MARIETTA, Ga., Jan. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, pledges over $130,000 in Side-by-Side (SxS) and ATV bLU cRU championship racing bonuses for the 2021 season. Yamaha’s bLU cRU program offers championship contingencies ranging from $500 ShopYamaha.com gift cards to receiving a new YFZ450R, and even increased payouts of up to $15,000 for qualified and eligible racers competing in select series with a 2019 or newer YXZ1000R, YXZ1000R SS (Sport Shift), or YFZ450R.
To kick off the 2021 race season, Yamaha is offering $10,000 in potential bonuses at the King of the Hammers (KOH) UTV race on February 4 in Johnson Valley, California. The top-finishing YXZ in the UTV class will earn $5,000, plus an additional $5,000 with a first-place overall win. The ULTRA4 Racing Series’ KOH competition is infamous for its punishing desert course through some of the roughest and most challenging rock and boulder sections of any timed event. Yamaha’s factory-supported race team competing alongside other YXZ bLU cRU challengers at this year’s KOH is Greaves Motorsports, comprised of the championship-winning drivers Johnny Greaves and CJ Greaves, along with BH Motorsports’ Brock Heger.
In the Championship Off-Road Tour, CJ Greaves will defend his Pro Stock UTV class title in his Greaves Motorsports / Yamaha / Monster Energy / Maxxis YXZ1000R at the legendary Crandon International Raceway, ERX Motor Park, Dirt City Motorplex, Langlade County Fair, and Bark River International Raceway tracks. New to the Championship Off-Road Tour for 2021, Brock Heger will challenge Greaves in the Pro Stock UTV class in his BH Motorsports / Yamaha / Weller Racing / Maxxis YXZ1000R while also competing in select Best-in-the-Desert events. Rodney VanEperen will compete in the Pro Mod UTV class with his Powersports 1 / Beyond Redline YXZ1000R, while also providing trackside support to all YXZ drivers in the series via Powersports 1. Yamaha is also expanding bLU cRU support in this series with the addition of payouts to eligible YXZ racers in the Sportsman and Pro-Am classes, finishing the season as follows:
| • | Pro-Am: | First $2,500, Second $1,500, Third $1,000 | |
| • | Sportsman: | First $1,000, Second $750, Third $500 |
For 2021, Yamaha continues support in the SxS Sports “King of the Elements” series, an exhilarating multi-discipline series that tests drivers across three courses – dirt oval, short course, and ice and snow. Qualified bLU cRU racers in the Pro Production, Pro Mod, or Sportsman classes finishing the series on the podium will be eligible for the following payouts:
| • | Pro Production: | First $2,500, Second $1,500, Third $1,000 | |
| • | Pro Mod: | First $2,500, Second $1,500, Third $1,000 | |
| • | Sportsman: | First $1,000, Second $750, Third $500 |
On the ATV circuit, Yamaha will offer payout and prize opportunities – including the chance to win a brand new YFZ450R – to eligible participants competing in select classes in either the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) or American Motorcycle Association (AMA) ATV Motocross (ATV MX) series.
Continuing a historic run in the GNCC series, longtime Yamaha factory-supported racing veteran, Walker Fowler, will defend his sixth-straight XC1 Pro ATV championship on his WFR / GBC / Fly Racing YFZ450R. An increased $15,000 bLU cRU racing bonus will be awarded to the 2021 XC1 Pro ATV champion, with additional contingencies offered to qualified YFZ450R racers finishing the season in the following GNCC classes:
| • | XC2 ATV: | First $2,500, Second $1,500, Third $750, Fourth $500, Fifth $250 | |
| • | Junior A: | First $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card | |
| • | Junior B: | First $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card | |
| • | College A: | First $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card | |
| • | College B: | First $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card | |
| • | WXC: | First $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card | |
| • | All above GNCC class bLU cRU racers: Entered to win a new YFZ450R (MSRP $9,099) | ||
Heading up the ATV MX’s AMA Pro class for Yamaha is the second all-time winning, seven-time champion, Chad Wienen, on his Wienen Motorsports / SSI / Fly Racing YFZ450R. Wienen looks to defend his title and capture the increased $15,000 championship bonus. Additional overall points contingencies for 2021 ATV MX classes are as follows:
| • | Pro-Am: | First $2,500, Second $1,500, Third $750, Fourth $500, Fifth- $250 | |
| • | Pro Stock: | First $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card | |
| • | Production Stock C: | First $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card | |
| • | WXC: | First $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card | |
| • | All above ATV MX class bLU cRU racers: Entered to win a new YFZ450R (MSRP $9,099) | ||
Full bLU cRU national championship bonuses for 2021 include:
| SxS Racing Series / YXZ1000R / YXZ1000R SS | ||
| Championship Off-Road Tour, Pro Stock UTV: | $15,000 | |
| Championship Off-Road Tour, Pro Mod UTV: | $10,000 | |
| Championship Off-Road Tour, Pro-Am UTV: | $5,000 | |
| Championship Off-Road Tour, MORR UTV Sportsman: | $2,500 | |
| SXS Sports “King of the Element” Series, Pro Production class: | $2,500 | |
| SXS Sports “King of the Element” Series, Pro Mod class: | $2,500 | |
| SXS Sports “King of the Element” Series, Sportsman class: | $1,500 | |
| Best in the Desert Championship, Production 1000 class: | $5,000 | |
| World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS), SxS Pro Stock class: | $5,000 | |
| King of the Hammers, UTV class (total with overall win): | $10,000 | |
| King of the Hammers, UTV class (top-finishing YXZ): | $5,000 |
| ATV Racing Series / YFZ450R | ||
| GNCC, XC1 Pro ATV class: | $15,000 | |
| AMA ATV MX, Pro class: | $15,000 |
Racers can register online at YamahabLUcRU.com and apply for the bLU cRU benefits. Once approved, racers will receive a reloadable Yamaha bLU cRU debit card and $45 credit on their bLUcRUswag.com account for bLU cRU apparel. These racers will be eligible to receive championship bonuses paid directly to their bLU cRU debit card.
Every Yamaha SxS and full-size ATV is proudly Assembled in the USA at Yamaha’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Newnan, Georgia, for worldwide distribution.
For more information on the bLU cRU program, including all guidelines and requirements for ATV and SxS racing, visit YamahabLUcRU.com. To view the entire Proven Off-Road ATV and SxS lineup and learn more, visit YamahaOutdoors.com. Connect with Yamaha on social media via @YamahaOutdoors or search any of the following hashtags on all platforms: #Yamaha #YamahaRacing #REALizeYourPodium #REALizeYourAdventure #ProvenOffRoad #bLUcRU #AssembledInUSA #YXZ1000R #YFZ450R
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company's ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, two corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida) and Kracor Systems (Wisconsin), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).
ATVs over 90cc are recommended for use only by riders 16 years and older.
SxS Vehicles are recommended for use only by licensed drivers 16 years and older.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Scott Newby – ATV & SxS Sr. Communications Specialist
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA
770-420-6078
Scott_Newby@Yamaha-Motor.com
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