--press release--

The 2005 CMRC Nationals have come to a close and Morgan Racing would like to send out a heartfelt thank you to everyone involved with our team this season. Our deal with Yamaha Canada did not come into effect until shortly before the season started so first and foremost we would like to thank Yamaha Canada for their support and enthusiasm.

Craig Decker – National Number 5 for 2006

Despite the rainy conditions, we started the season with a bang when Craig Decker won all of his qualifiers during the western swing and we headed into the eastern rounds with Decker sitting in second overall in the premiere MX1 class. “The track was never very muddy on Saturday [laughs],” joked Team Manager Rick Rundberg when asked why they were so successful on Saturday. “At almost every round, we had dry qualifiers on Saturday and then muddy motos on Sunday.”

“I think the weather conditions really affected Craig’s results this year,” continued Rundberg. “He showed with his qualifier wins that he had the speed to beat anyone on the track but he just struggled with the mud—and almost every round was muddy. I think the rain just sucked everything out of him. It’s hard to get motivated when you know that you don’t ride to your potential in the mud and you wake up every Sunday to rain. Every weekend that it rained or they watered the track too much it just dampened his spirits. I think overall he rode better than he did last year but his results didn’t show it.”

Decker won four of eight qualifiers and used strong starts to put himself at the front of the pack at every round. “He was definitely getting good starts this year on the Yamaha 450F,” boasted Rundberg. “He got good starts when he rode for the Blair Morgan team on a Yamaha 450 in 2003 so the bike definitely suits him.”

Blair Morgan – National Number 7 for 2006

A late addition to the team, Winter X Games Champion and multi-time Canadian motocross Champion, Blair Morgan joined the team only a week before the season opener. He was coming off a serious snowcross injury and would have to race himself into shape. His speed and endurance improved each weekend and the highlight came at round five in the deep sand of Gopher Dunes where he finished fourth overall on the Yamaha YZ450F. 

“Blair likes the sand,” said Rundberg. “Blair is good at picking lines and he used that his advantage to pass through the pack at Gopher Dunes. I think Blair did a good job this year. He may not have been the fastest guy on the track every week but he was fairly consistent and we are pleased that he came away with a top ten number. He was coming off another major injury and his speed improved each weekend so we expect him to be a championship contender for 2006.”

Erick Vallejo – National Number 12 for 2006

Erick Vallejo finished fifth overall in the competitive MX2 West division and then followed that performance with a few top ten rides in the East on the potent Yamaha YZ250. “I think that the weather played a factor with Erick—same as Decker. Any place where it was dry with supercross sections, Vallejo rode really well.”

Vallejo’s best MX2 round came in Calgary where he finished fourth overall on the jump-filled course. The dry, supercross-style track in Joliette, Quebec also suited Vallejo very well and he finished 11-8 for 10th overall. He was also on the gas at the final round in Walton where he went 5-8 for 6th overall.

“There are some big jumps at Walton so the track suited his style,” continued Rundberg. “We expect big things from Erick at the Montreal Supercross.”

Johnny Montes – National Number 27 for 2006

Multi-time Atlantic Canada champion, Johnny Montes, joined Morgan Racing Yamaha to ride the MX1 class in the West and the MX2 class in the East. Montes rode very well in the West on the YZ250 finishing inside the top 15 at a few rounds. He ended the MX2 series in 12th overall, which did not reflect his speed and determination. “When he got to the East, I think he put a bit too much pressure on himself” said Rundberg. “We all had high expectations but I think Johnny wanted to be a solid top five in each moto. When he had trouble qualifying at Gopher Dunes, he started fighting with the bike and crashing so his hopes were erased at the first round.”

However Montes showed his resolve and rebounded at the next round with a 10th overall. His highlight of the season then came at his hometown race in Moncton, NB where he finished fifth in the first moto. “I felt really good,” said Montes after the first moto in Moncton. “I have been struggling with bad luck all year and I just wanted to come to Moncton and put my team in the top five.”

Overall, Montes benefited from the points he earned during the western MX1 rounds and finished the season with a respectable #27 for the year.

Yamaha Canada

It was a very successful season for Morgan Racing Yamaha in 2005. “Overall the Yamaha experience has been awesome,” noted Rundberg. “The guys at Yamaha are all excellent to work with. John Bayliss and Peter Swanton were very supportive and provided everything that we needed this year. The bikes themselves were incredible. It was a tough season on equipment for sure and the Yamahas stood up really well.”

With the all-new Yamaha YZ250F and YZ450F in the lineup for next year, 2006 will most definitely be a successful season for Yamaha on and off the track.

Morgan Racing Yamaha is now gearing up for the Montreal Supercross on October 1st at Olympic Stadium where their entire team will compete along with one additional MX1 rider. Morgan Racing is the defending champion of the event having won the race last year with Nick Wey.

Morgan Racing would like to thank every one who made our season possible:
 
Mechanics: Ted Chatterson, Nick Aitken, J. P. Savard, Mike Smith
Suspension Tech/Mechanic: Wil Decker
Cook/Social Convener: Hans “Euro Man” Fleck
M2R Helmet Tech: Rob Goth
Truck Drivers: Darcy McKenna / Pete Tessier
Riders: Craig Decker, Blair Morgan, Erick Vallejo, Johnny Montes
Yamaha Canada:  Peter Swanton, John Bayliss, Laura Kelland
Media: Brett Dailey
 
And all of our generous sponsors
 
Morgan Racing, Yamaha Canada, Nestea, Nesquick, Fly Racing, Bransam Logistics, Maxima Oils, M2R Helmets, Works Connection, Bridgestone, Dubach Racing Development, Enzo Racing, Tag Metals, Pro Circuit, Ogio Bags, Wiseco, Uni Filters, EBC Brakes, RK Chain, V Force, Mechanix Wear, Gaerne Boots, TCI, Platinum 1, SixSixOne, Rice Lake Fuels, Creative MX, Sunline.

Without these people, we would not be racing.