Yamaha Announces 2017 bLU cRU Off-Road Motorcycle Racing Teams

February 24, 2017, 9:30am

Cypress, CA – Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., is proud to announce its bLU cRU off-road motorcycle racing teams for 2017, which include N-Fab/AmPro/Yamaha, celebrating its 20th year as a Yamaha bLU cRU racing team, and the revamped Raines Riding University/Atlas Sales/Trail Jesters/Yamaha team. The announcement was made by Donnie Luce, Amateur MX/ATV/Off-Road Coordinator, Motorsports Racing Division, for Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.

Led by team owner, 7-Time AMA Pro Enduro Champion, 13-Time ISDE Gold Medalist, and AMA Hall of Fame Member Randy Hawkins, the N-Fab/AmPro/Yamaha team features new rider Ricky Russell (#212), who will compete aboard a YZ450FX in the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series’ XC1 class. Josh Toth (#206) is back for his second season with the team, and he will race a YZ250FX in the GNCC XC2 class. Ricky and Josh will focus on GNCC for 2017, while also racing at select rounds of both the AMA National Enduro Championship and the AMA Sprint Enduro series.

Grant Davis (#30) also returns to the team for 2017 and will compete aboard a YZ85 in the GNCC Youth class. In addition, N-Fab/AmPro/Yamaha welcomes back former team rider and GNCC and OMA Champion Paul Whibley, who will be assisting the team with rider development and training.

For more about the N-Fab/AmPro/Yamaha team, visit AmProYamaha.com

The Raines Riding University/Atlas Sales/Trail Jesters/Yamaha team, led by six-time AMA National Hare Scrambles Champion Jason Raines, has gone though a complete transformation for 2017. Ross Mauri of the Trail Jesters is now on board and will provide additional support and guidance, both on and off the track, to the team’s young group of riders.

Those riders include Braxton McGee (#33) and Trevor Barrett (#945), who will race YZ250FX machines in the GNCC XC2 class. The team has expanded to include amateur riders Zach Toth (#207) on a YZ250X in the 250A class, Kevin Messena (#30) on a YZ125 in the 125 class, and Parker Goyette (#27) on a YZ85 in the Youth class. Zach, Kevin, and Parker will primarily race in J Day Offroad events for 2017, but they will also compete at select rounds of the GNCC and Sprint Enduro series.

"Two thousand and seventeen marks our 20th year of working with Randy Hawkins and the N-Fab/AmPro/Yamaha team,” commented Yamaha spokesperson Luce. “Two decades is quite a milestone, and we’re very proud of our relationship with Randy and his team, as well as the positive impact that his program has had on Yamaha and our off-road racing efforts, all while remaining true to Randy’s mantra of “building Champions, one race at a time.” We’re also proud to continue our association with long-time Yamaha rider, coach, and brand representative Jason Raines, along with Ross Mauri. It’s going to be an exciting off-road racing season, with two teams and such a talented and motivated group of young riders aboard our complete line of off-road racing machines.”

For more Yamaha racing news, results, photos, and videos, visit YamahaMotorsports.com