Yamaha congratulates ATV racers Chad Wienen and Thomas Brown on taking the top two spots at the 2012 Montreal Supermotocross in Quebec this past weekend.
Wienen topped the podium and Brown finished second — both aboard their YFZ450Rs — in what became one of North America’s most competitive races this year in front of an estimate crowd of 40,000 fans.
Four of the top five U.S. national ATV motocross racers competed along with top Canadians. Wienen, who won his first Montreal Supermotocross back in 2009, capped a dream season after winning the AMA Pro ATV championship this year following a severe injury in 2011.
“The competition was definitely stacked this year,” Wienen said about the Montreal race. “This is the final big race of the year. It’s always good to win there, and it can set the tone for next season. We went up there and showed them we were on the gas.”
Brown, who finished fifth in the AMA series this year, had the fastest qualifying time in Quebec and chased Wienen throughout the 12-lap main to take second.
“Our goal for the weekend was to go 1-2 and take that Canadian SX championship from the Can-Am guys,” Brown said. “It was great to paint the podium blue.”
The Yamaha guys excelled on the technical supermotocross-style track. “It was a totally different type of venue and race style,” Brown said. “It was really tight with a lot more technical jumps. We really like the more gnarly technical tracks. That’s where we and the YFZ450Rs really shine.”
“We were running around 50-second lap times, so it was a shorter course than we are used to,” Wienen said. “You had to be right on your game to clear some of the triples and step-on, step-off sections. They have a little bit of everything in there. Riding in front of that many people at a single event is really special. To be able to come out of there with a win is always huge.”
Brown, who has been on the road almost exclusively since the 2012 AMA season began in March, is heading home soon to finish the year at his local series and take a short break before ramping up training for the 2013 season. “I’ll hit it hard again before January 1,” he said already mentally preparing for next year. “I want to come out and prove to everybody I can win a title and be a top contender every weekend.”
Wienen has one more international race before taking a break. Later this month, he’s off to New Zealand to race with some of the best in the Southern Hemisphere, and then home to start thinking about 2013. “We’ve had a successful season and are just getting bigger and better,” he said. “I feel good about what we did this year, and I have a lot of racing to do ahead of me. I’m looking forward to getting back out there and defending the number one plate.”
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, 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.
