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By John Ulrich

Yamaha has decided to have Josh Herrin substitute for injured Cameron Beaubier at New Jersey Motorsports Park next weekend and for the season finale the following weekend at Barber Motorsports Park! 

The move is sure to please Herrin fans who have been wearing “Make Herrin Factory Again” hats at MotoAmerica rounds.

Herrin was left without a ride last month when the Meen Motorsports Team withdrew from the series and issued a press release basically stating that it did so to protest a second-race, six-grid-position penalty issued to Herrin for knocking down Roger Hayden in the first race at Sonoma Raceway, (after also knocking down Toni Elias at VIR). 

But while Meen Motorsports did not show up last weekend at Pittsburgh Motorsports Complex, Herrin did show up, telling reporters he was there to support the series, and that he did not think the grid penalty was unreasonable. 

While at Pittsburgh, Herrin actually worked as a grid marshal and spent time with MotoAmerica officials as well.

Herrin talked to several teams at PittRace, but nothing came of it.

Entering into the decision to put Herrin on the bike may be the fact that Beaubier’s crew is essentially the same crew Herrin had when he last rode for Yamaha and won the 2013 AMA Pro Superbike Championship, before heading off to take an ill-fated Moto2 World Championship ride in 2014. In 2015, Herrin raced a Meen Motorsports Yamaha YZF-R6 in the MotoAmerica Supersport class, finishing second to JD Beach who rode a Graves Yamaha. In 2016 Herrin won the MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Championship on a Meen Yamaha.

More details to follow as they become available!