Cypress, CA (4/18/2011)
- Nelson Sweeps Arizona Yamaha QuadX Races
Yamaha’s Dustin Nelson extended his ATV
victory streak with another pair of moto wins
– and therefore another overall win –
at the second round of the 2011 Yamaha QuadX championship
series in Buckeye, Ariz. on Sunday, April 17.
The wins give Nelson, already a four-time ITP
QuadCross series champion, and his YFZ450R a perfect
winning record in the renamed ATV motocross series
so far this year.
Racers were greeted by withering 90-plus degree
heat, occasional wind gusts, and a track that
turned slippery and full of holes as the day
progressed. Nelson had his YFZ dialed in though.
In the first of two motos, lasting 20 minutes
plus two laps apiece, he grabbed the holeshot
ahead of rivals Ethan Thatcher and Beau Baron,
but was able to open up a nearly five-second
lead in the early going as Baron worked to get
around Thatcher. Despite suffering from some
arm pump in the later stages of the race, which
allowed Baron to close somewhat, Nelson still
had a comfortable two-second advantage at the
flag.
Nelson repeated the process in moto two, only
this time Baron tailed him into the first turn
and hung close to the back of the Yamaha. But
Nelson used the YFZ’s balance of horsepower
and handling to stay ahead and record his second
overall win of 2011. “The biggest thing
today was getting the holeshot and not having
to pass people in the tough conditions,”
Nelson said. “Fortunately my YFZ has great
power, but it’s also smooth power, which
means it’s still tractable when it’s
slippery like that.” Donnie Luce, Yamaha’s
ATV racing coordinator, added, “Dustin’s
results thus far are a direct result of the
preparation that he and his team have put into
retaining the QuadX championship, and I look
forward to seeing his streak continue.”
Yamaha off-road motorcycles also enjoyed considerable
success over the long weekend. In Arkansas,
AmPro Yamaha’s Paul Whibley won the second
OMA Nationals pro round of the year on a YZ450F,
with Jordan Ashburn finishing third on another
big YZ. Then in NMA World Mini GP competition
in Arizona, Yamaha racers scored four championships
and 17 podium finishes. The big winner was Thousand
Oaks Powersports’ Chris Alldredge, who
won two titles on his YZ250F (plus an additional
second-place finish), and a third championship
aboard a YZ125. And finally Ricky Dietrich,
riding a Valli Motorsports YZ450F, put together
4-1 race finishes to take the WORCS overall
win in California. Great job all!
| 2011
Yamaha QuadX Top Three Pro Class Points |
| Position |
Rider |
Points |
| 1 |
Dustin Nelson |
50 |
| 2 |
Beau Baron |
44 |
| 3 |
Ethan Thatcher |
40 |
About Yamaha Motor
Corp., U.S.A.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., (YMUS), a
leader in the motorsports market, makes the
toughest, most capable and versatile ATV and
Side-by-Side vehicles. The company’s ever-expanding
product offerings also include motorcycles,
outboard motors, personal watercraft, snowmobiles,
boats, outdoor power equipment, race kart engines,
accessories, apparel and much more. YMUS products
are sold through a nationwide network of dealers
in the United States.
Headquartered in Cypress,
Calif., since its incorporation in 1976, Yamaha
also has facilities in Wisconsin and Georgia,
as well as factory operations in Tennessee and
Georgia. For more information on Yamaha, visit
www.yamaha-motor.com.
