Cypress, CA (11/2/2015)
- Yamaha Racing’s Walker Fowler secured the overall
ATV National Championship in Sunday’s Grand National
Cross Country (GNCC) season finale off-road event,
dubbed “The Ironman”, in Crawfordsville, Ind.
aboard a YFZ450R sporting Yamaha’s 60th anniversary
yellow and black color scheme. Highlighting the
event was Yamaha Motorsports USA’s 60th Anniversary
celebration commemorating and recognizing their
history and heritage in motorsports and GNCC racing.
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Walker Fowler was clinched the
2015 GNCC Pro XC1 Championship at the
Ironman GNCC |
On Saturday, Fowler, a GNCC veteran who has
raced his way up the ranks for more than a decade,
captured his first ever XC1 Pro Championship
over the weekend finishing the final race in
fourth place at Ironman Raceway. Fowler’s trophy
room now includes titles in XC1 Pro, XC2 Pro-Am,
College A, Schoolboy (13-15), and 90cc Mod.
(12-15) classes dating back to 2006.
“I’ve been chasing this championship for years,
and it’s an incredible feeling to finally top
the podium with my N-Fab/Am-Pro Yamaha team
and the 60th anniversary Yamaha YFZ450R,” Fowler
said. “To finally take the win this year is
a dream come true, and to do so alongside Yamaha’s
60th anniversary makes it even more awesome.”
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Several
Yamaha Pro ATV racers were running 60th
Anniversary graphics for the Ironman GNCC
including: Walker Fowler, Chris Borich,
Cole Richardson & Johnny Gallagher |
In addition to Fowler’s 60th anniversary YFZ450R,
other racers under the Yamaha banner, including
the 2015 XC2 ATV Champion and N-Fab/Am-Pro Yamaha
rider Cole Richardson, Maxxis/SSI/Yamaha’s Chris
Borich and GBC / Fly / Fox / Yamaha’s Johnny
Gallagher, raced with Yamaha’s black and yellow
heritage colors and graphics.
The celebration was attended by past Yamaha
GNCC racing legends including nine-time pro
champ Bill Ballance and nine-time women’s champ
Traci Cecco. Ballance helped pit for Fowler,
and Cecco competed alongside friends and fans
alike, winning the WXC class at the Ironman.
“This has been another exciting year for Yamaha’s
off-road racing programs, and it’s great to
be celebrating current and past champions throughout
our 60th anniversary,” said Donnie Luce, Yamaha’s
Off-Road Racing Coordinator. “We’re stacking
up trophies this year in both MX and cross country
thanks to the best machines and riders in the
industry. A lot has changed in 60 years, but
Yamaha has stayed consistent as the leading
brand in motorsports racing.”
Yamaha celebrated the 2015 season and 60th
anniversary at the GNCC Ironman finale displaying
a complete line of 2016 ATVs and motorcycles
along with the all-new YXZ1000R – the world’s
first and only pure sport Side-by-Side (SxS).
The YXZ1000R also made its debut appearance
into GNCC racing at the Ironman in the XC1 SxS
class, creating a lot of buzz and excitement
around the model. The Yamaha tent took part
in the GNCC’s trick-or-treat festivities, giving
out custom made “#1” Halloween candies, 60th
anniversary collector’s edition beanies, hot
chocolate and popcorn. Yamaha additionally awarded
the brand’s top finishers in each class with
a free congratulatory gift.
In addition to Yamaha’s 60th anniversary celebration,
the GNCC community recognized the concluding
days of Breast Cancer Awareness Month to help
raise funds and awareness for this important
cause at the Ironman. Honoring the cause, Yamaha
pledged to donate $60 for each Yamaha racer
who won their class – the donation amount in
conjunction with the manufacturer’s 60 years
in business. Yamaha funded over $1,200, with
the weekend’s contribution totaling $7,606.50
towards Breast Cancer Awareness in the local
community.
