Ballard's Wellard Yamaha launch 2009 enduro campaign

The new-look Ballard's Wellard Yamaha team looks set to maintain its dominance of the enduro racing scene in Australia with the announcement of its 2009 rider lineup.

The factory outfit, headed by local legend Geoff Ballard, expands to seven riders for the new year, revved up and ready to take on the competition in the Yamaha Australian Off Road Championship (AORC) and Australian 4 Day Enduro as well as selected individual and state events.

The team's fleet of rock-solid WRF race machines adopt a visually-impressive scheme, with Yamaha's 'Racing Blue' featuring prominently.

Ballard's Wellard Yamaha welcomes three new faces in 2009, headlined by the signing of five-time World Champion Stefan Merriman.

Merriman brings a wealth of experience to the team following season upon season of success in the white-hot fires of World Endurance Championship competition.

He has begun an intense testing program with the team and is excited at the prospect of tackling the highly-competitive AORC.

Current Pro E3 champion and long-time Yamaha rider Kirk Hutton comes on board, as does young gun Liam Robertson who is set to campaign an entry in the Expert E1 class.

Geoff Ballard is set to defend his Masters crown aboard the WR450F after dominating proceedings in seasons' past.

Josh Ballard is eyeing a breakthrough year and looks set to shake up the frontrunners in the Pro E3 class aboard the WR480F.

A multiple outright round winner in 2008, Jarrod Bewley is set to maintain the team's presence at the front of the field, stepping up in his first full year as a professional rider.

The WR450F pilot will concentrate all his efforts on success in the Outright and Pro E2 classes, adopting a new training regime to ensure peak physical form.

Ben Burrell is set to hit the ground running in Junior Lites competition following his outright dominance of the championship in 2008.

Team Principal Geoff Ballard said all signs were pointing to another incredibly strong year for the factory Yamaha operation.

"We've expanded to seven riders for 2009, welcoming Kirk (Hutton), Liam (Robertson) and Stefan (Merriman) to the fold," said Ballard.

"There is a real buzz throughout the team, with some positive test sessions behind us and many more to come before the AORC gets underway," he said.

"Stefan has fit in well and is lending a helping hand to his teammates to further improve their racecraft, which is an added bonus.

"We're confident that the team can again shoot for outright honours as well as individual championship wins aboard Yamaha's WR250F and WR450F range."

Yamaha Motor Australia Motorsports Manager, Ray Howard predicted another outstanding year based on the team's experienced and committed rider lineup.

"The addition of Stefan Merriman to the Ballard's Wellard Yamaha lineup, along with Kirk Hutton and Liam Robertson further strengthens our factory attack on the AORC and Australian 4 Day Enduro," said Howard.

"Geoff (Ballard) and his team have dominated the national scene in the past and are well-prepared for another season of top results throughout the championship and its various classes," he said.

"Yamaha's WR250F and WR450F are proven performers when it comes to enduro racing and look set the lead the way once again."

The Yamaha AORC gets underway on March 7 at the Hastings Valley MX Complex in Port Macquarie.