R1Lover
11-17-2007, 09:19 AM
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (YMC) announces its team program for competing in the 2007-2008 WPSA Power Sports Snowmobile Tour and the 2008 MFJ All-Japan Snowmobile Championship series.
Yamaha will be competing in the Pro Open Class and the Semi-Pro Open Class of the WPSA Power Sports Snowmobile Tour. In Japan, Yamaha will be looking to win its third consecutive championship in the pinnacle Super Class of the MFJ All-Japan Snowmobile Championship series. The race machines that both of these teams will use will be based on the Yamaha "FX Nytro."
The year 2007 marks the 40th year since Yamaha began building snowmobile as the only domestic maker of complete-built-up snowmobiles in 1968. During this time, Yamaha has done much to promote the sport of snowmobiling in Japan, and race activities are one of these areas of effort. In recent years, we have seen the 2005 establishment of the "Club YAMAHA RACING" organization with the support of our user association "Club YAMAHA MOTORCYCLE." The aim of the program is to participate in the Super Class of the MFJ All-Japan Snowmobile Championship series using Yamaha’s 4-stroke machines and to serve as a proving ground for young riders who want to become top-class competitors. It was also been involved in various customer service activities aimed at promoting the growth of the industry and the cultivation of snowmobile fans.
In 2006, this Club YAMAHA RACING program was joined by a new program that established the elite "Yamaha Racing Team" with the aims of winning the championship in the pinnacle class of snowmobile racing in Japan while also developing technologies to improve machine performance. Yuji Nakazawa, racer of this team, brought the first championship title to Yamaha ever for a 4-stroke snowmobile.
In 2007, Yamaha continued to participate in the MFJ All-Japan Snowmobile Championship with two teams. In that series, the Yamaha Racing Team’s Nobuaki Eikura won the title and was followed by four other Yamaha riders in the top ten, taking 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 10th places in the season ranking.
This year also saw Yamaha return to the WPSA competition for the first time since 2002. The Yamaha team competed in the Pro Open Class with a 4-stroke machine. Working in close tie-up with the technical development efforts going on in Japan, the Yamaha team became the first ever to win a WPSA race with a 4-stroke machine, in round three of the series.
Through these efforts, Yamaha’s challenge to compete in world-class snowmobile races with 4-stroke machines has made steady progress.
For the 2008 season, the "Yamaha MQ Racing Team" will be competing in the Pro Open Class of the WPSA series while the "Yamaha Factory Snocross Team" managed by Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. will compete in the Pro Open Class and the Semi-Pro Open Class. In the MFJ All-Japan Snowmobile Championship the Yamaha Racing Team and the Club YAMAHA RACING will be competing in the Super Class.
These teams in Japan and North America will be cooperating even more closely this season to try to win the championship titles, while also working on 4-stroke machine development and promoting the sport of snowmobiling, all with the aim of bringing Kando* to winter sports fans everywhere.
Yamaha will be competing in the Pro Open Class and the Semi-Pro Open Class of the WPSA Power Sports Snowmobile Tour. In Japan, Yamaha will be looking to win its third consecutive championship in the pinnacle Super Class of the MFJ All-Japan Snowmobile Championship series. The race machines that both of these teams will use will be based on the Yamaha "FX Nytro."
The year 2007 marks the 40th year since Yamaha began building snowmobile as the only domestic maker of complete-built-up snowmobiles in 1968. During this time, Yamaha has done much to promote the sport of snowmobiling in Japan, and race activities are one of these areas of effort. In recent years, we have seen the 2005 establishment of the "Club YAMAHA RACING" organization with the support of our user association "Club YAMAHA MOTORCYCLE." The aim of the program is to participate in the Super Class of the MFJ All-Japan Snowmobile Championship series using Yamaha’s 4-stroke machines and to serve as a proving ground for young riders who want to become top-class competitors. It was also been involved in various customer service activities aimed at promoting the growth of the industry and the cultivation of snowmobile fans.
In 2006, this Club YAMAHA RACING program was joined by a new program that established the elite "Yamaha Racing Team" with the aims of winning the championship in the pinnacle class of snowmobile racing in Japan while also developing technologies to improve machine performance. Yuji Nakazawa, racer of this team, brought the first championship title to Yamaha ever for a 4-stroke snowmobile.
In 2007, Yamaha continued to participate in the MFJ All-Japan Snowmobile Championship with two teams. In that series, the Yamaha Racing Team’s Nobuaki Eikura won the title and was followed by four other Yamaha riders in the top ten, taking 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 10th places in the season ranking.
This year also saw Yamaha return to the WPSA competition for the first time since 2002. The Yamaha team competed in the Pro Open Class with a 4-stroke machine. Working in close tie-up with the technical development efforts going on in Japan, the Yamaha team became the first ever to win a WPSA race with a 4-stroke machine, in round three of the series.
Through these efforts, Yamaha’s challenge to compete in world-class snowmobile races with 4-stroke machines has made steady progress.
For the 2008 season, the "Yamaha MQ Racing Team" will be competing in the Pro Open Class of the WPSA series while the "Yamaha Factory Snocross Team" managed by Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. will compete in the Pro Open Class and the Semi-Pro Open Class. In the MFJ All-Japan Snowmobile Championship the Yamaha Racing Team and the Club YAMAHA RACING will be competing in the Super Class.
These teams in Japan and North America will be cooperating even more closely this season to try to win the championship titles, while also working on 4-stroke machine development and promoting the sport of snowmobiling, all with the aim of bringing Kando* to winter sports fans everywhere.