Yamaha
Motor Canada Announces MX Team
May
12, 2005
--press
release--
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Doug
DeHaan hopes to build on his experience gained
while racing the AMA Supercross series this
winter.
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Photo: Allison
Kennedy |
Yamaha Motor
Canada announced today the members of its two motocross
teams.
Riding out of the official Yamaha Canada/Shift Racing
semi are Doug Dehaan (MX1), Brad
Hagseth (MX1) & Kyle Beaton
(MX2 West/MX1 East). Simon Homans (MX1/MX2
East) will also ride for Yamaha Canada out of his own
race transporter. In the Western half of the series,
the emerging young speedster Beaton will race MX2 on
his Mongoose Machine tuned YZ250F. For the eastern rounds
he will pilot the potent YZ 250 2-stroke in the MX1
class along side Dehaan & Hagseth. Hagseth, the
only American on the team, is not eligible to race the
MX2 class by virtue of his two previous championship
seasons on the blue bikes in that class.
For the Eastern leg, Dehaan & Homans will pace the
blue team in both classes. Dehaan looks to improve upon
his third place overall finish last year in MX2, when
some unfortunate luck kept him from standing on the
top of the box. Yamaha can also expect some consistently
fast results out of Homans, the 2002 125 East champ.
The team's manager is former Yamaha Canada Factory rider
Jari Heinonen. “Yamaha has put
together a very solid team to contest the CMRC Pro-Nationals
and I’m really looking forward to working with
our riders and mechanics" said Heinonen. "They
bring lots of heart and dedication, with each of them
putting in an all out effort to place Yamaha atop the
podium. With this team’s personnel and positive
outlook, it is going to be a good summer for Yamaha
and we are going to have a great season. I would like
to thank the sponsors who have stepped up to provide
us some support. They have all been great to deal with.”
The Factory team will receive support from Clearbrook
Yamaha & Atlantic Yamaha, plus product support from
Shift, M2R, Pirelli, GYT-R, Alpinestars, Renthal, Bill’s
Pipes, Works Connection, Enzo Suspension Canada, Ready
Racing filters, and D.I.D. Racing Chain.
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Craig
Decker returns to the Morgan Racing Team for
2005 but will ride a Yamaha YZ450 this year.
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Photo: Don Maeda |
Yamaha Canada’s
satellite team, Morgan Racing, will
be orchestrated by veteran owner Chris Morgan
and team manager Rick Rundberg. Returning
to the blue team, but staying with Morgan, will be Californian
Craig Decker on the big YZ450F. Decker,
a consistent podium finisher, is thrilled to be back
on the big thumper. Filling out the trailer will be
last years MX2 podium finisher, Erick Vallejo.
The Texas-based rider has been contesting the U.S. Supercross
Series and looks forward to racing the MX1 and MX2 classes
north of the border. Vallejo is confident the experience
gained last year will improve his results. For more
information, please contact Rick Rundberg at (905) 331-7971.
Along with the National Race effort, Yamaha will be
offering free rides for youngsters as part of its Yamaha
Riding Academy (YRA) program at each round
of the nationals. Kids aged 5-12 will receive professional
instruction and take a free spin on a Yamaha PW or TT-R
series motorcycle. Some restrictions apply. See the
YRA tent at the track for full details.
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