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Racers balancing their engines for optimum performance, that’s an easy task for them. But how many of them could balance their personal relationships with their significant others for even mediocre performance? Sounds easy but it ain’t easy mate! Racing, no doubt is an amazing thing one can do, apart from being costly and dangerous. It may drain your account, take up one’s time and may even result in an unhealthy relationship. Finding the right balance between racing and relationship then becomes questionable and, in a generation, where relationship requires equal distribution of partnership, juggling between a racing career and a relationship may even seem like a difficult task to accomplish. So, what gives? Yamaha GEN BLU Racing Team rider, Kasma Daniel Kasmayuddin said “YES” earlier this August and about to seal a deal this month. This time around, it is not the deal to bag a spot on the podium for to peruse the marriage vows. Yes, that is true. The young lad who had successful garnered numerous victories will be tying the knot this month. In an interesting twist of fate, the future Mrs Kasma grew up rooting for her father, who is also highly involved in the motorsport scene as the humble owner of PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha – CKJ Racing Team. The team currently competes in the Malaysia’s prestigious motorsport championship, The PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix. John Paul Young sung Love is in the Air in 1977 but their “Love is in the Circuit” rhythm is about to transition into a beautiful yet challenging new phase. How did the 22-year old steal the heart of this lass between a busy schedule? But the real question is, how would she do it? “The ideal situation would be to find someone who is supportive but even more than that, it would be someone who shares the same interest in racing. That’s a huge deal. She grew up watching her father managing a team and follows him to circuit for races. In fact, that was how we met! Haha…She has been exposed to this environment and she is very well aware of a racer’s lifestyle. We have very less time for each other as I race most of the weekends and I travel quite a bit too. She has been very understanding since day one that I met her and hasbeen there for me through my ups and downs. It doesn’t matter if I won or lost, she was always there by my side.” Kasma went on to say, “I believe that a healthy balance between marriage and a career that requires a lot of time away is communication. Apart from that, there is also a lot of scheduling, financial planning and so on. One more thing is spending the quality time with your partner. When there is time, taking that time to be present for the partner is truly important. The relationship then becomes better as you bond with your partner. That also helps take your mind off racing for a moment and it’s not a bad thing. Even the most passionate of riders know how important rest is.” Kasma has definitely struck a balance between racing and the love of his life. For Kasma, racing is very much a family affair here onwards. He believes in marrying someone who understands not only his needs and expectations of a husband and a person but also the bulk of what makes him, him – his career. Marrying into a family who runs the same business is definitely a plus and a boost to his overall identity. “We are about the make the most important decision in our lives. We are going to seal our love through marriage and commitment towards each other. This new phase I believe will bring with it lots of positive changes into my life especially in my career. Apart from strategy, speed and techniques, a rider’s mental health plays the utmost important role in me performing at my best. Hence, marrying someone who truly understands me gives me the strength that I need to compete through circumstances.” “Well, Happy Wife, Happy Life!” giggled Kasma, It wasn’t a good start for Kasma at the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship but he geared up in the 2 nd and 3 rd round to be at the top three spot for the Asian Superbike 1000cc category. He currently holds 84 points overall and is all set for the upcoming race in his home-ground at Sepang International Circuit. Commenting on the upcoming race, Kasma said, “Yamaha machines have a little lacking in terms of speed but when it comes to the setup, it is among the best. So, it is not going to be an easy race. Nevertheless, I will give my best to be on the podium at my home-ground. The feeling of riding in my home-ground, is indescribable. It has a totally different feel to it. Racing in front of my fans, family and friends has always been my greatest pleasure. Commenting on upcoming race, Kasma said “Yamaha motorcycles has a little lacking in terms of speed, but in the terms of set-ups, they are among the best. So it is not going to be an easy race. But whatever, I will give my best to be on podium at my home-ground. If I am able to get a place at the podium, that would be even more meaningful.” “To me, the chances of winning the overall title is still there I believe despite the point gaps. Zaqhwan and Haruki are strong rivals. As much as it is a home-ground for me, it is also the home-ground for Zaqhwan and I can assure that it is going to be a tough feat this time around. I will do my best though in the best way possible to strike upon the maximum points.” Looks like a spot on the podium may just be the best wedding gift for Kasma! Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

