https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://s6.postimg.org/oji5v7jtd/Justin-_Barcia-8.jpg

It's been a strange year for Yamaha Factory Racing and a lot of changes have taken place. At the start of the season they announced a new title sponsor, Knich, but in a press release statement they have just announced that they are parting ways. The key information here is that it states that it was Yamaha, not Knich that terminated the sponsorship contract.

![Keith McCarty.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQma1aqWa3mLJDWUn3dX28zMZJmTDnfkZ3FX4nrHzU1efbM/Keith%20McCarty.jpg)

# Keith McCarty
**Motorsports Racing Division Manager for Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.**
> "It is with great disappointment that Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A, has terminated Knich’s sponsorship agreement with Yamaha Factory Racing, effective immediately." 

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://s6.postimg.org/767vgb6ht/Justin-_Barcia-2.jpg

This also indicates that the team will now race under the name Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing from this point on.

Strange news in what is going to be a bad weekend for Yamaha following on from the injury that Justin Barcia picked up last weekend after being landed on. Barica went under the knife earlier this week as i posted about [**here**](https://steemit.com/motocross/@b0y2k/5fjfcd-injury-update-justin-barcia) and it is currently unknown when he will return. 

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://s6.postimg.org/y41si094h/Cooper-_Webb-12.jpg

This lands Cooper Web as the one and only available 450 SX Yamaha rider for this weekends clash in Tampa. This could be a time for Webb to step up after an average start to the 2018 season. Let's hope Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing's luck changes soon.

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