Asia Superbike 1000

The intensity of the high-powered machine complimented by the extremely dextrous riders taking charge of the circuit is one of the greatest accomplishments one can achieve in the Asia Superbike 1000cc. Today, Suhaithai Chaemsup of EEST NJT Racing proved his accomplishment when he took the win in Race 2 of Round 5, FIM Asia Road Racing Championship held at Chang International Circuit. At turn one of the first lap, Ikuhiro Enokido took an immediate move into P1, followed by Apiwath and Zaqhwan at P2 and P3 respectively. Poleman Kasma however lost his pace and went down to P8 in the first lap. Meanwhile, Zaqhwan was trying to close his gap with Apiwath however it was not an easy feat. The front troop, Ikuhiro, Apiwath, Zaqhwan, Anupab and Yuki Ito were lined up in a row waiting for their moment to strike and by the end of the third lap, Apiwath managed to take lead. Half way through the third lap, Zaqhwan made a quick move and switched positions into P1. Apiwath inches away was adamant with his chase, trying his best to supersede Zaqhwan. At the back, Kasma moved his way back up to P6. Seconds into the sixth lap, Zaqhwan lost his momentum. With that, Apiwath and Anupab quickly made their moves ahead of him. By the end of the seventh lap, several changes took place with Anupab at the lead position, followed by Apiwath and Zaqhwan at the top three positions. Kasma made impressive moves and locked into P4 waiting to strike. His moment to slide from the inside came when Apiwath took a fall, instantly placing him at the lead position. Anupab dropped to P4. As the heat picked up between duo, Kasma and Zaqhwan, Ikuhiro managed to slide ahead of Zaqhwan at the last turn of the tenth lap. The critical moment among the riders began when wildcard rider Suhaithai came out of nowhere into the lead position. By the last lap, Suhaithai charged ahead fearlessly with a gap of 4.8s from Ikuhiro who was at P2 and marked victory at 23’01:544s. The Thailand rider was 2-time Asian GP125 Champion for year 2000 and 2002. Commenting on the race, Suhaithai said, “It was a very good weekend. In the beginning, I was not serious about the race however the decision to change the tires made a whole lot of difference for me.” At the second spot was replacement rider Ikuhiro Enokido of SDG Motor Sports HARC-PRO Ph. who clocked in at 23’06:347s. Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman of ONEXOX BMW TKKR Team takes the third place when he logged in at 23’07:374s. The Asian Champion for the Asia Superbike 1000cc year 2022 goes to Md Zaqhwan Zaidi.  Commenting on the title, Zaqhwan said, “I have no words to describe the happiness that I feel right now but I would like to say a big thank you to all those who have supported me in my journey. I would like to thank the team for the great setup of the machine. This victory is for my friend, Rozaiman – have a speedy recovery!”

The final round of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship took Chang International Circuit by a storm and the Asia Superbike 1000cc riders never ceased to increase the appetites of its fanbase. Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of YAMAHA Racing Team ASEAN made an impeccable dash to the finish line and claimed victory in Race 1. Zaqhwan was off to a blistering start as soon as the race flagged off. Seconds later, Kasma, the pole man was succeeded further by Anupab who took the fifth spot on the grid. As the race went on towards the end of the second lap, Zaqhwan kept his lead position but Apiwath emerged quickly to take on P2.  By the end of the third lap, Apiwath made his move to P1 with Zaqhwan trailing close behind. Mid lap, the exchange of positions became intense with top riders taking turns, leading. In the midst of the chaos, Zaqhwan was pushed downstream to P4 while Anupab regained strength at P1. By the end of the fifth lap, the Yamaha riders were moving fast ahead of the others. Kasma made it to P1 once again in the seventh lap. Thai duo, Anupab and Apiwath went on to pressure Kasma with their wild chase. Meanwhile, Zaqhwan seemed to have lost his momentum as the trio ahead of him created wider gaps. He instead faced an intense push from Passawit who was waiting for his chance to strike. By the end of the tenth lap, Passawit did it. With two more laps to go, Kasma was still leading but Anupab was determined to supersede the former. The task seemed impossible as Kasma went on with empowering turns. By the last turn, Kasma was on his way to victory. He made his mark on the circuit with his best at 21’00:576s. Commenting on the race, Kasma said, “To be honest, I can’t believe that I won because everyone knows that the Thai riders were magnificent on this circuit. However, I tried my best to stay consistent throughout my laps. Also, the presence of my wife gave me the boost that I needed.” “I would like to thank the YAMAHA crew members who have supported and believed in me. This victory is for them, my family members and friends in Malaysia. Thank you once again and we will try again, tomorrow.” Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team hit the second spot with his fastest at 21’01:187s. At third place was his teammate Apiwath Wongthananon who marked his best at 21’02:850s.

