MALAYSIAN RIDER CROWNED ASIAN SUPERMOTO CHAMPION 2012
Malaysian rider Mohd Khairi Zakaria rode to a sterling performance to be crowned the first ever Asian supermoto champion. The Johor-based rider won the inaugural FIM MAXASIA Supermoto Championship by a single point to upstage Japanese All-Stars rider Kaneko Ryuta for the title on home ground at the Speedway PLUS Circuit in USJ Subang Jaya.
The FIM MAXASIA Supermoto Championship was held over four rounds with the first two rounds taking place in Thailand. Mohd Khairi arrived for the third and fourth rounds with a seven point deficit adrift of championship leader Tang Tong Trakarn of Thailand and with the top five riders in the championship all having a mathematical chance of winning the title which includes Japanese riders Ryuta, Mitoma Susumu and another Thai rider Suntarowat Pongsaphat. Rounds three and four also included the participation of two other Malaysian riders Mohd Al-Amirul Ashshahid (Gaban) and Mohd Suhaidi Ali Rahmat. The race weekend which was run in both dry and wet conditions saw Mohd Khairy deliver a flawless performance. Spectating was made even more exciting as it was also the very first time a supermoto race in Malaysia featured a ramp which required the riders to jump.
“This is a great honor for me and for Malaysia. We knew we had a good chance of winning the title but with so many talented riders in the championship it was just too close to call. It could have gone anyone’s way,” said Mohd Khairy.
The glory of being crowned Asian supermoto champion, will also reward Mohd Khairy with a once in a lifetime experience to represent Asia in a single round of the World Supermoto Championship in 2013.
Organised for the very first time, the FIM MAXASIA Supermoto Championship brings together the region’s top supermoto riders. The event was promoted by MAXASIA Co Ltd, while the Malaysian round of the championship was promoted by Bike Nation Motorsports. Meanwhile, in the Malaysian Supermoto Series, KTM riders Muhammad Habibullah and his elder brother Mohd Al-Amirul Ashshahid ended a dominating season by winning the S1 (Open class for Unlimited Supermoto up to 700cc) and S2 (Unlimited Supermoto up to 250cc) class titles respectively. KTM also won the S4 class title (Production Supermoto Unlimited up to 250cc) with young rider Mohd Adam Norrodin, while the S3 veteran honours ( Unlimited Supermoto up to 700cc (veteran above age 45) went to Marcus Chong Fong Chun on board a Husaberg. The Kawasaki D-Tracker 150cc class was won by Mohd Zahin Mohd Jais while the Kawasaki KSR for both unlimited 110cc and production limited 110cc bikes was won by Chew Wai Tuck and Eric Chan respectively.
FIM MAXASIA Supermoto Championship Points Standings (after 4 rounds)
Mohd Khairi Zakaria
Malaysia
160 points
Kaneko Ryuta
Japan
159 points
Tang Tong Trakarn
Thailand
150 points
Mitoma Susumu
Japan
147 points
Suntarowat Pongsaphat
Thailand
136 points
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