The Yamaha BLU CRU YZ65 Cup roared to life in front of a capacity crowd at Shark Park Stadium on Saturday night, when 18 adrenaline filled riders took to the track.
The YZ65 Cup has proven to be a popular and successful event for Yamaha and since its inception in 2018, it has gone from strength to strength with a long list of riders getting to live out a once in a lifetime experience at high profile events like the AUSX Championship and the ProMX championship.The weekend saw the selected 18 riders have the BLU CRU carpet rolled out for them, as not only did they get to experience the thrill of racing on a professional level supercross track in front of a packed stadium, but they also received the full behind the scenes treatment with Yamaha and the pro riders.
Their day started with the bikes being set up in the middle of the pit paddock and a gift pack handed out the included a Yamaha hat, a Yamaha shirt as well as set of blue and white FOX Racing gear with their own name and number printed on the back.
Once the sizing’s are all finalised, the crew headed over to the track with our Yamaha ambassadors and coaches, Jess Gardiner, Jeremy Carpentier and Jades Oates where they took them around the track and provided their insights and answered any questions.
Next up it was time to hit the track for their first of two practice sessions and there were a lot of nerves. The jumps are a lot bigger when you are down at ground level and not in the grandstand, but all completed both sessions safely and understand the YZ65 Cup is as much about the experience as it is about the results.
Once practice was done, they were all bought over to the Yamaha professional trucks and had a Q&A session with the riders from the Monster Energy CDR Yamaha, Monster Energy Yamalube Yamaha and Monster Energy WBR Yamaha teams. There were plenty of questions thrown out, Phil Nicoletti did what only Phil can do, and all the riders received their own personal front number plate for the event and were signed by all the pro Yamaha riders.
Then just to feel like superstars, an autograph line quickly formed and each rider with his own poster spent the next 30 minutes signing with the pit party in full swing.
But once the sun goes down and it’s time for business and the YZ65 Cup never disappoints. They ripped out of the gate and spent the next handful of laps unleashing all the pent-up energy and excitement from the day. And to top it off, the top three riders were greeted at the podium and presented their awards by our special guest, two-time AMA WMX champion, Lachlan Turner.
“It’s been an amazing day and one we hope the riders and families never forget,” explains Yamaha’s Jake Belford. “Our aim with BLU CLU is to create a community and an experience that you can’t get anywhere else but Yamaha and today, our 18 riders and families certainly got that.
“Our thanks to AUSX organisers for making time for the YZ65 Cup and it always our pleasure to be at such a high-profile event. Our staff, coaches and team partners are always behind us, and we will continue to bring these moments to life for our Yamaha customers.
“We look forward to doing it all again at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on November 22,” Belford ends.