Yamaha Motor Australia has announced the full factory support of emerging ATV racing talent Ryan Lancaster as he continues to blaze trails towards a successful career in the rapidly-expanding sport.
At just 20 years of age, Lancaster is proving that youthful exuberance and enthusiasm can triumph over experience. 2007 was a standout year for the Tom Price local, and one in which he would shoot to the top of the sport after a string of victories.
He had spent the previous year learning various tracks and coming to grips with his new Yamaha YFZ 450 after racing previously on a Yamaha Warrior. Incredibly, he only had his first taste of racing an ATV at age 17, but instantly developed a passion for the sport.
Top five finishes soon turned into podiums for Lancaster, who was further refining his racecraft in various state-based series. A shoulder injury, which prevented him from contesting the nationals event in 2006 unfortunately flared up again while competing in Western Australia. He battled on in spite of this, and continued to make regular appearances on the top step of the podium.
His clean-sweep of race wins and an overall victory at the 2007 Victorian ATV titles signalled the start of something big. Charging head-first into the 2007 Nationals, it appeared that nothing could stop Lancaster, until a freak accident in the opening race threatened to unravel his campaign.
Instead of slowing him down, the DNF forced him to fight even harder, and the end result was amazing. He swept the remaining 4 races to finish just a few points shy of the national title.
‰ÛÏI‰Ûªm very excited and honoured to be racing for Yamaha Australia for the 2008 race season. I believe with Yamaha‰Ûªs close support and my feedback, it will make 2008 a great year for Yamaha Australia‰Ûªs ATV program,‰Û
