Yamaha Off-Road Legends Bring the Noise to VMXdN
The Yamaha Racing Heritage Racing Club brought the thunder to the 2024 Veterans Motocross des Nations with legendary off-road riders such as Ryan Villopoto, Alessio Chiodi, Andrew Short, and Mike Brown entertaining the tens of thousands of fans at Foxhill in the UK on some iconic YZ two-stroke machinery.
Following the successful Yamaha Racing Experience at Jerez, where the Yamaha Racing Heritage Club (YRHC) took centre stage with icons like Valentino Rossi and Luca Cadalora riding on track alongside the manufacturer’s current crop of WorldSBK and EWC riders, August saw the YRHC switch its focus to off-road.
The Veterans Motocross des Nations (VMXdN) has grown to be one of the biggest events on the UK motocross calendar, with a vast number of off-road devotees making the pilgrimage to the track in Swindon for the 2024 edition once more. After making its debut at the VMXdN in 2023, the YRHC was out in force this year.
The YRHC was set up in 2021 to safeguard and celebrate Yamaha’s rich racing legacy. What better way to do that in the world of off-road racing than letting a number of the manufacturer’s most famous riders race some specially prepared two-stroke YZ250s built by MX designer and pioneer Rob Walters, or as the world knows him, “Doc Wob”.
After starring at last year’s event, lining up at the gate for the YRHC once again was three-time 125cc MX World Champion Alessio “Chicco” Chiodi. The Italian was joined on track by other Yamaha legends such as four-time AMA 450SX Champion, two-time AMA 450 MX Champion, and three-time AMA 250 MX Champion Ryan Villopoto, former SX, MX, and Dakar rider Andrew Short, plus AMA 125 MX Champion, two-time British MX Champion, and four-time X Games Gold medallist Mike Brown.