The finale of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship begun today with the free practice session and for the Asia Supersport 1000cc race category, Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA Thailand Racing TEAM made the fastest lap time, combined for the day at the Chang International Circuit. Anupab is no stranger to the circuit of his homeland and it could very well mean adding on to the strain of other riders. Riding aboard the Yamaha YZF-R1M, Anupab remained confident throughout the sessions and clocked in fastest in the third practice session combined at 1’36:434s. In the earlier two practices, Anupab made it at 1’37:306s and 1’37:401s respectively. Anupab currently has a total of 115 points to his name and stands a fighting chance to take the championship title. Commenting on the earlier sessions, Anupab said, “I am very familiar with this circuit and have done many rounds of practices here. Therefore, I am quite comfortable and confident riding here, even more so for that fact that it is my home-ground.” “There are many turns that I like at this circuit and these turns have earned me numerous achievements. While the challenges are there with riders like Zaqhwan and Kasma, it is definitely a ride that I am thrilled about. I will do my best for sure and keeping my fingers crossed that I will achieve my goals.” At the second fastest spot was Md Zaqhwan Zaidi of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA who clocked in his best time at 1’36:620s in the first session. In the following sessions, he made it at 1’37:192s and 1’36:733s. Zaqhwan currently leads the overall standings with a total of 154 points. Passawit Thitivararak of Astemo SI Racing with Thai Honda made it third fastest in the practice session when he logged in his best at 1’36:674s in the final session. In the earlier two sessions, Passawit clocked in his best at 1’37:066s and 1’36:938s respectively.

The Asia Superbike 1000cc scene has definitely given rise to its complexities especially with bold and fierce riders always on the lookout to continue progressing and setting new benchmarks. Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team is thrilled to make one last move for the season beforethe curtains close in Round 5 of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship at Chang International Circuit this weekend. Anupab is a living testament to the growth of ARRC and the professional development of its riders since its inception. The Thai rider took a step into the ASEAN motorcycle racing arena and has never ceased to progress gracefully across the multiple levels of the riding platform, from the Asia Production 250cc and now at the ASB1000 race category. During his time in the AP250 domain, Anupab showcased potentials that promised greater prospects. In 2015, he made his debut in the final round of the season and took the third place on the podium in Race 1. In the subsequent seasons, between 2016-2018, Anupab scored impressive achievements when he made the third and second place overall before moving on to a more strenuous racing stage of the ASB1000 race category. His notable achievements were in 2017 when he swept the podium eight times with a total score of 188 points to his name. In year 2020, before the championship came to a halt due to the pandemic, Anupab made an appealing entrance into ASB1000 race category when he bagged the third spot on the podium in Race 1. This season, Anupab graced the podium three times including a win in Race 1, Round 4 which was held recently at the Sepang International Circuit. Commenting on his win, Anupab said, “The last-minute decision made all the difference. Thanks to YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team, we made the switch of tires and it was the right decision for that day that resulted in a win. The challenge for this season would definitely be the hurdles that is keeping us away from the champion title. However, the team and I have worked hard and willcontinue doing our best.” On this performance, Anupab said, “The memories of Race 1 at Sepang circuit are by far the best not only because I took the win but the achievement was a result of decisions made together as a team. Apart from that, I was also able to share the podium with my teammate. I am looking forward to the final race though. I am quite confident as the race will be held at my home-ground. I made it to the podium twice in the first round. I hope to strike again!” On future plans, Anupab said, “I am now staying focused on the coming race but of course, there are many challenges to overcome. This season has been quite impactful as the team and I have learnt from the robust riders. It will definitely help us develop further. For plans ahead, we will have to await the announcement from YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team again.”

