BREAKING: Naoto Matsukura splits from Yokomo

0 Dec. 19, 2014, 6:06 a.m.

12/19/2014
By Aaron Waldron

LiveRC.com

File this under "what no one saw coming" - especially on a Friday morning! After ten years and three IFMAR World Championships together (his first came with a Team Associated R5, though he was still racing for Yokomo at the time), Masami Hirosaka's star apprentice Naoto Matsukura announced via Facebook five hours ago that he and Yokomo have agreed to part ways before the beginning of the 2015 season.

Just two months ago, Matsukura drove Yokomo's new BD7 to the ISTC World Championship in Florida.

Though Naoto has made no mention of where he's going next, the move could not come at a more interesting time - just months ahead of the 2015 IFMAR World Championships in Electric Off-Road, set to be held at Yokomo's home track of Yatabe Arena - where Matsukura swept last year's 2WD and 4WD titles at the JMRCA Japanese Nationals.

Stay tuned for more information as this story develops.