannon Johnson but I feel we have lifted the level of professionalism and presentation of road racing in this country.

“We hope that we have left a legacy of the professionalism needed to take this wonderful sport to the next level.

“Now that it’s all over we can go and enjoy our second favourite past-time which is fishing and I hope to catch up with Kevin Curtain during his off season and head out for some fun on the water.

“Again I would just like to thank Yamaha and everyone else that has been a part of this remarkable journey and look forward to capping it off with more success this weekend.”