Name: Kai Sakakibara

Date: 8th July 2012

Venue: Tamworth, NSW

Race: NSW State Series Round 5

Class: 16 boys

Result: 2nd

Weather: Fine, warm.

Course condition: Quite nice and smooth. Well prepared.

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

 

The track was in fine condition. The Tamworth BMX track is a bit of an old school layout with old features like bridges, but the track was smooth and all good for racing.

The day started off with warm up on the track, and then got into racing. I was struggling to get my gates right in practice, and I had to get used to the slower dropping gate at Tamworth.

 

I had a terrible gate in my first moto out of the outside, and Zac Wilson ended up with the better down the first straight. I was in 2nd down into the second straight and around the second corner. I caught up over the bridge and around the whirlpool for the fourth straight, but couldn’t make a pass. It was close on the line, but I ended up with 2nd.

 

My second moto was a better one. I came out well out of the inside, and got the lead around the first corner. My second straight was fine, and I lead the race all the way to the end from there. I finished 1st.

 

I came out well from the inside in the last moto as well. I got the lead down the first straight, and brought it around the first corner for the second straight. I was having a smooth lap, and had a good lead on the rest of them by the last straight. I came through with a comfortable 1st.

 

I had 2nd pick for the final, which got me lane 1. I came out with a decent start, but Jordan Lecher came out with the better from the outside of me. He closed me off down the first straight, and I was in 2nd coming around the first corner. I messed up the double manual over the first jump and lost some speed, letting Jordan slip away into the second corner. I caught up with the pedalling over the bridge and the whirlpool, but couldn’t quite get past Jordan. I ended up with a 2nd.

I raced quite well considering it was my first race since the Worlds, and I look forward to getting out there racing again.