Words are just words until it is repeatedly said over a course of time that it eventually starts hitting a person. Good words leave a positive impact and bad words could lead to quite an opposite reaction. Being criticised and negative words can be a tricky thing to handle. While some may churn it into a positive criticism, some may end up feeling small and rejected. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticised anyway. You’ll be damned if you do and damned if you don’t.” Standing strong by this very quote is Zaqhwan Zaidi, Malaysian rider who was once upon a time criticised by his very own school teacher on his love for motorsports. “There is no future in it,” he remembered the teacher saying. But he proved it otherwise. Today, his passion has brought him to places and he has carved a name for himself all around the globe. “When a student is asked about what he or she would want to be when they grew up, may would say that they want to become a doctor or a lawyer, police or a scientist. But I told my teacher that I want to be a motorcycle racer. He laughed at my face and told me that there is no future in it and that I will go nowhere in life if this continues to be my goal.” “I was a kid then. Definitely, it left an impact in my life. It was hurtful even more so when I was laughed at for my dreams and passion. But I never gave up. I believed in myself and I took that snide comment as a way to move forward. I wanted to prove that I would be successful in this field. And I’m glad that I did! Recently, I also met the teacher who made that comment and I made peace with it when he acknowledged my achievements,” said Zaqhwan. Zaqhwan is no stranger to the world of motorsports. He emerged into the two wheels racing professionally at the age of 12 and made his debut in the SuperSports 600cc at the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship in 2014. He was only 19 then. Despite being a debutante, he was crowned Champion after performing phenomenally in the race. In 2018 he was crowned for the second time in his career. Zaqhwan who rides for Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA is currently sitting at the second spot overall in the Asia Superbike 1000cc category. He sped to a positive start in the first three rounds. He fell short in Race 1 of Round 2 in his home-ground and Race 2 of Round 3 held at Sugo International Racing Course. Nevertheless, the highly experienced rider is not about to give up and believes that he still has what it takes to overtake the Japanese rider, Haruki Noguchi who is currently taking lead in the overall standings with a gap of 13points between them. The smiling persona who is embracing his 27 th year has come up with a strategy to “capture” Round 4 which is scheduled to take place from 6 th to 9 th October at the Sepang International Circuit before the 2022 campaign concludes at the Chang International Circuit, Thailand from 18 th to 20 th November. “I will for sure put on a good tough fight with Noguchi. For this race (in Sepang), I don’t to be defeated by him. I have to win and be at a better position than he is now so that I can add on the points that is needed. I cannot afford to make mistakes. Noguchi is definitely my biggest contender. He understands his machine very well and has a mastery that is not easy to supersede. It will be a challenging one for me but I will go all out,” said Zaqhwan. Haruki Noguchi of SDG Motor Sports HARC-PRO Ph. team has taken three consecutive wins since Race 2 of Round 2 in Sepang before continuing his momentum of excellence in his homeland for Round 3. Noguchi currently leads the overall chart of the ASB1000cc category with a total of 124 points while Zaqhwan trails closely. Meanwhile, Yamaha GEN BLU Racing Team ASEAN rider, Kasma Daniel Kasmayuddin takes third with a total of 84 points. “We will try out level best. Sometimes it really is about the Lady Luck too. Regardless, I have set the target to finish the race ahead of him. I must take the win in both races and we seem to have a bright chance to clinch the podium in the following round at Thailand too,” said Zaqhwan who aims to defend the Malaysia’s Asian Champion title. In year 2019, the championship title fell into the hands of Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman before the two-year lockdown took place. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

“Of course, my dream is to embark on the same footsteps of my hero, Marc Marquez and to be the champion in MotoGP.” He has carved successes in the world of motorsports but the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is by far his first. Yet, he never failed to make waves each time he takes a stride. Haruki Noguchi of SDG Motor Sports HARC-PRO Ph. is the man of the hour in the Asia Superbike 1000cc category. Undoubtedly, Haruki has flaunted upon a strong mastery in his riding techniques which not only gave him total control of his machine in every circuit but also a strong positioning in the game. Rewinding to the beginning of the season, Haruki was seen consistently fleeting ahead in a bolt with confidence.   The Nara, Japan born racer was romanticizing the idea of being on top of two-wheel machine since he was 5 years old. “My father raced minibikes and I usually followed him to the circuits to watch him race. Also, each time I watched the MotoGP on TV, it spiked my interest even more. Then, I decided to give it a go on the Terminator Kids when I was five.” “To be honest, motorsport is not my only favourite sport as a child. I used to be tuned to the rhythm of tennis, baseball, table-tennis and basketball. Somehow, after trying some of these sports, my heart took a leap forward with speed and bikes. When I started my motorbike life, all I ever wanted was to do the “Knee Down” just like Marquez who inspired me with his graceful act. At that time, it seemed like he was crashing all the time yet he wasn’t. He locks the rear into every corner at nearly full lean and you might think, “How did he even get away with that?” That curiosity to learn more tickled my nerves and here I am today and I am confident that I will be there one day,” said Haruki, armed with confidence. Haruki stormed into the world of motorsports professionally when he completed the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup in 2016 and the All Japan Road Race Championship in 2018. The 21-year-old lad made his first podium in 2017 at his home-ground, Suzuka. He said, “There was a lot of pressure in that race. I am good at the slow corners like in the Suzuka’s chicane. I