Yamaha Motor Australia press release:

Just two weeks before the opening round of the 2015 MX Nationals way back in March, GYTR Yamaha’s Wilson Todd, lay in a hospital bed battered, bruised and injured after being hit by a car whilst training on his road cycle.

The collision with a four wheel drive at an estimated 70kilometres per hour left him with a fractured elbow, chipped hip, bone bruising as well as scraps and scars the length of his body. He was in a world of pain and unable to move.

He finally got out of bed in the days leading up to the opening round of the championship at Horsham and turned up on Saturday afternoon not even knowing if he would be able to ride at all. He couldn’t bend his arm, walked with a serious limp and battled serious fatigue as he desperately tried to recover from his injures.

Fast forward just five months to a beautiful winters’ afternoon on Queensland Sunshine Coast and a near perfect Coolum Pines Motocross circuit and Wilson Todd thrusts his arms skyward as he crosses the finish line in the final moto of the championship to not only win the round but also clinch the 2015 MXD championship.

Todd battled through the opening rounds with the hope of just staying in the championship hunt and then when he was just about to get back to full fitness, a crash at a regional race damaged his wrist and again he went into survival mode.

But through the journey, Todd proved what a warrior he is, taking five round wins out of the ten contested and his worst round finish of the year was an 11th when he fell while in second place.
It was a remarkable effort by the 17year old racer and this championship is one he won’t soon forget.

“It’s been a tough year in many ways,” Wilson explains. “Things started off not well when I got hit and the first few rounds I was just trying to get by and not fall off and hurt myself again. It wasn’t until round five I was able to feel better and then I had to try and get some fitness back and also get some ride time as I was just going from weekend to weekend.

“But everyone around me kept encouraging me and kept working with me and in the end, I was able to win the championship so I’m really proud of that.

“I can’t thank the GYTR Yamaha team enough for all the help and support they have given me. I have been with Yamaha for so long now and its awesome coming to the races with the guys in the team.
“The Beaton family have also been amazing as I stayed with them this year and they looked after me and did everything they could to help.

“Thank you to WEM and the clubs for putting on such a great championship,” Todd ends.

In an ironic twist, Todd ends his 2015 season the same way he started it, in hospital. He celebrated his success with a team dinner he then checked into hospital for knee surgery that will see him off the bike until 2016.

“Congratulations to Wilson and the GYTR Yamaha team on a fantastic result. He is been with us via our Yamaha Junior Racing program since 2009 and its rewarding to see him mature and develop both on and off the track. Job well done,” said Yamaha’s Ray Howard.

And the final round was cause for a double celebration as team mate Mitch Evans broke through for his first race win with victory in the final moto of the year. Evans, who also had his own issues with injury this season, missing the first half of the series, Evans is returning to form as he races hos way back to fitness.

He finished with 3-1 results to take second for the round behind team mate, Wilson Todd. “It was nice to get back up the front and winning races. My starts today were good and I didn’t have to fight my way forward like I had been doing in the previous rounds.

“This year has been a big learning curve for me but I love racing the MX Nationals and working with the GYTR Yamaha team. They stood by me when I was injured so thanks to them for their support.

To follow the GYTR Yamaha team on social media: www.facebook.com/GYTRYamaha or @gytr_yamaha_team