In a major coup for the acclaimed CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team, the 2023 ProMX champion and now four time winner, Dean Ferris, will return to the fold and be racing right alongside former MX2 world number five and 2023 ProMX runner up, Jed Beaton, to form one of the most powerful team combinations in Australian motocross.
The Beaton / Ferris pairing is sure to send shivers through their rivals as the two most credentialed riders in the country partner with the most experienced and winningest race team in the country for their 2024 season campaign.
Ferris returns to the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team for the next year after an outstanding career revival in 2023. Retired and burnt out at the end of the 2022 season, Ferris, found his motivation and his mojo coming into the 2023 ProMX Championships and with a return to his favoured Yamaha YZ450F, he was an unstoppable force that culminated in his fourth MX1 championship and a spot in the history making Australian Motocross Of Nations team.
Now based in Queensland, Ferris is contracted to contest the 2024 ProMX Championship in an MX only deal.
“The return to Yamaha has been a great career move for me and now to be back at CDR Yamaha, the team I have had the most success at, just inspires me to work even harder,” Ferris explains.
“Despite going in other directions in recent times, Craig Dack and I have always remained in contact and friends, so it was always a matter of time before we got back together and worked on winning more championships.
“We have managed to put together a deal that works for both of us and I’m super exciting to be back and looking forward to working on championship number five. I will take a quick break after a long season of racing but will get back to work pretty quickly as I love riding the YZ450F,” Ferris ends.
For Beaton, racing for the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team is a childhood dream come true. Beaton, before spending several seasons contesting the World Motocross Championships in Europe, was a Yamaha prodigy that worked his way through Yamaha Junior Racing, Yamalube Yamaha Racing and Serco Yamaha with success at every point.
Now, he has reached Yamaha’s pinnacle in Australia and couldn’t be more excited or the 2024 season and working in a professional, championship winning environment that will see him race in both the ProMX and Australian Supercross Championships.
“My goal when I returned to Australia last year was to win championships and I feel I have everything I need to make that happen in 2024. With the technical support of the CDR Yamaha team as well as the YZ450F, I have the tools required to ride my best and win the ProMX Championship.
“Coming into 2024, I will be much better placed now that I’m back in the swing of racing in Australia, have a better knowledge of my rivals and experience with the tracks and formats.
“I am also looking forward to doing supercross again. It’s been a while for me, but I’m sure with some track time, I can get up to speed and do a good job for the CDR Yamaha team.
“It’s going to be a big season and my goal is to win. I understand the competition is strong in Australia at the moment, but I’m prepared to do the work and get the only motocross championship in Australia, I haven’t won yet,” Beaton said with determination.
Team owner, Craig Dack, couldn’t be happier with the teams’ 2024 line up and preparations are well under way for their 2024 championship aspirations.
“To secure both Jed and Dean for the 2024 season is great result for Yamaha and CDR,” Dack beams. “Both riders are ultra professional and leave no stone unturned in their preparation and that mantra fits perfectly with what we do at CDR.
“Myself and the rest of the team look forward to working with Jed and Dean and feel both riders have the best racing ahead of them. Dean shows no signs of slowing down and his determination is infectious as he continues to grow and develop as a racer and a person.
“For Jed, it’s so refreshing to see the excitement in his face when we signed the deal. Its easy to forget he has raced for some of the biggest budgeted teams in the world championships, but he was over moon to race for CDR and I’m sure together we can achieve career best results for him.
“Thank you to our major partners in Yamaha, Monster, and FOX for stepping up and working with us to secure the two best riders from the 2023 season. We are in for a great year and determined to add another championship to the CDR mantlepiece,” Dack offered.