DMG thinning the herd for '10....caution spoilers!

I know that gm2 already posted this link elsewhere in regards to the Ben in general, but this comment stood out for me to mention here...

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jan/100112-11.htm

What's happened with the American roadracing scene, I'm really disappointed to see for a lot of different reasons. For friends that are racing. There are so many talented people that don't have rides right now. The economy hasn't helped at all, but if rules would've stayed like they used to be, I believe every manufacturer would still be racing right now. It's just their budgets might be super minimal, and it wouldn't have the spark that it had, but everybody would still be racing. And now you've got guys with no jobs, guys with rides are probably riding for nothing, if anything. And what it really hurts in the end—who it's really affecting—are the young kids right now, that are coming up, that are right on the brink of doing something. This whole power trip could've cost four kids their future in racing, just because they missed that jump. It's pretty upsetting, just talking to people about it and seeing what's going on. I hate to say "I told you so," but there are a whole lot of people who were saying that if this kept going on like it's going, there wasn't going to be a series, or nobody racing. And right now, there's barely anybody racing. Unless anything changes, I don't know who's going to be really racing any more. It's a bad time right now, and I'm definitely not happy to see it, but what do you do? It's one of those things that happens, and hopefully it gets itself sorted out.

and then Nicky spoke out here saying this in this Q&A and these 2 Q's and A's stood out worth mentioning ( I think)

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jan/100113-69.htm

Q. What is your opinion about Daytona 200 race, which is 600 now instead Superbikes?

A. That is sad, man ... really sad. It is the greatest race in USA, and they are running it on some 600s. You know, I really have strong feeling about Daytona. I have won many races in my life so far, I was MotoGP world champion, but winning the Daytona 200 is a special feeling. That race and win still has a special place in my heart. Winning there was something special, especially because it was the track of Mr. Daytona, Scott Russel. He was my childhood hero ...

Q. I need quick answer with my next question. Straight thinking and no diplomacy. Do you think that Mat Mladin is one of the top five riders in the world?

A. No.