Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team Heads Into Seattle SX Recharged And Focused On The Podium

(Press Release) Cypress, Calif.

Coming off a one-week break from racing, the 2018 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship returns to action this Saturday, April 7, for Round 13 in Seattle, Washington. The Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team took full advantage of the weekend off as Cooper Webb and Justin Barcia each took the time to continue recovering from injury while officially beginning their preparations for the upcoming outdoor season. Webb is feeling recharged and ready to attack the final rounds, while his teammate, Barcia, has made the tough decision to remain sidelined in order to continue strengthening his hand. The Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team is pleased to announce that Washington native Josh Hill will line up this Saturday as a fill-in for Barcia, competing aboard a Yamaha YZ450F in front of his hometown crowd in Seattle.

With two riders lining up in the 450SX class at Seattle's CenturyLink Field, the Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team has high hopes heading into the weekend. Webb's shoulder injury continues to progress each week and the North Carolina native is determined to grit through the pain in hopes of capturing his first-career 450SX victory in 2018.

Josh Hill is set to make his first Monster Energy AMA Supercross appearance since 2015 this Saturday, where the crowd favorite looks to put on a good showing for his fans in Seattle. Hill began his professional racing career on a Yamaha in 2006 and despite a brief retirement from Monster Energy AMA Supercross, Hill is excited to be back under the Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing tent 12 years later.

Barcia, who suffered a broken hand at the Arlington Supercross round in February, originally planned to make his return in Seattle but has made the difficult decision to continue rehabilitation to regain strength and mobility in hopes of lining up at the penultimate round in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Cooper Webb, 450SX #2 - Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team Rider

"The week off has been really beneficial for me, I've gotten a full week of outdoor prep in and it gave my shoulder some time to rest and get closer to 100%. I've also been back on the SX track this week and I'm feeling great. The time off has been most beneficial for my shoulder and I'm feeling much more confident heading into Seattle! I'm ready to finish this Supercross series off with a bang!"

Justin Barcia, 450SX #51 - Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team Rider

"It's been a week since I started riding again and I'm progressing pretty well every day. I was shooting to race this weekend in Seattle but it's just not realistic. My hand hasn't progressed fast enough, unfortunately. I went to California last week and did some MX testing, which was good to build some strength and I'm back riding SX now. I've been road biking, mountain biking and running - my normal training that I always do - and in my free time, I've started building a new outdoor track to keep my mind busy. I'm really shooting to race Salt Lake City - that's the goal -but we'll see how the next week goes and how I progress."

Josh Hill, 450SX #751 - Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team Fill-In Rider

"Getting a call from Factory Yamaha to come and race Seattle came as a total surprise to me! I was just on my way home from winning an AMA National Snow Bike Championship and I was actually planning to race Seattle on my own bike, in my own truck. I got a call from Keith McCarty asking if I wanted to fill-in for Justin Barcia and of course, I was honored and shocked that they would think of me. It's pretty surreal to come up out of retirement and get a call from Factory Yamaha to go racing. And it's even cooler that Factory Yamaha is where I started my career in 2006 when I was 16 and to be doing it now, 12 years later, coming back to my home race in Seattle is pretty exciting."

Meet Cooper Webb During Saturday's Pit Party

Stop by the Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing team transporter on Saturday afternoon from 2-3 p.m. (subject to change due to scheduling). Cooper will be there to meet fans and sign autographs.

 See the All-New 2018 YZ65

The recently-introduced 2018 YZ65 will be on display at Noble Rush on Friday night, as well as at the Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing team transporter on Saturday. With its all-new engine, chassis, suspension, bodywork and more, the YZ65 is designed to provide young riders with top-notch performance and reliability while racing toward the victorYZone. Come and check it out!

Enter to Win a Cooper Webb Factory Team Replica 2018 Yamaha YZ450F

While visiting Noble Rush on Friday night or the Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing Team transporter on Saturday, be sure to enter the "2018 Team Replica Yamaha YZ450F Sweepstakes."

FIRST PRIZE: A replica of Cooper Webb's #2 2018 Yamaha YZ450F decked out in full Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing team livery

SECOND PRIZE: Five (5) KMC Side-by-Side Wheels, five (5) EFX MotoHammer UTV Tires, and one (1) Installation Kit

THIRD PRIZE: $1,700 to spend on Yamaha Genuine Parts, Apparel & Accessories at https://www.ShopYamaha.com

Look for the Yamaha Financial Services Brand Ambassadors and ask them to enter your name in the "2018 Team Replica Yamaha YZ450F Sweepstakes." No purchase is necessary to enter or win, and all names collected will be automatically entered in a random drawing. A First Prize Winner, Second Prize Winner and Third Prize Winner will be selected from a pool of all eligible and qualified entries on June 1, 2018, and the Sweepstakes ends on May 11, 2018 at 11:59 p.m.

 

For Official Sweepstakes Rules and more information, please visit: https://www.YZsweeps.com