Yamaha Legends and Current Stars at Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix
Cycle News Staff | July 14, 2011
Yamaha’s World Champions past and present will gather in one place on the night before the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, with MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo and teammate Ben Spies, along with Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow joining fellow World Champions Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey and Kenny Roberts for an interactive question and answer session. The riders will be onstage at the Yamaha Marketplace from 6-7 p.m., with fans being encouraged to ask questions of the Yamaha legends and legends-to be.Earlier in the day, “King Kenny” Roberts will return to the track aboard a 50th anniversary factory YZF-M1 MotoGP bike, with the king again on track prior to the start of Sunday’s MotoGP race aboard his yellow and black 1980 World Championship-winning YZR500.AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes and teammate Josh Herrin, both of the Monster Energy Graves Motorsports team, and Chris Clark and Tommy Aquino of the Yamaha Extended Service/Pat Clark Motorsports team will sign autographs in the Yamaha Marketplace.
They’ll be joined by HT Moto/GYTR AMA Daytona Sportbike rider Melissa Paris as well as two-time XDL Street Freestyle Champion Bill Dixon.The activities are just some of those that Yamaha is providing to celebrate 50 years in grand prix racing at the Yamaha Marketplace. The SSB Yamaha Custom Showdown custom bike show will include Yamahas built by many of the country’s premier sportbike builders, as well as the tenwinning bikes of the 2011 Yamaha Virtual SuperSport Bike Show contest. A show within the show, the Yamaha Virtual SuperSport Bike Show is open until July 25 with 50 winners to receive passes to the Red Bull Indianapolis U.S. Grand Prix. To register or just check out the bikes please visit www.yamahamotor.com/ssvirtualbikeshow.
Yamaha’s Learn To Ride Program gives children from two to 12 a chance to try the TT-R 50 and TT-R 110 in a controlled environment with instruction and supervision. The TT-R demos will take place Friday through Sunday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm in the Yamaha Marketplace. Full safety gear will be provided, as will a photo of the young riders’ experiences.Reigning XDL champion Bill Dixon will hit the track on Saturday at 3 p.m. for a demonstration of stoppies, burnouts and backward wheelies.If you want something to take away from the weekend, Yamaha will debut a custom line of 50th Anniversary gear for sale, with additional merchandise, including authorized Ben Spies and Jorge Lorenzo gear, for sale.Fans will also get the opportunity to have their photo taken aboard the MotoGP Championship winning Yamaha YZR-M1 of Jorge Lorenzo. Yamaha will have a photographer on hand to snap the photo, which will be almost instantly provided.For a full schedule of events and to visit Yamaha’s special 50th Anniversary Racing website visit: http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/mcy/USGP_2011.aspx
