#WalkerFowler

Following a banner season in 2013, the Yamaha ATV Racing team is off to a strong start in 2014 topping podiums and leading three major series across the country.

Reigning back-to-back AMA ATV champion Chad Wienen won the season opener at Aonia Pass MX atop his YFZ450R, while teammate Thomas Brown, who placed second overall in the 2013, finished fifth.

“We had good starts in both moto’s last weekend, and that was key — the track didn’t allow for much passing,” says Wienen. “My new Wienen Motorsports YFZ450R was working great. We’re very happy to come out with the win and start the season off with the red plate.”

In conjunction with its annual Feed the Children food drop, Yamaha announced its 2014 ATV race team.

As part of the seven-hour celebration at Yamaha’s Southern California headquarters, employees enjoyed meeting past and present Yamaha racers including two-time AMA ATV National Champion Chad Wienen. Wienen was one of a number of 2013 Yamaha champions on hand including motorcycle racing champions Josh Herrin, Cameron Beaubier, Jessica Patterson and Tomas Puerta. Past Yamaha champions and racing legends Gary Jones and Kenny Roberts were honored for all of their success and contributions to the motorsports industry and specifically to Yamaha.

Chris Borich looks for his record-tying 67th win this weekend. (Photo by Ken Hill)

The 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series makes its debut in Northwest Pennsylvania this weekend for the inaugural running of the Car-Mate Gusher GNCC. Taking place on the property of Foxburg’s picturesque RiverStone Estate, Round 11 of the 13-race series will showcase all-new terrain with freshly cut trail alongside the wild and scenic Allegheny and Clarion Rivers.

Four-time XC1 Pro ATV Champion Chris Borich heads into Round 11 with more than just a race win on his mind. On Saturday, the Pennsylvania native will attempt to tie nine-time GNCC Champion Bill Ballance’s all-time record of ATV overall wins with a 67th career win at the Car-Mate Gusher GNCC. Of course, Borich is also vying for a fifth consecutive title as he currently leads the National Championship standings with seven overall wins this season.

Chris Borich looks for his seventh win of the season at the Unadilla GNCC. (Photo by Ken Hill)

Following a two-month summer break, the 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series returns to racing this Saturday for the ninth running of the Can-Am Unadilla GNCC. Held at the legendary Unadilla Raceway in New Berlin, NY, the Unadilla GNCC serves as Round 10 of the 13-race series.

Yamaha Racing’s GNCC University will return this year at the Snowshoe Campus. Yamaha’s top off-road ATV and motorcycle racers will be on hand as instructors of this two-day riding school, beginning on Wednesday, June 26 just three days before the AMSOIL Snowshoe GNCC, Round 9 of the 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series.

Led by Dean of motorcycles, seven-time AMA National Enduro Champion Randy Hawkins, this year’s Yamaha Racing bike instructors include five-time AMA National Hare Scramble Champion Jason Raines, reigning XC1 Champion Paul Whibley, XC1 rider Jordan Ashburn, XC2 riders Brad Bakken and Jedediah Haines, and Women’s class rider Becca Sheets.

Professor of ATVs, XC1 Pro Class rider Johnny Gallagher, will lead this year’s Yamaha Racing ATV instructors, including XC1 riders Walker Fowler, Jeff Pickens, Gabe Phillips and nine-time GNCC Women’s Class Champion Traci Cecco.

(Photo by Ken Hill)

After chasing Chris Borich all season, Walker Fowler finally took the checkers a couple of weeks back at the Limestone 100 GNCC. He’ll try to make it two in a row this weekend as the 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series heads to Millfield, Ohio for the Wiseco John Penton GNCC.

AmPro Yamaha‘s Fowler made a statement last round as he secured the Round 6 victory that also ended Borich’s five-race win streak in 2013. Fowler has been in contention for the lead all season long and the young gun looks to keep it rolling with two in a row this weekend.

Although Borich has the most wins this season, the Maxxis-backed rider hasn’t necessarily spent the most time out front. Reliable Tool Supply/Maxxis rider Chris Bithell has arguably led the most laps this season as he continues to fight for the overall win each round. However, Borich has the last-lap pass down to a science and the seasoned veteran knows what it takes to secure the win after two hours of racing. As the series reaches the second half of the schedule, strategy becomes even more crucial in winning a championship at the end of the season.

Can anybody get to the checkers before Chris Borich? (Photo by Ken Hill)

We’re nearing the half-way point of the 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country season and nobody has been able to stop Chris Borich. The four-time champ looks for his sixth straight win to start the season at this weekend’s Dunlop Limestone 100 GNC in Springville, Ind.

