Sports

Monday September 7, 2009

Decha and Chalermpol to battle it out for SuperSports title

By ERIC SAMUEL

CHENNAI: The SuperSports 600cc title race is set to become a two-horse race between Decha Kraisart and Chalermpol Polamai following the two Thai riders’ dominance in the fourth round of the Petronas FIM Asian Grand Prix at the Madras circuit here yesterday.

The Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Thailand duo continued with their hot streak with Decha winning Race 1 in 28:18.478 and Chalermpol finishing top in the second race with a time of 28:26.695.

With two rounds remaining at the Zhuhai International Circuit, Chalermpol leads the standings on 165 points followed by Decha on 143. Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Malaysia’s Mohd Zamri Baba is in third place on 116 points.

“I may have a good lead but I have to consolidate my position in Zhuhai,” said Chalermpol.

“In fact, I did not expect to win Race 2 today because Decha looked more comfortable on this track. Unfortunately, he crashed in the last lap and I won at his expense.”

Decha said that the track was a tricky one.

“I also crashed in the qualifying session on Saturday. But I managed to get it right in Race 1,” said Decha, who has also won a race consistently in the last three rounds.

Zamri finished third in Race 1 in 28:42.861 and clocked 28:48.584 in the second race to go one spot better.

“I had a poor start in Race 1 and got confused applying the wrong gear in the first lap itself. This mistake cost me to lose ground on the Thai riders,” he said.

Indian rider K. Rajini of Red Rooster Racing had a memorable outing, thrilling the local crowd with a third-place finish in Race 2 with a time of 29.00374.

There was double joy for Malaysia in the Underbone 115cc races.

Mohd Affendi Rosli of Suzuki Harian Metro SCK Racing Team won for the first time this season, finishing Race 1 in 20:39.326.

There was a 1-2-3 finish for Malaysia in Race 2 with Mohd Iskandar Raduan of Petronas Sprinta Raceline taking the chequered flag in 20:38.718 ahead of Affendi (20:38.785). Another Petronas Sprinta Raceline rider, Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah, was third in 20:39.181.

RESULTS

SUPERSPORTS 600cc

Race 1: 1. Decha Kraisart (Tha) Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Thailand 28:18.478, 2. Chalermpol Polamai (Tha) Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Thailand 28:24.365, 3. Mohd Zamri Baba (Mas) Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Malaysia 28:42.861, 4. Ahmad Fuad Baharuddin (Mas) Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Malaysia 28:49.779, 5. K. Rajini (Ind) Red Rooster Racing 29:03.875, 6. Ahmad Zamani Baharuddin (Mas) AFY Racing Malaysia 29:15.284.

Race 2: 1. Chalermpol 28:26.695, 2. Mohd Zamri 28:48.584, 3. Rajini 29:00.374, 4. Ahmad Zamani 29:06.454, 5. Azlan Shah Kamauzaman (Mas) Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Malaysia 29:50. 690, 6. Ho Chi Fung (Chn) China Zhong Shen 30:09. 347.

Standings: 1. Chalermpol 165, 2. Decha 143, 3. Mohd Zamri 116, 4. Ahmad Fuad 90, 5. Azlan Shah 84.

UNDERBONE 115cc

Race 1: Mohd Affendi Rosli (Mas) Suzuki Harian Metro SCK Racing 20:39.326, 2. Denny Triyugo (Ina) Yamaha Petronas FDR Racing 20:39.685, 3. Florianus Roy (Ina) U Mild U Bikers Indonesia Racing 20:39.846, 4. Prawat Yannawut (Tha) Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Thailand 20:39.914, 5. Mohd Iskandar Raduan (Mas) Petronas Sprinta Raceline 20:40.377, 6. Norizman Ismail (Mas) Suzuki Harian Metro SCK Racing 20:40.513.

Race 2: 1. Mohd Iskandar 20:38.718, 2. Mohd Affendi 20:38.785, 3. Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah (Mas) Petronas Sprinta Raceline 20:39.181, 4. Fitriansyah Kete (Ina) U Mild U Bikers Indonesia Racing 20:39.451, 5. Denny Triyugo 20:50.587, 6. Worawut Phuthho (Tha) Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Thailand 20:55.674.

Standings: 1. Mohd Affendi 99, 2. Mohd Iskandar 88, 3. Fitriansyah 78, 4. Hafizh Syahrin 72, 5. Denny Triyugo 70, 6. Hadiwijaya (Ina) 61.

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