Name: Kai Sakakibara

Date: 7 January 2012

Venue: Nerang, Queensland

Race: Nerang Nationals 2012

Class: A pro men

Result: 2nd

Weather: Sunny and warm.

Course condition: Very nice and smooth.

Redline, Blackman Bicycles, Time pedals, Champion System, Michram Industries, Bluefit, Peabody

 

The Nerang Nationals racing for Pro riders was held on the Sunday after the Champ Bikx racing. The racing was quite interesting for A pro riders as the Pro section was optional. This meant that I had to work out which way suited me best and which way was quicker to go through.

 

The racing started off with the pros.

 

My motos went quite well. I qualified through with a 2nd, 1st, 2nd, having some good racing with the older guys including Corey Gould and Bowen Muncaster. It was good having the motos and racing different people as I was able to attack the pro section and amateur section down the second straight from different positions. Both pro section and amateur sections worked out to be quite fast, but the amateur sections seemed to work better for me overall.

 

I had quite an early pick for my quarter final, and got lane 3. I thought I came out of the gate perfect, but my back wheel spun and I got left behind on the gate. I caught up into around 4th into the first corner, but there were people riding everywhere and I lost my speed coming around the corner. I chose to go on the amateur straight as I had no speed, but I was able to gain a fair bit of speed through it and I got myself from 5th to 2nd into the second corner. It was all safe riding from there, and I came through with a fine 2nd behind Bowen Muncaster.

 

My start in my semi was terrible, and I wheelied all the way down to the bottom of the hill. This put me behind in the pack and I was in 6th into the first corner. I saw everyone bunching up at the top of the corner, so I ducked underneath on to the amateur section. I got the through the second straight quite fast, and got myself into 4th down into the second corner. My third straight went well from there and I passed into 3rd around the last corner. I kept it going and finished with a 3rd.

 

I had 6th pick for the final and got lane 6. My start was really good in the final, and I came out with Jordan Lecher and Bowen Muncaster on the inside of me. I was in 3rd into the first corner. I knew I had been getting the amateur straight quicker than the pro section all day, so I ducked under around the first corner to get myself onto the

amateur straight. Jordan Lecher was out in front, but I was able to get myself in front of Bowen into 2nd coming into the second corner. My rhythm was a bit untidy coming into the last corner, but I was still in 2nd coming into the last straight. Max Cairns came through for a last minute move down the last straight, but I just held on. I finished 2nd.

 

I was very happy with my result for the weekend. My riding was pretty good overall, and I look forward to seeing everyone again at the next event.