With 64 career wins to date, Borich has already proven his merit amongst the best XC ATV racers in GNCC history as he nears the all time wins record. Eight-Time GNCC champ Barry Hawk currently holds the record with 68 total wins, which is within reach for the consistent Borich as eight races still remain in 2013.

Reliable Tool Supply/Maxxis rider Chris Bithell could perhaps be the one to break his Suzuki-mounted teammate’s win streak, leading the champ for more laps than anyone else this season. Riding aboard an all-new machine and program for 2013, Bithell continues to become more comfortable each round and looks to secure a race win this season. Bithell currently sits third overall in the championship standings, only five points below AmPro Yamaha’s Walker Fowler.

Chris Borich looks for his fifth straight GNCC win this weekend. (Photo by Ken Hill)

Maxxis-backed Chris Borich has opened the 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series with four straight wins. He’ll try to make it five in a row this weekend when the series heads to Park City, Ky. for the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Mammoth GNCC.

With 63 career wins to date, Borich is attempting to dethrone nine-time champion Bill Ballance – who has 67 wins – to become the winningest ATV racer in GNCC history. Seven-time ATV champ and 2003 bike champ Barry Hawk currently holds the all-time win record with a combined 68 wins between both disciplines, an achievement that could be reached and exceeded by Borich in 2013.

In just its second year hosting a GNCC, the Park Mammoth Resort offers some of the freshest trail on the circuit with plenty of single-track sections and technical terrain. Borich took the win at the inaugural event in 2012 but it wasn’t without a fight from AmPro Yamaha’s Walker Fowler as the duo ran side by side through the final turns of the race.

Walker Fowler (right) is looking for his first win of the season. (Photo by Ken Hill)

Taking a break from the Grand National Cross Country Series, Walker Fowler picked up a win in the season opener of the 2013 AMA MAXC Racing Series in Canaan, Ind. at Monster Mountain XC.

Fourteen Pro AA ATV racers lined up to do battle at Monster Mountain. Among the lineup were many of the top ATV racers in the country, including Fowler, 2012 MAXC reigning Pro AA ATV Champion Ryan Lane, Kevin Cunningham, Taylor Kiser, Johnny Gallagher, Mike Pflum and Jay Humphrey.

Despite the lead changing hands many times throughout the seven-lap race, it was Am-Pro Yamaha’s #2 Fowler who crossed the finish in first aboard his Yamaha YFZ450R ATV. Fowler had a mid-pack start and made his way up from fifth place to first to earn the win.

“The track as awesome the parking lot was the muddiest spot except the creek bed we ran, it was pretty bad,” says Fowler. “You just had to play it smart but we had to submarine it a little bit and I think the motor is pretty much toast, but I had a blast doing it!”

Chris Borich and Walker Fowler sit 1-2 in the standings after two rounds.

Anybody who thought Chris Borich might start to take it easy after winning his fourth straight GNCC XC1 Pro ATV class title has been proven wrong. Borich is perfect after two rounds of the 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series and he’ll try to make it three-for-three at this weekend’s FMF Steele Creek GNCC in Morganton, NC.

While Borich enjoys life at the top of the mountain, the battle for second through 10th place is a lot less predictable with a deep field of talent on this year’s front line. AmPro Yamaha’s Walker Fowler currently sits in second place as he continues to chase Borich for a win. Fowler has struggled with poor starts in the first two rounds but the 20-year-old has successfully charged his way through the pack to secure two solid podium finishes so far this season.

Chris Borich begins his quest for his fifth straight AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series championship this weekend at the season-opening Moose Racing Westgate River Ranch GNCC.

Borich’s closest pursuer in 2012, Ohio’s Walker Fowler, returns to the front line this year aboard an all-new AmPro Yamaha team. As a rising star in the GNCC ranks, Fowler has chalked several wins throughout his career-including one win over Borich last season-but the young gun has found that beating the champ isn’t an easy feat. It’s also not one that Fowler plans to back away from any time soon.

West Virginia’s Adam McGill switched to a privateer-backed effort in 2012, causing a little bit of stress on his final results due to mechanical failures along the way. However, McGill managed to grab a race-win late in the season to give him fourth place overall in XC1 and a high level of confidence leading into the new season. McGill returns aboard his Lonestar/Precision/ITP Honda with high hopes of contesting for the championship.

Pennsylvania’s Chris Bithell will make his debut aboard a Bithell Racing Suzuki machine in 2013, a pretty drastic change from the last couple of seasons with the Factory Can-Am squad. However, a change in pace may be just what Bithell needs to put him over the edge for race wins this season.

