Yamaha Four-Strokes Capture Enduro/Oval Championships
When Yamaha’s RX-1 first arrived at oval and enduro events, some trackside wondered if it could be competitive. The answer is a resounding yes. In fact, the RX-1 proved to be the top machine on the MIRA enduro and sprint oval series in 2004. Expect more of the same in 2005.
Last season, Yamaha teams captured four championships on RX-1s and won more than a dozen major races using the four-stroke power. In 2005, Yamaha will again be sponsoring two of the best teams in oval sprint and enduro racing: J&M Racing and two-time Soo I-500 winner Troy Pierce and his Pierce racing squad.
In Midwest International Racing Association (MIRA) action, J&M captured the Open Mod title. “We were excited to take a nearly new sled and win a points championship with it in two years,” said J&M owner Mark Goss. “The power the RX-1 produces is awesome and we love it, and Yamaha is fantastic to work with and more than willing to help. It’s a great marriage.”
Pierce Racing added a pair of MIRA class crowns. After the first oval sprint race of the season, Pierce’s RX-1 went undefeated in heats and finals in MIRA’s Improved Stock 600 class for a decisive championship. The team also took claimed MIRA’s Pro Enduro Shoot-Out and was second in the Pro Enduro 600 division. While Pierce is impressed with the RX-1’s power, he can’t stop talking about its durability.
“Before the season started we put in a clutch kit and jetted the sled in the shop and we didn’t touch either after that, not for the whole season,” Pierce said. “It was absolutely incredible. From minus 20 degrees to 50 above zero, we didn’t have to do a thing. We changed the oil every other race and that was the extent of the engine work. The only time the spark plugs came out was when the sled went through tech. That four-stroke is really amazing.”
Yamaha’s main focus this year will be to win the legendary Soo I-500. In 2004, Yamaha placed three RX-1s in the top five at the event, and Pierce Racing’s entry led the most laps of any machine – the second consecutive Soo in which a Yamaha led the most laps.
In 2005, both Yamaha teams will race more MIRA classes. “We’ll be racing four classes with the RX-1 and I really believe we can sweep them all,” said Pierce. “But Yamaha really wants to win the Soo and so do we. That’s our number one goal.”
And any Yamaha rider who wins the Soo will be rewarded handsomely: A victorious RX-1 driver will receive an impressive $7,500 from Yamaha, while second place is worth $2,000 per team and third gets $1,000.
In addition to the Soo I-500 contingency, Yamaha also has generous dollars available to teams that perform well with their RX-1 on the grueling MIRA circuit. A winning RX-1 receives $2,000 per victory, second place scores $1,000 and third is worth $500. Key RX-1 victories at select venues like the Season Opener at Beausejour, Manitoba, the World Championship Derby at Eagle River, Wisconsin, the Alcan 200 and Big Lake 500 will all earn $2,000.
To be eligible for contingency, the competing snowmobile must be a stock-appearing Yamaha four-stroke with the Yamaha logo prominently displayed. On the MIRA series, eligible classes are Enduro Pro Mod 600, Sprint Pro Stock 600, Sprint Open and Enduro Pro Am 600.
When Yamaha’s RX-1 first arrived at oval and enduro events, some trackside wondered if it could be competitive. The answer is a resounding yes. In fact, the RX-1 proved to be the top machine on the MIRA enduro and sprint oval series in 2004. Expect more of the same in 2005.
Last season, Yamaha teams captured four championships on RX-1s and won more than a dozen major races using the four-stroke power. In 2005, Yamaha will again be sponsoring two of the best teams in oval sprint and enduro racing: J&M Racing and two-time Soo I-500 winner Troy Pierce and his Pierce racing squad.
In Midwest International Racing Association (MIRA) action, J&M captured the Open Mod title. “We were excited to take a nearly new sled and win a points championship with it in two years,” said J&M owner Mark Goss. “The power the RX-1 produces is awesome and we love it, and Yamaha is fantastic to work with and more than willing to help. It’s a great marriage.”
Pierce Racing added a pair of MIRA class crowns. After the first oval sprint race of the season, Pierce’s RX-1 went undefeated in heats and finals in MIRA’s Improved Stock 600 class for a decisive championship. The team also took claimed MIRA’s Pro Enduro Shoot-Out and was second in the Pro Enduro 600 division. While Pierce is impressed with the RX-1’s power, he can’t stop talking about its durability.
“Before the season started we put in a clutch kit and jetted the sled in the shop and we didn’t touch either after that, not for the whole season,” Pierce said. “It was absolutely incredible. From minus 20 degrees to 50 above zero, we didn’t have to do a thing. We changed the oil every other race and that was the extent of the engine work. The only time the spark plugs came out was when the sled went through tech. That four-stroke is really amazing.”
Yamaha’s main focus this year will be to win the legendary Soo I-500. In 2004, Yamaha placed three RX-1s in the top five at the event, and Pierce Racing’s entry led the most laps of any machine – the second consecutive Soo in which a Yamaha led the most laps.
In 2005, both Yamaha teams will race more MIRA classes. “We’ll be racing four classes with the RX-1 and I really believe we can sweep them all,” said Pierce. “But Yamaha really wants to win the Soo and so do we. That’s our number one goal.”
And any Yamaha rider who wins the Soo will be rewarded handsomely: A victorious RX-1 driver will receive an impressive $7,500 from Yamaha, while second place is worth $2,000 per team and third gets $1,000.
In addition to the Soo I-500 contingency, Yamaha also has generous dollars available to teams that perform well with their RX-1 on the grueling MIRA circuit. A winning RX-1 receives $2,000 per victory, second place scores $1,000 and third is worth $500. Key RX-1 victories at select venues like the Season Opener at Beausejour, Manitoba, the World Championship Derby at Eagle River, Wisconsin, the Alcan 200 and Big Lake 500 will all earn $2,000.
To be eligible for contingency, the competing snowmobile must be a stock-appearing Yamaha four-stroke with the Yamaha logo prominently displayed. On the MIRA series, eligible classes are Enduro Pro Mod 600, Sprint Pro Stock 600, Sprint Open and Enduro Pro Am 600.
mdkuni
New member
PureBlue
New member
there are more than just 2 yamaha teams racing at the Soo I-500. Eichenberg Racing # 85 and Team Chippewa #1
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snopro
New member
i seen both the J and M RX1 and the Pierce racing RX1 on the oval track at Beausejour back in december....all i can say is IMPRESSIVE!
nothing could touch them.
a note....they are using tripple cylinder 4 stroke motors in them, not 4 cylinder 4 strokes.
nothing could touch them.
a note....they are using tripple cylinder 4 stroke motors in them, not 4 cylinder 4 strokes.
wow, I didnt know that...3 cyl, very kewl.
PureBlue
New member
No, there running the 4 cyl.. They run M.I.R.A., they have the same 4 cyl. RX-1 that we run. But there's is a Mod and fast. Flanery Built Motor 
snopro
New member
i was told on another website by one of Troy Pierce's crew members that their motor was a 3 cylinder, which we all know is alot lighter than the 4 cylinder. thats also the reason they let them run in the 600 classes (120 hp) at Beausejour.
i havn't looked under the hood of the sled, so i can't varrify that myself.
i havn't looked under the hood of the sled, so i can't varrify that myself.
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black john
New member
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2003
- Messages
- 24
raceing
the rx 1 runs in the 600 in ovel and the 120 moter runs in the 500. snopro are you the the one who picked up my old 77srx super mod from my brother in emo?
the rx 1 runs in the 600 in ovel and the 120 moter runs in the 500. snopro are you the the one who picked up my old 77srx super mod from my brother in emo?