passed my contender who was leading the Race 1 at Suzuka in 2017. At that time, I made the most perfect braking in my entire race career. So, I will always remember that time.” He went on reminiscing, “Throughout my journey and to this very day, my family has been my biggest pillar of strength. My parents gifted me a motorbike and they supported with wholeheartedly. My father is a mechanic so he helps me on the maintenance of the machine while my mother takes care of my food intake and training routines. They have also managed all expenses for each race.” The homester made Japan proud when he bagged victory in the both races of the ASB1000 category, Round 3 which was held at Sugo International Racing Course. Putting aside the advantage of home-ground, Haruki showcased control over machine and techniques of dominating the scene with fiery moves that left fans and spectators awed. Commenting on his spectacular performances in Round 3, Haruki said, “Before Round 3 took place, I was four points behind Zaqhwan but after the race, I was overjoyed to have swapped places with him. I definitely would like to thank my team for working on the machine and finding the best setup for my machine. The machine was in extremely good condition and that was a major push towards my achievements.” “For the next round, I am not very sure if I will be able to maintain my standing as it is the home-ground of my main contender and also Kasma Daniel who is up and coming. So, it is not going to be an easy race for sure. However, I have some pertinent data from Round 2 at Sepang. We hope that that would help us with the right setup for the machine. I intend to collect maximum points in every race from here onwards and if I can win the championship, it would be a big bonus,” said Haruki. Haruki currently leads the standing with a total of 124 points while Zaqhwan takes second with a total of 111 points. In third place, another Malaysian rider, Kasma Daniel Kasmayuddin with a total of 84 points. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

Despite an unconvincing start in the Underbone 150cc category of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, April King Mascardo of UMA Racing MMR YAMAHA Philippines strongly believes in taking defence of the UB150 title taken by his fellow countryman McKinley Kyle Paz in year 2020. Back during pre-COVID 2019, McKinley Kyle Paz made history when he became the first Pilipino rider to clinch the defending champion title in the highly anticipated race category, UB150. Kyle or fondly known as “The Wonderboy” was about to make a transition into the SuperSports 600cc category in 2020 however the plans were redirected when the global pandemic took dominance. He was then groomed for bigger endeavours outside of the Asia Championship and is currently taking strides at the Moto2 Championship. The success story of Yamaha Philippines goes far and beyond as they relentlessly present young talented riders to compete in the prestigious realm of motorsports. Now, with Kyle away, the responsibilities of defending the team’s Underbone 150cc within the Asian domain falls upon the shoulders of April King Mascardo and Gian Carlo Mauricio. It never shakes him down even the slightest bit as April King believes that the hard work that his team and himself put in this season will eventually pay off. While hard work and willpower are substantial in revisiting a success story, some circumstances are unavoidable. April King said, “Our team work tirelessly to ensure that all essentials for the race are up to make however some things are unpredictable. For three rounds, I was not able to perform my best due to mechanical issues with the machine. These things are unforeseeable until on ground and then it is too late to make amends. But Race 2 of Round 3 was definitely a boost to our performances when I took a step on the podium for the first time this season.” Speaking about his predecessor, Kyle, April King said, “It is a tough task to take the duties of defending the championship title but I am not one to give up easily. I have been exposed to motorsports since I was 9 years old. It is a dream come true for me to be here in ARRC competing in the rather interesting yet highly unpredictable race category. This is a golden opportunity for me and I will use it to my advantage to scale higher in my professional endeavours.” April King took ninth in Round 1, seventh in Round 2 this season. During that time, it struck him that there needs to be a bigger push in his performances and even more so competing with robust riders. He then went on to make adjustments to his riding style, re-strategized his moves and worked on his physical and mental strength to make sure that the following round would be a more impactful one. Round 3 turned out to be much in his favour. Shedding light to his glory days, April King won five consecutive championships since 2017 in the Super Underbone category back in his homeland and he owes his victories to the team that has successfully moulded him into a professional rider. “As I mentioned earlier, I was given the opportunity with bikes since I was 9 by Sir Manuel and his team, Kuya Glen Agkol Rico who taught me to not only ride bikes but also the mechanics of making a bike work in its more distinguishing ways. They even made me a bicycle to start off with before I went on to bigger machines. That inspired me. They triggered the innate abilities in me. Without them, I would not have known such interest and I would not have had the opening to explore what I desired. I am very much grateful to them because they are indeed the reason why I am here today and I hope that I have made them proud!” Every rider has their own unique way of making themselves feel better prior to a race. For April King, he talks to his machine. “Communication is key,” he said, giggling. “I always have a chat with my machine before I ride. And I also take very good care of it. If the machine is not in a good condition, no matter how much of an expert you are, you can never finish the race. Also, I play by rules that has been set by the team and I always communicate whatever issues that I face with my mechanics.” “For the upcoming race, for sure I am looking forward to the podium but first of all, I would like to complete the race without any issues. I will work with my team to collect maximum points to strengthen my overall standings. I pray that everything will go smoothly and that everyone will be safe during the race.” Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

