Yamaha Race Academy - 2008

After the massive success of the 2007 Yamaha Race Academy, Yamaha decided to do it all again in 2008 to mark the 10th anniversary of the launch of Yamaha’s iconic YZF-R1. Yamaha dealers in countries all around Europe celebrated the occasion with a special day dedicated to the R-Series rangeof motorcycles and the release of the new YZF-R6.

In addition to being able to see and test ride the latest incarnations of the legendary R1 and R6 motorcycles at their local dealer, customers were also given the opportunity to enter a special competition to win a place on an ultra exclusive riding experience at the Ascari Race Resort with the Yamaha Race Academy along with a VIP trip to the MotoGP at Catalunya as guests of Team Fiat Yamaha. A prize that money simply can’t buy!

In Barcelona, the 25 competition winners (including three from the UK) who had entered via their local Yamaha Dealer, got to see inside the garage of Jorge Lorenzo (even if Jorge himself had to miss the Catalunya race through injury) before moving to their grandstand seats above the start-finish line to witness Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi battle through from 9th on the grid to 2nd in an epic race.

The only thing that could improve on the package of being a MotoGP insider and guest of probably the world’s best appointed circuit for a day, would be unbroken sunshine, expert race tuition from California Superbike School instructors and an endless choice of YZF-R1 and YZFR6 machines to ride all day.

So on Monday 9th June, after seeing their MotoGP heroes in action theday before at Catalunya, that is exactly what the competition winners found themselves enjoying to the full.

Just to add even more R-series and track-oriented credibility to the whole Spanish extravaganza of speed, Yamaha World Supersport Team rider Broc Parkes turned up to lend his experience and star quality to the proceedings.

Yamaha Motor UK’s Motorcycle Marketing Co-Ordinator Karl Radley, who accompanied the UK winners, summed it all up with his comments after the last wheel had been turned. “In the eyes of the competition winners this was a unique and spectacular experience that I don’t think could have been bettered,” Said Karl. “The UK winners had grins from ear to ear all weekend”

The very happy UK winners were:

Gerard Hopwood (Keith Dixon Motorcycles) - “This has been beyond belief. I have been on a track four times before, including at Laguna Seca in California, but Ascari has been much more challenging.

Tobias Wilson (Three Cross Motorcycles) - “It’s been a great couple of days and I didn’t even mind that I almost got knocked down by Rossi on his scooter at Catalunya as well!

Shaun Wentworth (Tinklers Motorcycles) - “Going to the Catalunya GP was an incredible experience. We went into Jorge Lorenzo’s pit-box and all day you were seeing riders you idolize on TV just walking past. My mates are going to kill me when I get home!