Webb, 21, landed his second career spot on the company’s Wall of Fame on a day in which Yamaha also presented over $56,000 to the Feed the Children charity and honored retiring Vice President of Motorcycle Operations Dennis McNeal, who ends his 38-year tenure with the company tomorrow. Yamaha also saluted Yamaha Racing Team Manager Tom Halverson, who has been with the company for 30 years.
Webb was the only dirtbike champion to be honored today, joining four road racers, including 2016 MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier, 2016 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion Garrett Gerloff, 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion Josh Herrin and 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion Bryce Prince. Yamaha also inducted 2016 AMA Pro ATV Motocross Champion Chad Wienen and 2016 GNCC XC1 ATV Champion Walker Fowler along with off-road Side-by-Side racers Corry Weller, the 2016 TORC Series Pro Stock UTV Championship and Dustin Nelson, who won Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series Championships in both the Southern California and Arizona regions.
“I just want to say thank you for all the support from Yamaha,” Webb said. “I started with Yamaha and, ever since, it has been awesome. I won my first championship with them in 2015, and this year it was a ‘two-peat’ with supercross and the motocross championship. There was a lot of adversity with breaking my wrist two weeks before the final round of supercross, and it was a lot of hard work to get back to 100 percent and fight through the wrist injury. Yamaha has given me another chance by supporting me in the 450cc class, so I’m excited to see what we can do there. I’m looking forward to getting out there and putting the brand on top. I also want to say thanks, Dennis [McNeal]. Have a happy retirement.”
Yamaha Motor Corporation U.S.A. Motorsports Racing Division Manager Keith McCarty said that the Yamaha \Wall of Champions represents the company’s longstanding commitment to racing and the benefits it provides in advancing technology and developing Yamaha products.
“Yamaha had another fantastic year in racing, with our riders and drivers winning Championships on both two wheels and four; on paved road racing tracks; in 80,000-seat stadiums; at picturesque motocross tracks; and on challenging, off-road courses all across the U.S.,” McCarty said. “All of us at Yamaha congratulate our 2016 Wall of Champions inductees, and we thank them for representing our company, our employees, our dealers, and the Yamaha brand not only with the trophies and accolades that they received in winning, but also by the true professionalism that these nine racers constantly display.”
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