Cypress, CA (12/11/2014)
-Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., held its annual employee and Star Touring
And Riding (S.T.A.R.) event at the company’s Cypress, Calif., headquarters last Friday. Throughout the special
event, which has come to symbolize the company’s successes and contributions from the race track to its local
communities each year, Yamaha honored its 2014 motorsports racing champions as well as select past
champions and celebrated 20 years of support for Feed the Children (FTC).
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In addition to celebrating 20 years of support for Feed the Children, Yamaha also honored 2014 racing champions including 2014 Quad X Champion Dustin Nelson & Pro ATV Motocross Champion Chad Wienen |
Yamaha inducted 11 current and previous champions to the Yamaha Racing Wall of Champions. This year’s
champions recognized at the event included: Paul Whibley, OMA Off Road National Champion; Dustin Nelson,
QuadX Pro 450cc Champion; Chad Wienen, AMA Pro ATV MX Champion; Garrett Gerloff, GEICO Motorcycle
Superbike Shootout Pro Sportbike Champion; Jeremy Martin, AMA 250cc MX National Champion; Jake Gagne,
AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion; and Josh Hayes, AMA Pro SuperBike Champion and GEICO Motorcycle
Superbike Shootout Pro Superbike Champion.
Past racing greats recognized with plaques during the day’s event included Randy Mamola, AMA 250cc National
Road Race Champion from 1978; Randy Cleek, AMA Formula 1 Road Race Champion from 1976; David Emde,
AMA 250cc National Road Race Champion from 1977; and Pierre Karsmakers, AMA 500cc MX National
Champion from 1973 and AMA 250cc Supercross Champion from 1974.
“Yamaha congratulates all of its 2014 and past racing champions and thanks them for representing the company
and our employees, dealers and fans all across the country like true professionals and passionate competitors,”
said Bob Starr, Yamaha’s general manager of motorsports communications. “The Yamaha Racing Wall of
Champions posted here in our headquarters represents a commitment to excellence and dedication to being the
best in our industry – on race day and every day.”
Throughout the championship celebration, special emphasis was put on Yamaha’s 20 years of support for the
Feed the Children charity. Yamaha’s commitment to FTC helped raise $82,000 this year through employee
donations, special dealer fundraising activities and direct corporate donations from Yamaha’s customer
satisfaction team. The company’s unique Customer Satisfaction Survey program makes a donation for each
survey returned by a Yamaha street and off-road motorcycle, ATV, Side-by-Side vehicle, snowmobile or
generator customer. This program alone raised $22,500 for 2014, and has raised more than $85,000 since it
began in 2011.
“Regular customer interaction and satisfaction feedback is critical to the company’s ongoing efforts to provide the
best possible products and service in our industry,” said Jill Hobbs, Yamaha’s national motorsports marketing
manager. “Yamaha thanks its dealers and customers for participating in this program and helping to support a
great charity like Feed the Children.”
Yamaha presented FTC with a big check at today’s event symbolizing the financial donations, and the S.T.A.R.
volunteers were on hand to help deliver donated food and supplies to the local FTC office at the end of the day.
“Yamaha has maintained a major commitment to Feed the Children from California to Georgia, and we again
thank the company and its employees for their ongoing efforts,” said Jessica Webb, of FTC, who was on hand to
accept the Yamaha donation. “Thanks to Yamaha for supporting our local community especially as we head into
the holidays.”
Yamaha has helped raise more than $5 million in cash and supplies for FTC over the past 20 years. Feed the
Children is an international and nonprofit relief organization that delivers food, medicine, clothing and other
necessities to individuals, children and families who lack those essentials.
About Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., (YMUS) a leader
in the motorsports market, makes the toughest,
most capable and versatile ATV and Side-by-Side
vehicles. The company’s ever-expanding
product offerings also include motorcycles,
outboard motors, personal watercraft, snowmobiles,
boats, outdoor power equipment, race kart engines,
accessories, apparel and much more. YMUS products
are sold through a nationwide network of dealers
in the United States.
Headquartered in Cypress, Calif., since its
incorporation in 1976, Yamaha also has facilities
in Wisconsin and Georgia as well as factory
operations in Tennessee and Georgia. For more
information on Yamaha, visit www.yamaha-motor.com.
