A number of fairly reliable sources are reporting that World Superbike sensation Ben Spies has made up his mind for 2010: Elbows will be joining fellow Texan Colin Edwards in the Yamaha Tech 3 paddock for 2010.
The decision is set to be formally announced at the Imola World Superbike round, which should solidify yet another piece of the Silly Season puzzle. Spies’ decision to enter MotoGP means that the 2010 lineup will feature at least 4 rookies (Alvaro Bautista, Hector Barbera, Marco Simoncelli, and now Elbows), and the paddock is filling up really fast now. For the current riders who have yet to sign a contract for next year, things are looking scarier with the day, with the number of available bikes shrinking rapidly and no news yet from Honda if they’re going to provide Scot Honda and LCR one extra bike apiece.
Strangely, Spies decision has caused more speculation and excitement than any other 2010 rookie, and this might come from his 2008 wildcard success. Riding at Laguna Seca, Indianapolis and Donington, Spies captured 14th at the Great Britain circuit, and two top 10 finishes in the States. Spies has a lot of pressure on him to perform, but if his rookie year in WSBK has shown the world anything, it’s that Ben Spies is fully capable of standing up agains the toughest of competitions. 2010 will be a fascinating season, to be sure.
