The second edition of the Asia Dream Endurance Race saw an unprecedented six-nation podium for the Asia Dream Cup class. A special event, the Asia Dream Cup sprint race becomes part of the 2-hour endurance race every time the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship rides into the Suzuka Circuit.
The Asia Dream Endurance Race was essentially two distinct classes racing on the same grid – the main CBR class as well as the Asia Dream Cup class. Each class carried its own podiums and points.
The 2016 edition started off in the rain with Thai duo Woraphod Niamsakhonsakul and Sittipon Srimoontree on pole position. But it was ‘guest rider’ Hiroki Nakamura who stole the spotlight. Nakamura started the race from pitlane after he wrote an appeal letter to the Race Direction in order to be allowed to participate in the event. Nakamura clocked the fastest lap during qualifying but was forced to pull out because his partner Hafiz Nor Azman was unable to race due to injuries. The permission to race was given, on the condition that Nakamura would receive no points. In spite of the handicap, Nakamura showed tremendous spirit by leading the race for the better part of 80 minutes before finally retiring to the pit.
When Nakamura pitted, the spotlight fell on bike number 117 whose consistency brought them to the front of the group. Singapore’s Azhar Mohd Noor and Vietnam’s Bui Duy Thong became the first riders from their respective countries to win a race at the Asian level when they completed the 2-hour race in 41 laps. Australian rider Broc Pearson and his Indonesian partner Mohd Febriansyah finished second with 40 laps clocked at 2:01’27.266 and India’s Hari Krishnan and Zhou Sheng Jun Jie of China took third place with 40 laps clocked at 2:01’27.830s.