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The ARRC Official Tyre Test closed with Anupab Sarmoon clocking the fastest lap 1’36.003s, a hairsbreadth from lapping within the targetted 1’35s. The Yamaha Thailand Racing Team rider was one of the most consistent riders over the two days. With his experience racing in the Buriram Superbike Championship as well as his intimate knowledge of the Chang International Circuit, Anupab was consistently 1’36 low every time he went out on track. Kawasaki Thailand Racing Team’s Thitipong Warokorn did not better his fastest time from Day 1. 1’36.167s is still Thitipong’s best lap. The same went to his team mate, Chaiwichit Nisakul whose best time was clocked on Day 1, 1’36.460s. Conversely, Indonesian rider Andi Farid Izdihar who was a part of the Honda Asia Dream Racing during their 2018 Suzuka 8 Hours campaign, has been marking improvements in every successive practice. Andi put in the most mileage over the two days – a whopping 169 laps – and clocked his best with 1’36.329s. Australian Glenn Allerton bettered his laptimes on Day 2. The Next Gen Motorsports rider picked up a 1’36.713s on Practice 7 when he was spied trailing Anupab around the circuit. Ratthapong Wilairot posted his quickest 1’36.774s during the eighth practice. The Yamaha Thailand Racing Team rider had done 135 laps over the two days in his quest to adapt his racing style to the Yamaha R1. Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman did not improve on his Day 1 laptimes. His best lap stayed at 1’37.060s. TJ Alberto from the Philippines high-sided on Turn 4 during his out-lap at the start of Day 2. Thankfully, TJ was not seriously injured and was able to re-join the practice later in the day to clock his best laptime so far, 1’37.246s. Apart from the ASB1000 teams, a number of junior riders were also present at the Chang International Circuit testing for the 2019 SuperSports 600cc class. Peerapong Boonlert lapped a very quick 1’38.834s, surpassing the qualifying time in Round 6 (1’39.099 by Ratthapong Wilairot). Other young riders in the test included the Asia Production 250cc champion Rheza Danica Ahrens, Underbone 150cc champion Mohd Helmi Azman, as well as other Malaysian Underbone riders Mohd Hafiz Nor Azman, Ahmad Afif Amran, and Mohd Akid Aziz. Further tests were also conducted for the Asia Production 250cc category using two Yamahas, two Hondas, and two Kawasakis for the purpose of gathering data for future regulations. For full results, please visit: http://hostgua.com/asiaroadracing.com//results-2018/

The local riders were the pace setter on the first day of the ARRC Official Tyre Tests as eight riders set about laying down some rubber in preparation for the 2019 launch of the ASB1000 class (Superbike). Anupab Sarmoon holds the Stk1000 lap record at the 4.5km Chang International Circuit – a time of 1’35.3 – which is also the target time set by Dunlop for the first day of tests. The weather had been ideal for the test and most of the riders, especially those from teams with existing race data at the Chang International Circuit, had been able to get on pace quickly. It came as no surprise that the Thai riders were the quickest group on the first day. Anupab astride the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team’s R1 was consistently the fastest rider of the day but Thitipong Warokorn came closest to hitting the target time when he clocked 1’36.167s on Practice 4. Anupab logged the second fastest time of the day, 1’36.391s followed by Thitipong’s Kawasaki team mate, Chaiwichit Nisakul with 1’36.460s. Young Indonesian rider Andi Farid Izdihar, filling in for an injured Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi, gave good account for himself. With a bike that is fresh out of the box, Andi had to complete the hard work of running in the engine before he could put in any laptimes. Regardless, Andi was able to get the Honda Asia Dream Racing bike home in fourth fastest with 1’36.703s. Malaysian seasoned campaigner Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman clocked in for his first day of work with his new team, ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team. Now racing on a BMW, Azlan was the fifth quickest rider of the day with 1’37.060s. Newly crowned SuperSports 600cc rider Ratthapong Wilairot was sixth fastest (1’37.498s). Glenn Allerton from Next Gen Motorsports and Access Plus Ducati Philippines’ TJ Alberto rounded up the day’s practice with 1’37.543s and 1’37.749s respectively. For full results: http://hostgua.com/asiaroadracing.com//results-2018/#tyretest

Come the ARRC Official Tyre Test on December 4, the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team will be putting newly crowned SuperSports 600cc Champion Ratthapong Wilairot and Anupab Sarmoon through their paces astride the Yamaha R1. It will be a brand new challenge for Ratthapong Wilairot, coming straight on the heels of his SuperSports 600cc triumph at the same circuit. Wilairot has shown dramatic improvement since he donned the Yamaha blue early this year. By 2019, Ratthapong will be 27 years old while Anupab will turn 26. With the new age limit imposed, both riders are no longer eligible for the SuperSports 600cc.

Thai ace rider Thitipong Warokorn is preparing for a full ARRC comeback with the start of the ASB1000 class in 2019. Warokorn, a protégé of the ARRC, had left the championship a few seasons ago when he raced full season in the Moto2 class of the MotoGP in 2014 and 2015. Since his return to Asia, Warokorn had moved from Honda to Kawasaki. Apart from a few wildcard entries when the ARRC lands at the Chang International Circuit, Warokorn had concentrated his efforts on the national racing scene and had dominated the Buriram Superbike Championship and Thailand Championship for two consecutive years (2017 and 2018). When met at the Chang International Circuit a day prior to the Official Tyre Test, Thitipong said that he was looking forward to making a full comeback. “2019 will be a brand new year in more ways than one. A new crew, new bike, and new race class to look forward to.”