Priem signs contract
By TMX Archives on 6th Sep 07
KAWASAKI announced officially on Saturday that Manuel Priem has signed a one-year contract to race alongside Tanel Leok in the Kawasaki Europe team.
Still owned until the end of 2008 by Jan DeGroot's widow Ellen, the team will be managed by Martin Van Genderen,the man who accompanied John van den Berk to two world titles in the80s, and it is expected that Martin will take over the team at the endof next season.
Martin Van Genderen said: When Jan asked me tojoin him to take care of marketing responsibilities last year, he saidthat he wanted to start gradually taking a backward step in the runningof the team over the next few years and was looking for someone to takeover in the long term.
Tragically I found myself with moreresponsibilities much faster than any of us expected, but I have a goodteam around me. For example Jan had already handed responsibility forover four-stroke engine development to Rille' (Richard Ehnberg)earlier this year so there has been continuity despite our tragicloss.''
