Two-time WERA national champion Ben Thompson has ended his working relationship with the Factory Aprilia Millennium Technologies Team.
Effectively immediately, and with mutual consent, Thompson has been released from his contractual obligations with the KWS Motorsports run Aprilia Team and will no longer participate in the ’09 AMA Daytona Sportbike series for the team, starting with the Mid-Ohio round.
Re-signing with the team for the 2009 season, Thompson had high hopes with the new Aprilia team and its direct factory support. Following disappointing results during the first half of the ’09 AMA season, having failed to gel with his race bike, Thompson requested that he be released from his contract.
Thompson will continue to pursue a career in the AMA and is weighing his options to return to racing. An announcement will be made in the coming weeks.
"It’s not been an easy decision but things simply weren’t working out the way I, or the team hoped they would, which wasn’t good for anyone. I’d like to thank the team, Millennium Technologies, and Aprilia for their faith in me starting the 2009 season.
I simply felt that I couldn’t move forward with the bike. My performances weren’t what I, or the team, hoped they’d be, which I think everyone could see. I could never get the bike to work for me the way I wanted and needed. The team adjusted the bike, and I adjusted my riding style but it simply wasn’t enough. The team worked hard to give me what I wanted but in the end I felt it was better to walk away. I’d like to wish Millennium Technologies, KWS Motorsports, and Aprilia all the best for the rest of this season."
