barrygrussell
Senior Member
Originally published on FMSCT-Live Blog and reproduced here by kind permission In a day packed with on-track drama, nothing came close to the return of ‘Oil’ Nuttawoot Rungkitsawat at Thailand Circuit yesterday. The winner of the inaugural Moto3 Production race was in an horrific road accident shortly afterwards that threatened his life as well as his career and suffered more than six months of painful recovery.
After being given the all-clear by doctors to race, Oil came back in sensational style, qualifying sixth, just half a second behind ‘Tingnote’ Thitipong Warakorn who took pole position and just ahead of ‘Stamp’ Apiwat Wongthananon.
It was Tingnote who made the best start, leading first from ‘Sup’ Anucha Nakchaoensri and then Man Chadchear as the front runners bunched up behind Panadda Racing’s number one. It was Sup who worked his way through to the front on lap 3 and gave another display of how to ride a 250 four-stroke as he pulled steadily away from the rest of the field. Man Chaudchear, who has improved throughout the season in this class pushed through into second as a ragged-looking Tingnote went back through the field, finding himself in seventh on lap five before fighting back. Nuttawoot, meanwhile, came though from fifth on lap one and went past Man to take second place on lap six.
Further back, Jakkit Swangswat, Tingnote, Sittisak Oonchaweang and a lacklustre Stamp battled for fourth, before Tingnote got away from the group to chase Man for the final podium place, getting ahead on lap eight before succumbing to Man’s tireless pressure on the 12th and penultimate lap. Showing obvious frustration, the Panadda rider tried to take Man’s line on the last corner and clattered into him, taking the two of them down and handing third place to Sittisak who flashed across the line just ahead of Stamp and Jakkit. Man picked himself up to cross the line in 13th, while Tingnote also got back on his bike to limp home in 15th and last place.
But the day belonged to the first two finishers. To Sup Anucha who took a fifth successive, cool-headed win and to Oil, who crossed the line less than 2.5 seconds behind, having missed the last five rounds. It was an emotional comeback for the recovering racer, who was mobbed by well-wishers after the podium ceremony.
The next round will be on the 15-16 October, while there will be two non-championship races in the meantime at the forthcoming Motorcycle Mag meetings at Bira International Circuit.
