Yamaha Motor Australia press release:

14 riders, six states and some exciting additions to the Yamaha YZ model range is the background to one of the most anticipated racing seasons for the GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing team in 2018 as the national program continues to take huge strides forward in rider development this season.

Now without doubt the biggest junior development program in Australia, GYTR- YJR continues to forge ahead with 2018 set to become a landmark year for the program, now in its second decade of developing emerging off road and motocross racing talent.

As already released, the expansion into Tasmania now sees GYTR YJR covering all states apart from the Northern Territory and takes the riders support up to an astounding 14 riders.

The focus continues on selecting hard working and dedicated riders and then providing the right support and network around these talented athletes to ensure they achieve their goals. The state based system GYTR-YJR utilise, gives each rider the best chance of success as they work closely with a team manager who can guide them through not just riding and racing but also any other aspect of their racing be it training, diet or correct decision making

Each of the team managers has years’ worth of racing experience and continually pass on that knowledge during the week at the practice and training track as well as in a race environment on the weekends, a system that no other manufacturer can match.

Over the past decade, GYTR-YJR has successfully produced some of Australia’s best racing talent and can provide a pathway from entering the sport under the age of 10, all the way through to the professional teams of not just motocross, but also off road and road depending on where the athletes goals lie.

Included in that list is current MX Nationals champion, Dean Ferris, as well as riders who have moved onto international success like Hunter Lawrence and Jed Beaton. Cody Dyce and Wilson Todd have also been resent success stories from YJR in motocross and supercross while, Michael Driscoll, the current EJ (under 19) AORC champion, also progressed from YJR in 2015 and continues to enjoy significant Yamaha support as he pursues a career in off road racing.

“Yamaha Junior Racing has been successful innovation for Yamaha Australia that allows us to work closely with hard working riders and families as well as show case the exciting range of Yamaha racing machinery in that segment,” states Motorsport Manager, Ray Howard.

“In 2018, things are looking very exciting as Yamaha will introduce some key models that will reinvigorate the junior market and position us well in the future with a comprehensive and class leading range of models that will capture the imagination of all junior riders.

“14 riders is a huge undertaking but Yamaha are proud to lead the industry in such important area- junior sport and youth development. Juniors are the future in any sport Yamaha Motor Australia continue to invest heavily in it. We couldn’t do it without the on-going support of our sister companies and brands like Yamaha Motor Insurance, Yamaha Motor Finance, GYTR, Yamalube as well as Ficeda Accessories who through enormous support behind the YJR project.

“We look forward to a sensational 2018 season with a talented group of riders and a dedicated team of managers to oversee them,” Howard ends.

The 2018 racing season gets underway in February with each team focusing on its regional and state championships before targeting the best event on the junior calendar, the week-long Australian Junior Motocross Championships, to be held in Tasmania later this year.

2018 also presents a unique opportunity for some riders with the World Junior Motocross Championships held in Australia for the first time. International teams will converge on Horsham in Victoria in August for the prestigious event and Australian junior riders will have the rare chance to see how they stack up against some of the fastest riders in the world.

To follow the GYTR- Yamaha Junior Racing Team on social media: www.facebook.com/YamahaJuniorRacingAus or @yamaha_junior_racing_aus on Instagram.