The SuperSports 600cc title chase has come to a premature end with Peerapong Boonlert taking the crown at the Sepang International Circuit.
The Yamaha Thailand Racing Team rider had been particularly low profile the entire weekend even as a determined Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin dominated the practice and qualifying sessions. Kasma not only set the pace in the first day of practice, but also lodged a new SuperSports 600cc lap record of 2’09.712s in the qualifying session.
Team play from the Hong Leong Yamaha Malaysia camp was very much in evidence during the 30-minute qualifier. Kasma towed team mate Ahmad Afif Amran around the 5.5km Sepang Circuit, resulting in Afif’s first front row start of the season in P2. Imperious Peerapong was content to start the race from P3.
While the front runners hogged the limelight, Mohd Ramdan Rosli had quietly inserted himself in to the second row. A quick start shot the ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team rider into the holeshot on Lap 1 but he lost his position to Kasma and Peerapong on Lap 2. Ramdan kept his cool and strategically made his move on the penultimate lap. While Kasma was engrossed with Peerapong, Ramdan slipped past his defenses at the last corner to bag his first win of the season with 21’55.025s.
Mohd Ramdan Rosli’s strong desire to win his first SuperSports 600cc race of the season had ended the title chase in the class. Kasma needed to win in order to keep his title hopes alive. When Ramdan relegated his compatriot to second, Peerapong’s third place finish was good enough to seal the deal.
“I just wanted to win. I had no interest in helping Kasma nor Peerapong in any way,” said Ramdan after the race.
Peerapong now holds 239 points at the top of the ladder, 76 points in front of Kasma. With only three races to go, Peerapong has been declared as the 2019 Asian SuperSports 600cc champion.