Allessi's to KTM?????

[Senior KX Rider]

racerx

August 15, 2004

Both of the Alessi boys to KTM?


Mike Alessi takes the holeshot in his Saturday qualifier
David Langran photo

The word out of the Millville pits is that the next shocking move the Alessi family might make is to go orange in 2005 and beyond. According to a source under the orange awning, KTM boss Kurt Nicoll told Ryan Hughes on Saturday that he may not have an outdoor-only gig in 2005 because that's what Mike Alessi is ready to do with KTM. The source says that the Alessi family is looking for a deal where Mike will not be riding supercross in '05, in order to wait until brother Jeff is old enough to join him on the team next summer (which KTM must agree to), and then the two will take up SX together in 2006. An announcement on this scenario could come as soon as Monday. Stay tuned.

 

[nephron]

Ryno was standing by the track cheering Alessi on, apparently. :yikes: Raises questions about RacerX's claims, unless Ryno's still on the team and knows Alessi's coming to KTM?

 

[NCPaulD]

Alessi would be riding MX only. That most likely would mean Ryno, who is MX only, would be gone after this season. Hope they can hold onto Rod...

Maybe he was cheering for him to wreck, but really how can you not help cheer for a 16 year old kid making his pro debut? This time last year he was on an 85!!!

 

[kmccune]

I spoke with Rino in the pits on Saturday and he said that "he's not sure where he'll be next year" .

Off the topic... is he injured? he had his riding gear on but I never saw him on the track.

 

[dirt bike dave]

Hughes broke his arm in Saturday practice.

 

[nikki]

I spoke with Rino in the pits on Saturday and he said that "he's not sure where he'll be next year" .

Off the topic... is he injured? he had his riding gear on but I never saw him on the track.

The whoop monster got him - Ryno broke his arm in the whoops :( Too bad as he was turning some quick lap times this weekend. He's supposed to be out for 8 weeks.

 

[Erick82]

Maybe this is his last year period in motorcross and he will move to GNCC full time next year as a KTM rider. Just a guess.

 

[mxneagle]

I heard that a large portion of the mechanics were cheering Byrner on to pass Alessi in the second moto. Including the honda mechanics! Sounds like he doesn't have too many friends in pro ranks (including his current sponsor)

 

[nephron]

including his current sponsor

Honda? I don't think they sponsor him, do they? They may provide bikes, but from what I've been reading, they're keeping their tentacles far from this kid and his dad.

But I'll bet Honda doesn't touch 'em. It's like getting married--you've got to love the inlaws, too :yikes: --and I'll bet Tony's screwed up a few phone conversations over time. Honda also remembers Mr. Personality (Pichon) and his family. What a winner that deal was. ;)

Another way to think about this goes back to what Lusk told RC a couple years ago. Basically, that Honda takes over and controls everything that's done, with little room for individual opiniion (or something like that) allowed. It didn't work with Windham (in the end), Pichon, Lusk and now RC--who has been well behaved, I'm sure, but is now realizing HRC couldn't give a s... less. Tortelli probably did OK there because he's so passive.

In light of that, ya think they'd want want the Alessi's? :debil:

 

[nikki]

Ryno was standing by the track cheering Alessi on, apparently. :yikes: Raises questions about RacerX's claims, unless Ryno's still on the team and knows Alessi's coming to KTM?

Ryno wasn't doing this: :aj:

He was doing this: :nener:

He was razzing Mike by the whoops, throwing his arms up like "is that all you got? i thought you were gonna be top 3" and pointing to his watch like "your lap times suck". It was far from "Go Mike!" ;)

 

[kelsorat]

Wow this is real news. I thought Alessi was with Honda. If Honda doesn't ink a deal with Alessi, who will they have for 05? I don't see KTM as an interested party. Not that they don't have the scratch to hire him, but thier interest in SX and MX seems to have dwindled.

 

[nephron]

I think KTM's interest in SX/MX will improve next year when the 250F KTM is out. Also, the 250SX is better suspended and motored and might have a shot at being a reasonable bike in SX.

Nikki--that's awesome. I thought there was something strange about Hughes cheering.....should have known better.

 

[LukeRips]

I hope Ryno comes to GNCC next year. I raced him at the Hurricane this year and he's super fast. (Well, he wasn't really racing me, but we were on the track at the same time) If he does, the GNCC series will be stacked with talent since Juha Salminen will be full-time next year as well.