Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Arai Helmets, which has sponsored the Daytona 200 race, known as the Daytona 200 by Arai, for the last 19 years, will not be the title sponsor of the 2005 Daytona 200.

“We’ve just kind of turned back our involvement,” Arai Helmet (Americas), Ltd. President Roger Weston told Roadracingworld.com Friday. “We are the official helmet for the event week at Daytona, so we are still involved with the people. It was just a financial matter.”

Asked if the change of the Daytona 200 from a Superbike race to a Formula Xtreme race had any influence on his company’s sponsorship decision, Weston said, “Well, it didn’t make it more attractive, but we were going this route before we even knew that.”

Weston said Arai will still have a “fairly obvious” presence in the paddock at Daytona and “will be doing the same thing we’ve done”, providing racer support and sizing and product information to consumers.

Calls to AMA Pro Racing Vice President – Director of Communications Kerry Graeber seeking comment had not been returned at post time.