Racing is Returning to Normal and Yamaha is Returning to Victory
Racing is returning and Yamaha is cleaning up.
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, bLU cRU racers, including Walker Fowler, Chad Wienen, and CJ Greaves, continue to win and lead in their respective ATV, Side-by-Side (SxS) national off-road classes as racing restarts across the country.
In the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series, reigning five-time champion, Walker Fowler, captured his 60th all-time win on his Mark Notman-prepared WFR / GBC / Fly Racing YFZ450R in the XC1 Pro ATV class, and his sixth win of the season, on July 11 at the Lily Family Farm in Maidsville, West Virginia. Fellow YFZ450R bLU cRU racers Brycen Neal and Cole Richardson rounded out the podium that round and currently sit second and third, respectively, in the XC1 Pro ATV standings behind Fowler.
Registration is currently open for the Yamaha GNCC University at Snowshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia from September 23 to 25 before the 10th round of the series. At the GNCC University, students undergo a master class of off-road racing fundamentals led by GNCC veterans, champions, and current racers including Fowler, Sheets, and Archer, along with Johnny Gallagher, Traci Pickens, Mark Notman, Josh Merritt, Randy Hawkins, Jason Raines, Layne Michael, Mike Witkowski, and their elite mechanics. Topics will encompass sportsmanship, training, proper nutrition, and race preparation, along with hands-on technical riding instruction. Interested riders can register by calling the Snowshoe Mountain Resort at 877-441-4386 or find more information online at GNCCRacing.com. Reservations are on a first-come, first-serve basis with 80 openings evenly split between ATV and motorcycle disciplines.
In the American Motorcycle Association’s ATV Motocross National Championship (ATV MX) series, second all-time winning champion, Chad Wienen, leads the Pro ATV MX series with three wins on his Wienen Motorsports / SSI / Fly Racing YFZ450R as he pursues his seventh ATV MX championship and the $10,000 bLU cRU racing bonus. Wienen is also undefeated in the Pro Stock class so far this season with four wins as he looks to capture the inaugural class championship. Additionally vying to capture a Pro Stock win and the championship series’ bLU cRU payout are YFZ450R racers Thomas Brown and Max Lindquist, who are respectively running second and third in the class.
The Championship Off-Road Tour kicked off its inaugural weekend July 10 and 11 at ERX Motor Park in Elk River, Minnesota. In the Pro Mod SxS class, bLU cRU racers CJ Greaves and Rodney VanEperen finished the weekend on the podium in each of their YXZ1000R Side-by-Sides. Greaves established an early lead, earning first place in both rounds, while VanEperen holds third overall. Greaves also took the first Pro Stock SxS win and currently holds second place overall.
In addition to the next ATV MX and Championship Off-Road Tour rounds, the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series will kick off their first two national races of the season this weekend at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California, where Brock Heger aims to regain the Production 1000 UTV title in his BHM / Maxxis / Weller Racing YXZ1000R and continue the Yamaha championship streak, which goes back to the SxS class’ inception.
For more information on the bLU cRU program, including all guidelines and requirements for ATV, Side-by-Side, and off-road motorcycle racing, visit YamahabLUcRU.com. View Yamaha’s entire Proven Off-Road lineup by visiting YamahaMotorsports.com, connect with Yamaha on social media via @YamahaOutdoors, or search the following hashtags on all platforms: #Yamaha #REALizeYourPodium #REALizeYourAdventure #ProvenOffRoad #bLUcRU #AssembledInUSA #YFZ450R #YXZ1000R