MARIETTA, Ga., Dec. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, celebrated another off-road racing season with a series of podium sweeps and championship victories. Yamaha BLU CRU racers took top accolades across the AMA ATV Motocross (ATV MX) and Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series, reaffirming the YFZ450R as the leading sport ATV for world-class champions. The YXZ1000R also completed its final season of factory-supported racing with two titles in the Championship Off-Road Series. The top victors including Joel Hetrick, Brycen Neal, Chloe Harper and Owen Van Eperen were honored at Yamaha’s Wall of Champions celebration on December 4, 2025, and will additionally have a plaque added to the Wall of Champions display at Yamaha’s motorsports headquarters in Marietta, Georgia.
AMA ATV Motocross Championship
Defending ATV MX Pro division champion, Joel Hetrick, completed a nearly perfect season with nine wins to capture his fourth straight and sixth overall championship, along with the $15,000 BLU CRU bonus on his Phoenix Racing / DASA / CST / Moose YFZ450R. Rounding out the overall podium were fellow BLU CRU racers Bryce Ford and Chad Wienen. Yamaha racers also swept the Pro-Am, Pro Sport, Production A and Production B classes on their YFZ450R ATVs, all earning BLU CRU championship bonuses.
At the ATV MX season finale, Wienen announced his retirement and ended a historic career that has cemented him among the sport’s all-time greats. Tied for a record eight all-time ATV MX Pro championships, Wienen dominated the series with five consecutive titles between 2012 and 2016 before ushering in one of the sport’s most exciting modern-era rivalries against Hetrick. Throughout his tenure, Wienen delivered more pro ATV championships for Yamaha than any other rider, playing a pivotal role in defining the YFZ450R as the premier sport ATV for top-level racing. Yamaha recognizes Wienen for his enduring commitment, professionalism, and BLU CRU impact, and congratulates him on an extraordinary career.
GNCC ATV Championship
The GNCC XC1 Pro ATV series also ended the 2025 season with a Yamaha podium sweep. Defending champion Brycen Neal earned his fourth consecutive title and the $15,000 BLU CRU bonus on his Phoenix Racing / DASA / CST / Moose / Parts Unlimited YFZ450R in a season with eight victories and 12 podium finishes. Seven-time champion and Yamaha factory-supported racer, Walker Fowler, took second-overall, with fellow BLU CRU racer and ambassador, Josh Merritt, rounding out third overall. The YFZ450R took the top seven positions, underscoring its strength as the premier sport ATV for top professional racers.
The GNCC’s WXC ATV class also saw a BLU CRU sweep with Chloe Harper earning her first WXC championship and BLU CRU bonus on her YFZ450R, followed by Hannah Hunter and Jessica Elioff. In the XC2 Pro-Am series, Alex Thieman claimed his second straight championship and BLU CRU bonus.
Championship Off-Road Series
The Championship Off-Road short course racing series hosted the final factory-supported season of the YXZ1000R, where Powersports 1 Yamaha’s, Owen VanEperen, gave the pure sport Side-by-Side a well-deserved send-off with two final championships in the Pro SxS and Pro Stock SxS classes, earning BLU CRU racing contingencies. Fellow BLU CRU and Powersports 1 Yamaha racer, and Owen’s father, Rodney VanEperen, also earned a place on in the Pro SxS podium.
Yamaha Wall of Champions Celebration
Hetrick, Neal, Harper and VanEperen will forever be honored on Yamaha’s Wall of Champions display at their motorsports headquarters in Marietta, Georgia. Their plaques will be showcased as a lasting recognition of their accomplishments alongside other two- and four-wheel Yamaha racing greats from years past. Yamaha’s motorcycle champions in 2025 include Cooper Webb and Haiden Deegan for their Supercross dominance on the YZ450F and YZ250F, respectively, Lachlan Turner for her second consecutive WMX Championship on the YZ250F; and Matthew Scholtz, who captured his second-straight championship and earned the YZF-R9’s inaurgal victory in the MotoAmerica Supersport class.
Every full-size Yamaha 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, visit YamahaBLUCRU.com. Learn more about Yamaha’s 2026 Proven Off-Road lineup at YamahaMotorsports.com or by visiting a local Yamaha dealer. Follow Yamaha on social media @YamahaOutdoors and @YamahaMotorUSA with the following hashtags on all platforms: #Yamaha #YamahaRacing #REALizeYourPodium #YFZ450R #BLUCRU #REALizeYourAdventure #ProvenOffRoad #AssembledInUSA
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corp., 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, Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars [sold, serviced, and distributed by Yamaha Golf-Car Company], Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology 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, three corporate offices in Georgia, as well as facilities in Wisconsin, Alabama, and Florida. YMUS subsidiaries Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America (YMMC), based in Georgia, and Yamaha Jet Boat Manufacturing USA (YJBM) based in Tennessee, each assemble and manufacture selected Yamaha brand products. YMUS owns Skeeter Boats [Texas] with its division G3 Boats [Missouri]. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company, Inc. (YMSC) with subsidiary Siren Marine [Rhode Island] and divisions Bennett Marine [Florida], Yamaha Marine Rotational Molders [Wisconsin] and Yamaha Precision Propeller Inc. [Indiana].
Yamaha Motor Finance Corporation, USA (Yamaha Financial Services), an affiliate of YMUS, offers financing solutions to support Yamaha Dealers and loyal Yamaha Customers nationwide. Yamaha Financial Services provides retail and commercial financing for the diverse line of Yamaha brand motor products based out of Cypress, CA and Marietta, GA.
YFZ450R is recommended for use only by experienced operators 16 years and older.
SxS vehicles are recommended for use only by licensed drivers 16 years and older.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Scott Newby
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA
770-420-6078
Scott_Newby@Yamaha-Motor.com
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