Yamaha Increases ATV Race Support for ’08
- Updated: April 23, 2013
Photos by Adam Campbell and Ray Larez
Can Bill Ballance win 9 or even 10 straight championships? That’s yet to be seen, but one thing we’re pretty sure of — he’ll be attempting this on board a Yamaha YFZ.
Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. continues to increase its support of the ATV racing communities with an expanded race team and support program for 2008. In a major showing of this support, Team Yamaha will debut a new ATV racing support semi at round one of the ATVA MX Series at Glen Helen, California, March 8-9.
The new race semi will be a major part of Yamaha’s weekend full of activities to support its race team and welcome fans back for the new season. Hands-on opportunities for fans include product demonstration rides on Raptor 250 sport ATVs, Grizzly 700 FI ATVs with electric power steering and Rhino 700 FI Side-by-Side vehicles. Yamaha will also pick someone out of the crowd to be the lucky winner of a new Raptor 250; one of the most exciting new sport ATVs on the market today.
Yamaha’s ATV race-related support programs complement its expanding race team which now includes Pro-Am rider Thomas Brown. The complete Yamaha ATV race team includes record setting eight-time GNCC Champion Bill Ballance, record setting six-time GNCC Champion Traci Cecco, 2007 AMA ATV Open Champion Pat Brown, 2007 GNCC XC2 Class Championship Brandon Sommers, Yamaha/ITP QuadCross Champion Dustin Nelson and Pro-Am rider Thomas Brown. Paul Turner is back for 2008 as the team’s head mechanic.
Continuing with Traci Cecco is a no-brainer for Yamaha. Traci is the most winningest cross country female of all time! She’s also the first full factory-backed woman ATVer ever! “From MX tracks to GNCC trails, 2007 was a phenomenal year for the YFZ450 and Yamaha’s ATV race team, and we are looking forward to another successful season in 2008”, said Steve Nessl, Yamaha ATV/SxS marketing manager. “The new Team Yamaha support semi is the latest step in the evolution of our championship race program. Yamaha was the first to market with a race-ready production 450cc ATV, and we will continue to support the racing community by sponsoring top riders to compete aboard the championship-winning YFZ.”
In other team news, Bill Ballance and Traci Cecco both had successful starts to the GNCC season both earning podium finishes in the initial race of the 13-round series which kicked off March 2 in Melbourne, Florida.
Brandon Sommers, may be the Chad Reed and Bill Ballance of Yamaha’s future. In 2007 he won the extremely competitive GNCC XC2 class championship by winning a whopping 10 of 13 rounds!
Yamaha gave us a sneak peak of their new factory racing semi truck and trailer at their fourth annual Sport Quad Special Edition Press Intro at the Glamis sand dunes.
Yamaha’s ATVA and WPSA go to guy is once again Pat Brown. If you’re like us you’re seeing just how strong this team really is.
Photo by pixstarr.com. Texas up and comer, Thomas Brown, got Yamaha’s attention and rightfully so. Thomas finished up fourth overall for the season in the ultra-competitive WPSA Pro Am class. This young-gun oozes raw talent and will surely run up front in
Heading duties out west is Yamaha’s Dustin Nelson. Dustin will compete for another Yamaha/ITP QuadCross Championship and stands a great chance of pulling it off.
Here are a few shots taken of the interior of Yamaha’s new trailer.
Respect!
A few more shots inside Team Blue.
Here the 199 of Pat Brown’s YFZ shines with class.