It was quite a show with the Asia Superbike 1000cc in Race 2 of Round 4, FIM Asia Road Racing Championship which was held at the Sepang International Circuit. Haruki Noguchi made SDG Motor Sports HARC-PRO Ph. proud with his win after an invigorating battle among the Best of Asia. Kasma took a bolt ahead as soon as the race flagged off. Haruki who began the race at the fourth spot too did not waste his time as he positioned himself fiercely at P2 while Zaqhwan took P3 from the 8th spot on the grid. Meanwhile, Apiwath who was at P5 managed to bring himself up to P4 in lap 2 while the trio ahead of him kept their momentum in their positions. Towards the end of the second lap, Haruki made his move and took over Kasma’s position. Seconds into that, Apiwath unfortunately crashed and ruined his chances for a win. In the third lap, the battle heated up between Haruki and Kasma who were inches away from each other. The latter was desperately finding ways to supersede Haruki but Haruki kept in his pace strong at P1. Zaqhwan was left on a chase, trying to pick up speed however the duo ahead of him were intertwined in a fiery battle. By the end of the fifth lap, Kasma succeeded at P1 once again. Yuki Ito who went on to take P4 was trying his best to close the gaps with Zaqhwan. Nevertheless, Zaqhwan did not seem to be open to the thought of giving in to the Yamaha rider. Meanwhile, Haruki and Kasma continued their never-ending battle as they switched between P1 and P2 multiple times. Zaqhwan and Yuki Ito kept to their positions with another two remaining laps to go. With another lap to go, Haruki bucked up and took greater speed as he fled further away from Kasma. But Kasma has no intentions of giving but Haruki accelerated further to the chequered flag with a 0.916s gap from Kasma, clocking in at 23’25:006s. Commenting on the race, Haruki said, “Firstly, thank you to my team and sponsor. Right now, I am truly happy because this weekend was tough but finally, we achieved the top spot. We will continue pushing till the last round.” Kasma Danial Kasmayudin of YAMAHA Racing Team ASEAN took the second spot on the podium at 23’35:922s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

After a strenuous day coupled with the unpredictable weather at the Sepang International Circuit, Race 1 of the Asia Superbike of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, Round 4 concluded with Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team celebrating triumph over his win. It was quite an interesting feat this time around when Apiwath who took the third spot on the grid bolted ahead to grab P1 seconds into the race. Soon enough, Anupab began trailing him at P2 and Azlan at P3. By lap three, Azlan’s teammate, Adam who was at P4 managed to swerve into P3 when Azlan fell a few positions down. The 11-lap race which was cut short to 9 laps due to race direction, witnessed a neck-to-neck battle between the YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team duo in the top two position. While Apiwath kept to his lead position for four laps, he was then superseded by his teammate in the following lap while Adam paced steadily at P3. The remaining laps remained consistent among the top three riders as theywent on to complete the race. Towards the end, the duo from the same team engaged in one final battle before Anupab led in full force towards victory. He marked his win at 19’36:370s. Commenting on his victory, Anupab said, “It has been quite a challenge here at Sepang with the weather, sometimes it’s sunny and sometimes its rainy. For sure, my team’s decision to finalise on the dry tire made a whole difference in today’s race. I am thrilled to have won the race today.” His teammate Apiwath Wonthananon took the second spot on the podium, marking at 19’36:475s. Adam Noroddin of ONEXOX BMW TKKR Team clocked in third at 20’03:141s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

It was a wet day at the Sepang International Circuit as the Asia Superbike 1000cc category’s Qualifying Session rolled out. Despite that, the star riders of the category completed the twenty-minute session successfully with Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of YAMAHA Racing Team ASEAN marking the fastest lap time. In the morning, the riders warmed themselves up under the fall of light shower during the third practice session. Kasma seemed to have it all under control when he appeared as the fastest rider in the combined result sheet. He clocked in at 2’06:801s. Coming close behind him at the second fastest in the combined sheet was Haruki Noguchi of SDG Motor Sports HARC-PRO Ph. at 2’07:601sand at the third fastest place was Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team at 2’07:870s. Coming at the fourth and fifth fastest spot in the practice session were Takuya Tsuda of MOBILUB SUZUKI RACING TEAM 2’08:024s and Apiwath Wongthananon YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team at 2’08:293s. As for the Qualifying Session that took place earlier, Kasma once again grabbed the attention at the scene when he finished fastest in the session at 2’19:690s. Kasma currently takes the third spot in the overall standings. Commenting on the session, Kasma said, “It was a good session today and I owe it to the team for the perfect setup of the machine. I was very confident with the machine from FP1 yesterday. For the wet condition today too, there were no doubts and I rode according to my own style and comfort. I am glad to have gotten the pole position here like the last round at this very same circuit.” “For the upcoming race, I definitely hope to do my best.” At the second fastest spot, the place goes to Kasma’s teammate, Yuki Ito who clocked in his fastest at 2’20:478s. Taking the third fastest spot was Apiwath at 2’21:187s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

