2005 Yamaha Race Team Intro
YAMAHA HOSTS ANNUAL FACTORY RACE TEAM INTRODUCTION
Here's a Yamaha Press Release about their recent Team Intro / Employee & Press Family Day. Fonzie and I went for the free food and spent the entire day playing on any Yamaha off-road product we desired. It was a total blast, but neither of us could walk the next day. Fonzie being the photo/video nut that he is, we've supplemented the Press Release with a bunch of MO photos and a cool video of some fat dude abusing a TTR 125. -Sean
CYPRESS, Calif., December 6, 2004 ~ It was all smiles for attendees at the recent annual Yamaha Race Team Media Introduction held this year at I-5 MX Park in Gorman, California on December 1, 2005.
And it wasn't just Yamaha's ten national championships or the sunny weather creating all the excitement. Factory Yamaha racers, journalists, race team managers and their families spent a no-pressure day "play riding" together on Yamaha ATVs, play bikes, and off-road motorcycles.
Yamaha used the well-attended annual event to introduce its entire 24-rider factory and satellite riders for motocross, supercross, road race, off-road, drag r
ace, freestyle and ATV racing. Attending family members of the media were treated to a private autograph session, tours of the factory road race and motocross transporters, as well as having their photos taken on the many 2004 championship-winning machines on display.
Yamaha racing manager Keith McCarty, commenting on the event said, "Each year we try to create a fun event that brings the racers and media together at the beginning of the season to get to know each other and pump everyone up for next year. This year we incorporated our own products into the event."
Event attendees choose from a variety of events. The kids were invited to ride PW 50s on a small dirt oval, on a mini-mx track or to try out a Yamaha that fit their size and ability on the trails. Adult riders were able to try stock and GYT-R accessorized Yamaha ATVs, off road bikes or electric-start play bikes on a trail loop, a dirt oval, motocross track or mini-motocross track. And the available Rhino utility vehicle never stood still!
After battling on the mini-mx track on Yamaha TTR 125s for over 30 minutes, smiling supercross racers Chad Reed and Tim Ferry both agreed that the event was a hit. Chad Reed said, "I can't believe how much fun it's been to ride with all the other racers AND the media guys...what a blast!"
Even road racer Jason DiSalvo enjoyed himself. "Today was my first time ever on a motocross track and I had a blast banging bars with a few of the journalists and my boss, Chuck Graves on the TTR 125.
And that, according to Keith McCarty, proves the event was a hit. "It's a great way to keep the momentum and energy going into the 2005 race season."
2004 Yamaha National Championship Wins
2004 AMA 250cc Supercross Championship -- Chad Reed -- YZ 250
2004 World Supercross Championship -- Heath Voss -- YZ 450F
2004 AMA Superstock Championship -- Aaron Gobert -- YZF-R1
2004 Gravity Games Freestyle Champion -- Nate Adams -- YZ 250
2005 X-Games Freestyle Champion -- Nate Adams -- YZ 250
2004 AMA Hot Rod Cruiser Drag Race Champ -- Rick McWaters -- R.S. Warrior
2004 AMA Hare Scrambles Championship -- Jason Raines -- YZ 250
2004 AMA National Enduro Championship -- Randy Hawkins -- YZ 250
2004 WORCS Championship -- Nathan Woods -- YZ 450F
2004 GNCC ATV Championship -- Bill Balance -- YFZ 450F
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