Kocinski Fired!

[Craig]

PRESS RELEASE - 13 February 2001

Aaron Slight replaces Kocinski at Ducati North America
World Superbike runner up and Suzuka eight hours winner Aaron Slight will replace John Kocinski in the Ducati North America; Competition Accessories Ducati team.

Ducati Corse sources in Milan confessed today that they and Ducati North America have severed ties with American John Kocinski, and that Kocinski no longer rides for the Competition Accessories Ducati team.

Ducati sources would not speak on the record as to why they had fired Kocinski, other than to say they "could not come to an agreement" with the former world champion.

In the last 24 hours Ducati Corse and Ducati North America have cut a deal with New Zealand rider Aaron Slight to replace Kocinski. Slight has finished second in the World Superbike championship and won the Suzuka eight hours endurance race, arguably the single most important race in the world, for both Honda and Kawasaki.

Slight is still exploring a drive in the British Touring Car Championship or Porsche Supercup for 2001.

It is understood that Slight is on his way from New Zealand to the All-Ducati test at Willow Springs that may happen this week.

'It is snow this morning, so I don't think we will be testing today !' said Aaron when contacted this morning . - Tubbs


-ENDS-

[dododo]

Story of kocinski's life realy. His temperament always gets in his way.....always. Sometimes you want to plug one of his ears and shout in the other one: DON"T BE SUCH AN *SS OR FIND A SHRINK!

[Redneck]

He had such promise in the beginning, but he could not handle his fast rise. It all went to this head. He had the best teacher(King KR), but even he could no longer deal with it.

It is now time for the boy to fade away.

[Santi]

"Little" John will have a new chance because he has signed with Yamaha to develop the new OW-01 M1 4 stroke to the 2002 GP season.
The work riders Checa and Biaggi were annoyed with Yamaha because the difference between theirs lap times and Yamaha tester's was about 4 sec. The Yamaha's answer has been to contract for this job to the Arkansas boy.