Yamaha YXZ1000R Dominates Lucas Oil Regional Off-Road Racing

Nelson and Weller Battle it out during Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing

We love to get out and see live UTV racing as much as possible, so when Yamaha invited us down to hang out in the pits before last week’s Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Regional race, we couldn’t pass it up. After a quick drive to Devore, California’s Glen Helen Raceway, we went through all of the track safety briefings that would allow us to hang out trackside and shoot some photos of the action. Dustin Nelson and Corry Weller would be racing in both the Production 1000 and SR1 classes, with Dustin’s newly-wed wife Elizabeth Nelson also racing a new YXZ1000R in the production class.

Corry Weller

Yamaha’s factory-supported Dustin Nelson and Corry Weller are having unmatched racing success piloting Yamaha’s new YXZ1000R, leading the Production 1000 class in the Lucas Oil Regional Off-Road Series in both Arizona and Southern California. Dustin Nelson is the current frontrunner of the Production 1000 class for both the Arizona and Southern California series, with eight first place finishes, placing no lower than second in the combined 12 races so far. Corry Weller is second in both series, with three first place, five second place and a third place finish. Between both racers, the YXZ1000R has topped the podium in 11 of 12 races, finishing in the top two positions at nearly every event.

George Hammel

A seasoned Yamaha racer and titleholder, Nelson began racing motocross professionally in the late 1990s, competing on both two wheels and four, including racing the YFZ450R to a record six Yamaha/ITP QuadCross series championships. In 2015, he became the first to race Yamaha’s YXZ1000R by entering the Lake Elsinore GP, placing first overall in the Production Pro class.

Weller also began her racing career on the motocross track and was quick to jump on Yamaha’s YFZ450 when it was introduced in 2003. Shattering stereotypes and surprising fellow racers, she later transitioned her racing career to SxS and Pro 4 truck class racing, gaining fans and winning trophies along the way.

Dustin Nelson

“The YXZ1000R brings a higher level of sport SxS performance to off-road racing. The benefit of Yamaha’s durability, combined with the YXZ’s manual transmission, allows racers to get around the track faster and with less downtime than the competition,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV and SxS group marketing manager. “The success Dustin and Corry are having is clear evidence of the reliability and unparalleled driver-to-vehicle connection accomplished with the pure sport YXZ1000R Side-by-Side.”

YXZ1000R’s on the Lucas Oil Track

The YXZ1000R launched in September of last year, becoming the world’s first and only pure sport Side-by-Side. It features the first five-speed sequential shift manual transmission and three-cylinder 998cc engine in a SxS, delivering an unmatched direct connection experience between driver and machine. Last month, Yamaha announced a Sport Shift (SS) version of the vehicle, the Yamaha YXZ1000R SS, delivering a high-tech paddle shifting experience with an automated clutch system eliminating the need for a clutch pedal and opening the pure sport “We are seeing great success across Yamaha’s ATV and SxS racing programs this year,” said Donnie Luce, Yamaha’s Off-Road Racing Coordinator.

Elizabeth Nelson

Qualifying sessions started out well, with Dustin and Corry looking exceptionally fast around Glen Helen’s relatively technical course. At the start of the race in the Production 1000 class, a rollover caused a restart in the first corner. No one was harmed, but the vehicle had to be towed off the track. The rest of the race was touch and go as well, with multiple crashes causing race pauses and long parade laps between restarts to ensure all of the cars were in the correct order. By the end of the race, Dustin was able to easily keep his lead, and Corry climbed from 9th to 4th physical by the end, but was bumped to 3rd when a DQ knocked out second place. For the final results, Yamaha YXZ1000Rs took the top three positions.

Dustin Nelson tops the Production 1000 Podium

The SR1 race was less of a fiasco, and Corry proved to be untouchable. The sheer sound of an SR1 race is an experience everyone should have at least once. Think formula one on dirt. The 1000cc streetbike engines powering these lightweight, tube-frame cars gives them a better power to weight ratio of any UTV out on the field. This class sees many seasoned racers, including Ronnie Renner, driving the orange and black FOX SR1 car.

Hammel takes 2nd Place

The night ended fantastically for Yamaha, who is definitely out to prove that they are a force to be reckoned with in the UTV market. Now, we just can’t wait to see a new YXZ1000R-SS race!

Weller finishes off the podium with 3rd Place

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More Resources:

• Yamaha YXZ1000R Ride Review
• Yamaha YXZ1000R Review by Factory UTV
• Yamaha YXZ1000R Unveil)
• Yamaha YXZ1000R Woods Review
• Yamaha Viking
• Yamaha Wolverine

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.