Previously the prestige MXD team in Australian Motocross, Yamalube Yamaha Racing will field a MX2 team in 2018. Jay Wilson will lead the teams assault as he continues to charge back towards the top.
Jay Wilson, will ride alongside North Queensland rising star, Richie Evans, as they tackle the MX Nationals and Australian Supercross Championships on board the potent YZ250F.
For Wilson, it is a welcome return to Yamaha and the bike that has seen him win championships both in Australia and New Zealand. Wilson has previously raced with the Yamalube Yamaha team in 2013 in the MXD class and again with considerable support from the team in 2015 in his championship winning years.
Yamaha also has plans for Wilson in the future which will be announced in due course but his first goal is to secure good results in 2018.
“Coming back to Yamaha and especially to Yamalube Yamaha is awesome and the guys here just get racing. I roll in on day one and my bike, gear, spears, tyres, oils and everything is ready to go; they just make racing easy and are always one step ahead.
“I enjoy racing with this team and had my best results surrounded by them so I look forward to a great year of racing with them. The YZ250F is the best bike in the class and I felt right at home the moment I got back on it. I feel motivated to go racing again.
“We have also had some discussions about my future within racing and the motorcycle industry and Yamaha and I have come up with some plans regarding that. When I finish racing I would love to still be involved somehow and there are a lot of opportunities within Yamaha that I can grow so I’m looking forward to announcing those plans during the year. But right now, I’m a racer and I want to win races and championships in 2018,” Wilson ends.
Joining Wilson will be 21-year old North Queenslander, Richie Evans. Evans finished the 2017 MX Nationals in ninth place on board a privateer Yamaha despite missing the final two rounds with injury and proved to have the speed of the front runners, qualifying well at every round. His down fall was fitness and pure bike time which was due to him doing a full time University course as well as part time work to fund his racing.
Now with the support of the Yamalube Yamaha team, Evans is able to dedicate his time to training and racing and looking to continue his climb up the rankings in the MX2 class.
“I couldn’t believe it when I got the call and offered the ride with Yamaha,” recalls Evans. “I have never been able to dedicate myself 100% to racing due to my school or University commitments but with this opportunity with Yamalube Yamaha I’m going to grab it with both hands and give it my all.
“2017 was tough trying to fit everything and it placed a lot of pressure on my family to get to each event to support me but now there won’t be any mad rush on the Saturday prior to a round to have the bike ready and everything sorted.
“I can’t thank the Yamalube Yamaha team enough for taking a chance on me and I will do everything I can to repay their faith in me,” Evans finishes.
The MX Nationals get underway in April with a ten-round championship across four states. The team will have some pre-season hit outs in Queensland prior to round one to ensure they are fully prepared coming into the MX Nationals.
2018 MX Nationals Calendar
Round 1: April 15 – VIC Newry
Round 2: April 29 – NSW Appin
Round 3 & 4: May 19/20 – VIC Wonthaggi
Round 5 : May 27 – SA Murray Bridge
Round 6 : July 1 – QLD Conondale
Round 7 & 8: July 14/15 – NSW Maitland
Round 9: August 5 – QLD Gladstone
Round 10: August 11/12 – QLD Coolum
To follow the Yamalube Yamaha team on social media: www.facebook.com/YamalubeYamahaRacing or @yamalube_yamaha_racing_team on Instagram.