Motorsport, more than traditionally is culturally perceived as a masculine sport especially in the Asian outlook however an increasing number of females are busting these stereotypes and redefining the once upon a time, male-dominated landscape. Women for some years now have been bolder in voicing their preferences and interests consequently carving successful careers for themselves in multiple walks of two wheels and four wheels racing world. While the proportion of women to men is still far off-balanced, things have changed periodically and is predicted to keep evolving over time. Although there are only a handful of female riders who have been competitive and succeeded in the lower divisions, it is nevertheless a turning point in the development of womankind as a whole. To date, there has been no women who have raced in the premier series of the MotoGP but having said that, it may not necessarily mean that no women will ever make it someday. The FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) sees motorsports from a different lens. From inception, one of the ideas were to bridge gender gaps with focus on greater innate potential of an individual, to provide a platform for individuals to discover greater talents within themselves while enabling them to showcase it for a more prospective front within the arena – no gender attached! Muklada Sarapuech proved it all when she became the first female rider to win a title in the history of ARRC in the Asia Dream Cup in 2015. With that, came bigger moments for her when she was offered the opportunity to take a step on the international stage for the last two rounds of the FIM CEV Repsol Moto3 Junior World Championship in Jerez and Valencia. And that is what achievement should feel like! Taking a stance in 1996, ARRC has been looping Asian motorcycle champions in on a pedestal that would alleviate them further in the eyes of the international stardom. For over two decades, the championship has discovered multiple talents who have journeyed on for greater glory and successes. The show continues on and this year, another category has been introduced to tackle different potential and market segment – the TVS Asia One-Make Championship. It all began with an endeavour to discover wider capacities across Southeast Asia and along with it, came 16 carefully handpicked riders who would make history as the pioneers in the category. One of them, Sakura born female racer, Miu Nakahara stood tall as the only female debutant out of sixteen participants, competing aboard the TVS Apache 310RR. Taking a liking of motorsports since the age of 14, Miu Nakahara didn’t choose to become a trailblazer of female rights. All she did was to follow her passion in becoming a professional rider. Commenting on her gender, Miu said, “Gender is irrelevant in motorsport. I never realised this until I got into the field. Now, I see more of it. Not just on the circuit but even behind the scenes – there are more female involvement in the area which was once perceived as good only with males. Right now, we see more women managing teams, engineers who are on par with their male counterparts, playing aerodynamic or software roles and so one. It’s a long way we have come in achieving this and most importantly, being recognised for it,” said Miu. As a child, Miu grew up watching television footage focused only on male drivers/riders, engineers on the pit-wall or mechanics in the garage. Today, it is no more uncommon to see footage capturing Miu herself and other female individuals on the pit-wall complete with names and the world watching. “I would like to say this to young girls – Dream big and dare achieve it. If you have interest in motorsports, be daring enough to ride and compete because it is more colourful than you think it is. It is fun! If you ask me, if I ever were given a chance, I would want to ride till my very last breath!” “My inspiration was my little sister who is 10 years younger than I am. When she was born, my father bought her a pocket bike. As per the phrase, “Curiosity kills”, I was just too curious about it and decided to give it a try and the rest is history. When I was a junior in high school, I began journeying as a professional rider with the help of my father. I competed in the CBR150 category and at the age of 14, I made a switch to YZF25. I remained there for a few years.” Rekindling her past, Miu continued, “The following year was my debut season in ARRC. I have tried the UB150 and AP250 category but to be honest, I faced too many challenges in discovering my pace and predominantly, the weight of the machine – it was overwhelming. Such a bummer! But luckily, I made it into the TVS category this season.” Speaking about her performances, Miu said, “After 3 rounds, I am not very satisfied with my performances just yet. I am still getting to know the machine well, finding the right strategies and fine tuning my limitations. The race at Sugo was quite a good one for me. I managed to place full concentration on the race.” “For the upcoming race, I am focusing on building up my muscles. I never stopped training. Every day, I do my best to enhance my physical strengths so that I can make my dream come true. With only two more rounds to go, I want to be really focused so that I can attain something meaningful this season. Also, I look forward to have a good time while I am at it. I hope to get to the top five position in the races. If I could do that for each race, it would truly make me happy. As for podium finish, let me work on my abilities and it would definitely be a long-term goal,” said