Veteran racer Michael Barnes has left the Bartel’s Harley-Davidson/Scrubblade/Josh Chisum Racing team and will ride a MOB Racing entry in the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 class during this coming weekend’s event at Barber Motorsports Park.

“There wasn’t the funding anticipated,” Barnes, who is currently third in the Championship point standings, told Roadracingworld.com Tuesday. “It’s unfortunate. It started off as something that was going to be good. Now I’m trying to maintain the friendships and hoping we’ll still be buddies.

“I’m appreciative of what Josh [Chisum, Team Owner] did for me, but I couldn’t continue with the budget we had. I had to pay for race gas, tires and supply my own mechanic. If I did that and got third place there was nothing left over.”

Barnes said he contacted Richie Morris, whose team won the Vance & Hines XR1200 Championship in 2010 and 2011, to see if he had any racebikes available to use. Morris informed Barnes that he just sold several bikes to a team in New Jersey, and that team turned out to be MOB Racing. Barnes got in touch with MOB Racing principals Dennis Espinosa and Ryan Cino, and a verbal deal was struck.

“We both planned on doing Barber,” said Barnes. “We’re hopeful to finish out the season together.”

A press release issued by MOB Racing indicates the team hopes to provide arrive-and-race opportunities with the other XR1200 racebikes it purchased from Morris.