Taylor Kiser reports that he will not be lining up for the season opener in his home state this weekend, and as of right now he does not have plans to contest the XC1 championship in 2013.

Following a successful 2012 race season that saw Yamaha capture both the AMA ATV MX and GNCC ATV manufacturer’s titles, Big Blue has announced its 2013 ATV race teams.

Yamaha has signed Chad Wienen and Thomas Brown to race the AMA ATV MX pro class, Dustin Nelson to compete in the Yamaha QuadX Series and World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS), and Walker Fowler to represent Yamaha in the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) XC-1 Pro Class.

“Yamaha is excited to announce its championship caliber ATV race teams with top riders competing in the country’s leading motocross and cross-country series,” says Donnie Luce, Yamaha ATV/Off-Road racing coordinator. “Earning the manufacturer’s cups last year from both the AMA and GNCC series is a great honor and further solidifies Yamaha’s commitment to ATV racing both on and off the track.”

Now that we’re a few races into the 2012 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series, the standings and championship races are starting to take shape. Yamaha is fielding a particularly strong team this year and its Pro GNCC racers Taylor Kiser, Walker Fowler and Traci Cecco, along with Ballance Racing boss Bill Ballance, offered up some thoughts on the season so far.

Bill Ballance Question: You’re widely known as the best off-road ATV racer of all time, and while you haven’t announced any plans to officially retire from racing, you’re transitioning more into a team management role – tell us about Ballance Racing and how you approach your new job.

BB Responses:

The first priority is the race team. Our team provides full race support to Taylor Kiser and Walker Fowler in the GNCC race circuit. We also provide some support to Thomas Brown on the MX side.

The second side to Ballance Racing is aftermarket sales and support. We sell all of the race products from companies that sponsor our race program. Also, we build complete race quads.

Ballance Racing started as me competing and winning championships and has transitioned into a program that supports both riders and sponsors on and off the track.

My role as team manager includes many responsibilities and those change from day to day. I spend numerous days testing on the track, which requires me to do lots of riding – this being my favorite part! Other days my time is filled by taking orders from customers, building shocks, setting up race quads, talking to sponsors, and keeping up with what the guys are doing and needing. A big part of my job is developing and testing for companies like Lone Star, Ohlins, Maxxis, and Moto-Xperts. I even build and fine tune maps for ECUs.

The transition has been difficult in some ways. When we are at the races and the guys line up on the starting line, it is hard for me not to be a part of that. However, in some ways it has been pretty easy because of the attention to detail that I give to every working part of the race bike is natural to me. I do this just the same way I did with my own race quad. I try to give the guys the equipment they need and the knowledge I have gained over the years. I want to see them win, and I strive for nothing less.

At a star-studded celebration of amateur racers held in Las Vegas, Nev., the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) named Walker Fowler as its 2011 AMA ATV Athlete of the year. The honor was presented to Fowler by AMA Racing Director Joe Bromley at the AMA Visa Card from Capital One Racing Championship Banquet on Nov. 20 at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa.

Fowler, of Rogers, Ohio, was the most dominant rider in the history of XC2 Pro-Am class competition in the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series. He won every round of the off-road racing series.

“It was just a crazy year for sure — a dream season,” says Fowler. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do it again. It’s every racer’s dream to be able to do something that no one else can. But there are a lot more goals in front of me that are the same thing, and that’s what keeps us racers going. I just want to thank the AMA for giving us all these series to compete in and letting us go out and do what we do.”

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., made its annual donation to the Feed the Children charity Friday, Nov. 18 at Yamaha’s corporate headquarters in Cypress, Calif. Company officials presented two checks totaling $25,000 along with a truck load of donated items to the organization. As part of the festivities, Yamaha also celebrated a successful 2011 racing season with several championship-winning Yamaha Race Team members in attendance.

“The annual Feed the Children and Race Team celebration is something everyone at Yamaha looks forward to each year,” says Bob Starr, Yamaha general manager of motorsports communications. “As we move into the holiday season, it’s a great time to reflect upon the hard work and donations collected over the year that have a direct impact on families in need. Thanks to all of the Yamaha employees and the Star Touring and Riding Association for their efforts.”

ATV racing champions Dustin Nelson and Walker Fowler were on hand to celebrate their successful ATV racing seasons. Both Nelson and Fowler boasted perfect campaigns: Fowler closes out the 2011 GNCC series with the XC2 championship, going undefeated and notching a record 13 straight wins. Nelson was also perfect and clinched his fifth QuadX Championship after winning all eight races in the series.