Yamaha U.S.A. Celebrates 2015 Champions, Feed the Children Campaign

Yamaha Motor Corporation throws a party to induct its 2015 racing champions and legends to its Wall of Fame and raises over $31,000 for Feed the Children.

Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., held its 2015 Yamaha Champions Day celebration at the company’s U.S. headquarters in Cypress, California, yesterday, inducting all of the Yamaha factory riders who won major professional titles in 2015 along with some legends of yesteryear to its Wall of Fame, which is located in the main hallway inside the company’s office building.

Yamaha enjoyed a productive year in racing, winning including a sweep of the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM road racing championships, an AMA 250cc West Supercross title with Cooper Webb and a repeat title in the Lucas Oil 250cc Pro Motocross Championship with Jeremy Martin. ATV championship inductees included four-time and defending AMA Pro ATV Motocross Champion Chad Wienen, and 2015 GNCC XC1 ATV Champion Walker Fowler. Four Yamaha racing legends were also inducted, including 1978 AMA Formula One Road Racing Champion and AMA Hall of Fame Member Mike Baldwin; 1979 and 1980 AMA Formula One Road Racing Champion Rich Schlachter; 1984 AMA 250cc Motocross Champion and AMA Hall of Fame Member Rick Johnson; and 2007 AMA 450cc Motocross Champion Grant Langston. Keith McCarty, Motorsports Racing Division Manager for Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., emcee’d the induction ceremony.

“The Yamaha Racing Wall of Champions represents a commitment to excellence and a dedication to being the best, on race day and every day,” McCarty said. “Yamaha congratulates all of our 2015 Wall of Champions inductees, and we thank them for representing our company, our employees, our dealers, and the Yamaha brand like true professionals. It’s been an amazing year for Yamaha racing in the U.S., and we’re very proud of our riders and teams.”

The event was held in conjunction with Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.’s ninth annual Feed the Children Charity Day. Yamaha employees raised $31,373 through employee donations, special dealer fundraising activities and direct corporate donations from Yamaha’s customer satisfaction team. The company’s Customer Satisfaction Survey program makes a donation for each survey returned by a Yamaha Motorsports customer. Over the past 20 years, Yamaha U.S.A. has helped raise more than $5 million in cash and supplies for Feed the Children, an international and nonprofit relief organization that delivers food, medicine, clothing, and other necessities to individuals, children, and families who lack those essentials.

Travis Arnold, Feed the Children Interim CEO/President and COO, said that the charity is proud to partner with Yamaha Motor Corporation.

“We know that, when we combine our efforts, we will have a greater impact on the lives of families who need us most—right here in America,” Arnold said.

Star Touring And Riding (S.T.A.R.) volunteers were on hand at the event to help deliver donated food and supplies to the local Feed the Children office in Orange County.

“Yamaha is very proud to make this donation to Feed the Children on behalf of our employees, dealers, and customers,” commented Bob Starr, General Manager of Communications for Yamaha’s U.S. Motorsports Group. “Also, thank you to all of the great Yamaha racers, and to Star Touring And Riding, for their support and participation in today’s Feed The Children Charity Day.”