The Asia Superbike 1000cc hints a more exciting ground for battle between Asia’s best as they flex their muscles in a bid to claim a victorious title. With another two more rounds to go, Apiwath Wongthananon of YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team is determined to take his actions to another level at Round 4 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship which will be held at Sepang InternationalCircuit. Year 2020 placed Apiwath on the limelight when he banked in the highest points in the one-round season before the two-year hiatus broke in. The 28-year-old Thailand born rider who previously rode in the SS600 race category made quite a finish in the debut season of the ASB1000 category in 2019 when he obtained the 4 th spot overall with a total of 161 points. This season, Apiwath took one win in his home-ground during Race 2 of Round 1 and a podium in Race 1, Round 2 which was held at Sepang International Circuit. His win according to him, “Race 2 was tough when I missed the opportunity to take lead. But I then tried to push forward and managed to get a good pace. It was not until the last turn of the last lap that I made my move to maximise the speed and overtake the rider at the lead position then. I made it and I won!” Round 3 at Sugo International Racing Course however was not quite on his side when he was taken of the equation in Race 1 due to a faulty machine. Despite lacking experience on the circuit, Apiwath managed to make it to the chequered flag fifth to salvage his overall standings at the fifth spot. Commenting on Round 3, Apiwath said, “I was very disappointed with the results after Round 3. The circuit belonged to Yamaha but unfortunately my advantage diminished the moment an unexpected casualty occurred and caused damage to the radiator. The red flag came up. As I lost my points there, I also lost my confidence. However, my consolation was the fact that it was my first time atSugo. Overall, I am glad that ARRC is back and the circuits have been great ones.” Despite the unforeseen circumstances, Apiwath is driven to do his best in the upcoming round. He said, “I am currently focused for Round 4 at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. Sure, it will not be an easy one because there are many fiery and robust homegrown talents. I will not give up easily. My teammate and I together with our team will do our very best to get the best results we could.” Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

The show stopper category, Asia Superbike 1000cc wrapped Round 3 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship up when Haruki Noguchi of SDG Motor Sports HARC-PRO Ph., hit a blistering speed and swept the finest spot on the podium in Race 2 which was held at Sugo International Racing Course. As the fog set in around the circuit, Haruki prepared himself to brace yet another challenging and highly anticipated feat. His usual act to quickly grasp P1 as soon as the race flagged off gave him the push needed to take lead. Although he set the pace for eight laps, his ultimate contender Kasma came charging in at arm’s length with a threat to defeat him. By lap nine, Kasma slipped into P1 leaving Haruki enraged yet further drilled to accelerate. Kasma was steady with his moves and he firmly held on to his position at P1. For the remaining nine laps, Kasma kept his barriers up well, making it almost impossible for Haruki to slide back ahead of him. However, Haruki is not about to give in any further to Kasma’s games. At the last lap, Haruki found a small opening and quickly seized the moment to switch positions with Kasma. From then on, he was unbeatable. He clocked in at 27’00:055s. Commenting on the race, Haruki said, “No words to describe my joy today with the double win in Round 3. Before the round began, I was four points behind Zaqhwan but today, I am exhilarated to have taken over the top position.” “I wish to thank my team for the opportunity given. With my participation in the All Japan Championship, I was also able to identify certain data needed to help me with this race. Having been able to take a stride on this circuit was also an advantage for me.” Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of YAMAHA Racing Team ASEAN fell second, logging in at 27’00:138s. Yuki Ito, who is Kasma’s teammate, took the third place with his fastest at 27’09:298s. Top 5 Winners – Race 2 Haruki Noguchi, SDG Motor Sports HARC-PRO Ph., 27’00:055s Kasma Daniel Kamayudin, YAMAHA Racing Team ASEAN, 27’00:138s Yuki Ito, YAMAHA Racing Team ASEAN, 27’09:298s Md Zaqhwan Zaidi, Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA, 27’09:415s Apiwath Wongthananon, YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team, 27’09:442s Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com