Yamaha Announces 2013 SX/MX Teams
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 | 6:35 PM
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PrintCypress, CA - Yamaha Motor Corporation U.S. is excited to announce our professional race teams for the 2013 Supercross and Motocross Season starting at the Monster Energy Cup on October 20, 2012.
Leading the 450 charge is Joe Gibbs Racing (JGRMX) with their solid lineup of Justin Brayton, who is coming off a great 2012 Supercross season where he finished a career best 3rd overall, and Josh Grant who gave JGR their maiden win in Supercross at the season opener in 2009 and their first Motocross win at Red Bud that same year. With both riders having a successful history with the team, Justin, Josh and the rest of the team are putting their heads down and doing everything possible to start the 2013 season 100% ready to challenge for the top of the podium.
Star Racing is once again leading the 250 charge with class veteran Kyle Cunningham taking over the reins as team captain, mentor and competitor for rookies Jeremy Martin and Cooper Webb. Kyle is looking forward to entering the 2013 season healthy and ready to make his mark in the highly competitive 250F class. After an amazing amateur career that saw him win over two dozen titles, Jeremy Martin made his professional debut at the end of the 2012 Motocross season. Hampered by a shoulder injury he suffered just before the Loretta Lynn’s amateur national championship, Jeremy’s physical fitness wasn’t quite ready for 30 plus minute motos, but with a top ten finish at the final National at Lake Elsinore, he showed he has the speed and determination to dig deep when it matters the most. The final member of the team is amateur sensation Cooper Webb. Cooper is scheduled to make his debut into the Professional ranks at the start of the 2013 Outdoor Motocross season. During the first half of the year Cooper will continue to refine his skills at key Amateur National events.
Rock River Powersports will once again field a competitive team for the 2013 race season, in addition to running Yamaha’s highly popular “Pro Parts” program at all 2013 Supercross and Outdoor National events, with emergency parts available at a special price to help keep YZ riders on the track.
“We’re excited to have some familiar faces as well as some rising talent on our teams for the 2013 season. It’s a very capable group of teams and riders and we are looking forward to some exciting racing in the upcoming season” said, Racing Division Manager, Keith McCarty.
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Two (mid-pack) representitives in the 450 class and three (essentially rookies) in the 250F's..................for an entire factory team representation?
Yamaha has lost what it takes to field competitive motocross racing teams..............mainly competitive bikes.
Can't wait to hear the rebuttals for what great bikes they have..........sheesh.
@carlsbad
I love my YZ490. It's very competitive among open class air cooled two strokes.
Carlsbad- I share your same opinion on the entire Yamaha program.... Just a shame what it is as both Bryaton and grant will be lucky to land a podium in SX (unless their is mass carnage like last year). In regards to outdoors, Brayton had a couple decent finishes but was never even a remote threat to win and as for Grant, he rode at 90% to get another paying job and will most likely lay up again in 13' instead of riding at or near 100% effort. Oh well atleast Yamaha is steppin gup and paying people to ride their sub par antiquated bikes.
what a sad, sad, sad representation for the yamaha brand. how the mighty have fallen.....
The 2013 shootouts will prove how bad their bikes are. You could spend 10k to bring it up to speed but who wants to? Sad cause I had some sweet YZ's. You couldnt blow them up if you tried. The depression has almost ruined Yamaha.
Brayton - Most overrated 450 rider, never lives up to hipe
Grant - Washed-up, injury prone
Cunningham - Second most overrated 250 rider (behind Davalos)
Martin - Probably Yamaha's best signing, which is sad because he's a rookie
Sub-par riders on sub-par bikes. I think we're witnessing the twilight years of Yamaha.
You guys catch the evidence of a fall (or two) in Brayton's Photo Gallery?
I feel worst for JGR. They have a superior business model, a core group of talented people and virtually unlimited (in our world) R&D capability.
Think of the awesome stuff they could do to a decent bike. I would imagine they could get a 250F (anything besides a YZ) up to PC / GEICO speed in one season.
If they can't go Honda or Suzuki because of automotive-ties and Kawasaki doesn't need them with their monster money, maybe they should look outside the box and go euro. Husky (BMW) could probably write a heck of a check and possibly not ruffle Toyota's feathers................and they could probably get the Husky competitive before they could the Yamaha anyway.
All these yamaha haters seriously shut the hell up. You have no idea what you're talking about. Just because James Stewart crashed a bunch of times on it doesn't mean its a bad bike at all. Have any of you heard the saying that it's not about the bike, but the rider on the bike? Give me a break people, you'll believe anything you hear. DONT BE A SHEEP, GET SOME SLEEP!
hmm...anyone else notice the exhaust on the brayton jgr bike. It wraps completely around the motor? Not worried about more engine heat from the pipe?
cxd56 if you have not heard that FAT PIG feels a lot dif then all the other bikes you must live under a rock!!
No talk of Eleven Ten Mods here. Wonder why. If they are doing it, why no mention of it here? Seems to me here is the place for that announcement. I have heard and read about this from reliable sources and it seems to be happening, so I am having trouble understanding this.
Very saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad times for Yamaha.
"solid lineup"
Funny
I don't think it's about the bikes as much as it is about Yamaha only being able to afford second tier riders. We all know the background behind the 450, but just because a 250F has a carburetor doesn't make it non-competitive. My 2011 YZ250F was one of the best working bikes I've ever had out of many mod bikes, especially suspension-wise. I always laugh at people who manage to bog 250F's and whine about it, never been an issue for me on any 250F. A well set-up carb and not riding in the bottom 1/3 of the throttle fixes that. I don't care if it bogs sitting on the stand when you try to go from idle to wide open instantly, that doesn't happen on the track.
I do understand that EFI is the logical next step and their engine is "outdated", but it's proven to work and I don't recall the last time I saw a blown up Yamaha being pushed off the track (stock or mod). Martin and Webb will show what they got soon enough on the 250F. As for my second tier rider comment, I know JS is first tier and rode for Yamaha, definitely compounded their financial woes I'm sure.
As for bike shootout results, the only opinion I trust is Pingree's. The rest of the guys, pro or not, spew tons of contradictory statements about all the different bikes. I know a number of pros but it doesn't make their opinion correct, my MX friends definitely aren't the smartest of my buddies, total opposite actually. I've always had mod motors so maybe that's why the Yamaha 250F works well for me, it handles amazing.
Didn't JOSH GRANT get a 2nd in SX???? yes and that was to villopoto. sounds like that was a win in my book. JG still has it, just hope he can bring it on a yammajunka
BillC........ your feet stink.