barrygrussell
Senior Member
Apiwat Wongthananon made it eight wins from eight starts in the FMSCT All Thailand Superbike Championship at Bira Circuit, Pattaya yesterday. The event was also Round 3 of Bira Circuit's IRC-Elf Motorace Championship.Just one week after clinching the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) Asia Production 250 title with a double win at Buddh Circuit in India, Yamaha Thailand's prodigy took a lights to flag win from teammate and 2015 champion Anucha Nakcharoensri, once again by the slimmest of margins: on this occasion, 0.382 seconds.
Apiwat grabs the lead at Turn 1 (photo credit Ratchata Tanwira)
The most remarkable thing about Apiwat this season has been his ability make winning looking inevitable in the incredibly close racing served up by the ARRC AP250 and FMSCT All Thailand championships. Always blisteringly fast and competitive, in previous seasons he showed a temperamental vulnerability that let him down on occasion. In 2016 we have seen none of that. His self-belief now seems to have some real strength and depth, which has been keeping him just out of reach of his competitors. After taking the holeshot yesterday at Bira, only a mistake would have let Anucha through. The mistake never came and, despite Anucha recording the fastest lap, he knew that only a reckless challenge would give him a chance of leading, so he settled for the best result the team could achieve and another second place.
Chaiwichit and Suhathai fight for 3rd place (photo credit Ratchata Tanwira)
Behind the Yamaha Thailand R1s another fierce battle ensued for the final podium place between the SPW Racing Kawasaki of Chaiwichit Nisagul, the Kawasaki Thailand machine of Aekkachai Chiengwong and the Powerspeed BigWing Honda of Suhathai Chaemsap. The challenge of Aekkachai faded in the closing laps, leaving Chaiwichit and Suhathai to fight it out to the line. Going on the season's form so far, most would have expected Suhathai's Honda to get it, but this weekend Chaiwichit had been showing an edge reminiscent of previous seasons and got across the line a bike length in front of the Honda, with Aekkachai three seconds behind in fifth.
Superstock 1000 podium: Anuparb, Anon, Apidech
The Superstock 1000 race was another tale of two Yamahas, though this time an easy victory for Anuparb Sarmoon after stablemate Anon Sangval crashed heavily at the exit to the first chicane in warm-up, leaving him with a painful hip injury that robbed him of two seconds a lap from his normal pace.That left him in the clutches of the Kawasaki of Apidech Boonsri who pushed the indomitable Anon all the way to the line. Kawasaki Thailand's Benjamin Fortt, still recovering from a shoulder injury, was fourth ahead of the Whiz Racing Kawasaki of Bodeepak Watcharakajonwong.
Ratchada Nakcharoensri pushes to second place
A thin field for the Supersport 600 race saw only two riders, Yamaha Thailand's Prawat Yanwut and the TS Racing Yamaha of Ratchada Nakcharoensri, in the professional class. A lightening start by Ratchada gave her the holeshot, but Prawat got in front halfway around lap one and pulled away progressively to take the win and extend his championship lead. Ratchada meanwhile ran away from the novice class riders, lapping in the low-to-mid 1:06s, to take a lonely but solid second place. Ratchada is another rider who has stepped up mentally and physically in 2016 to turn into a strong professional racer, looking like a podium contender even with a full strength field of international riders.The live streaming of the event by Grand Prix International (GPI) reached more than 400,000 people, underlining how effective the competitive action in the professional classes has become in attracting viewers, spectators and sponsors.Round 9 of the FMSCT All Thailand Superbike Championship will be at Thailand Circuit on 28th, 29th and 30th October.Declaration of Interest: Barry Russell is Jury President for the FMSCT All Thailand Superbike Championship
The most remarkable thing about Apiwat this season has been his ability make winning looking inevitable in the incredibly close racing served up by the ARRC AP250 and FMSCT All Thailand championships. Always blisteringly fast and competitive, in previous seasons he showed a temperamental vulnerability that let him down on occasion. In 2016 we have seen none of that. His self-belief now seems to have some real strength and depth, which has been keeping him just out of reach of his competitors. After taking the holeshot yesterday at Bira, only a mistake would have let Anucha through. The mistake never came and, despite Anucha recording the fastest lap, he knew that only a reckless challenge would give him a chance of leading, so he settled for the best result the team could achieve and another second place.
Behind the Yamaha Thailand R1s another fierce battle ensued for the final podium place between the SPW Racing Kawasaki of Chaiwichit Nisagul, the Kawasaki Thailand machine of Aekkachai Chiengwong and the Powerspeed BigWing Honda of Suhathai Chaemsap. The challenge of Aekkachai faded in the closing laps, leaving Chaiwichit and Suhathai to fight it out to the line. Going on the season's form so far, most would have expected Suhathai's Honda to get it, but this weekend Chaiwichit had been showing an edge reminiscent of previous seasons and got across the line a bike length in front of the Honda, with Aekkachai three seconds behind in fifth.
The Superstock 1000 race was another tale of two Yamahas, though this time an easy victory for Anuparb Sarmoon after stablemate Anon Sangval crashed heavily at the exit to the first chicane in warm-up, leaving him with a painful hip injury that robbed him of two seconds a lap from his normal pace.That left him in the clutches of the Kawasaki of Apidech Boonsri who pushed the indomitable Anon all the way to the line. Kawasaki Thailand's Benjamin Fortt, still recovering from a shoulder injury, was fourth ahead of the Whiz Racing Kawasaki of Bodeepak Watcharakajonwong.
A thin field for the Supersport 600 race saw only two riders, Yamaha Thailand's Prawat Yanwut and the TS Racing Yamaha of Ratchada Nakcharoensri, in the professional class. A lightening start by Ratchada gave her the holeshot, but Prawat got in front halfway around lap one and pulled away progressively to take the win and extend his championship lead. Ratchada meanwhile ran away from the novice class riders, lapping in the low-to-mid 1:06s, to take a lonely but solid second place. Ratchada is another rider who has stepped up mentally and physically in 2016 to turn into a strong professional racer, looking like a podium contender even with a full strength field of international riders.The live streaming of the event by Grand Prix International (GPI) reached more than 400,000 people, underlining how effective the competitive action in the professional classes has become in attracting viewers, spectators and sponsors.Round 9 of the FMSCT All Thailand Superbike Championship will be at Thailand Circuit on 28th, 29th and 30th October.Declaration of Interest: Barry Russell is Jury President for the FMSCT All Thailand Superbike Championship
