SUZUKI WINS “ENDURANCE KING” CROWN WHILE YAMAHA GRABS THE “SPORTBIKE OF THE YEAR” TITLE AT THE NATIONAL RACING ASSN.’S 2006 8-HOUR ENDURANCE RACE

Celebrations are happening in two different camps, as Suzuki becomes the 2006 “Endurance King”, while Yamaha has the 2006 “Sportbike of the Year” — via the National Racing Association’s (NRA) 8-Hour Endurance Race held last September 10, 2006 at the Batangas Racing Circuit (BRC).

Team Suzuki, composed of both seasoned veterans and a very young, but talented, rookie, proved that they are the defending endurance champions as Mel Aquino, Iraq Bauzon and Bien Uy III, rode their Raider 150 to victory, based on a strong finish of 194 completed laps around the 3.3 kilometer race track. Suzuki is last year’s 2005 Endurance Champion in the category of geared motorcycles.

First runner-up honors, meanwhile, went to GNV-Kokki, composed of Ian Villaflor, Rene Lachica, and Mickey Mazo, who also shared a Suzuki Raider 150, to finish the race with 182 full laps. The Honda-JT Triumph group of Bryan “Spark” Ortile, Nonie Sablaya, and Dannie Daquigan, endured for 173 laps by riding on the powerful crest of a Honda Wave 125, to grab second runner-up distinction. Third runner-up was the surprisingly resilient team of 4Brothers-Motorstar, with Sherwin Zapanta, Darryl Esguerra and Edwin Mauricio, switching among them the Motorstar MSX 125. The trio managed to complete 149 laps within the 8-hour time frame.

Team Yamaha, however, was ruled as disqualified by the NRA’s technical team due to (illegal) modifications on their race motorcycle. The decision was handed down on both Team Yamaha-A, made up of roadracing’s future superstars Maico Buncio, Jaime Barcial, and Rizaldy Canare, and Team Yamaha-B of Armando Canare, John Lery Enriquez, and Jeffrey Chan. Both teams used the famed Sniper 135. The two entries finished the 8-hour race, with Yamaha-A completing 195 laps and Yamaha-B ending with 165 rounds — this despite Yamaha-B suffering an engine blow-out midway through the race and waiting an agonizing full hour while its pit crew frantically did its own racing around the clock to successfully repair the bike. Both were later deemed DQ, however, after the airbox snorkels of its Snipers were found to have been removed.

Despite being served disqualification rulings on its Sniper 135 in the Endurance King race class, Team Yamaha came back with a vengeance to win “Sportbike of the Year” (for 110 cc motorcycles) for its X1.

Big bike racer Rod Chua proved that underbone racing is also his stuff, by captaining the winning team, also composed of Masato Fernando and Mark Anthony Chua. Team X1-A of Chua, Fernando, and Chua, combined for a forceful showing of 182 completed laps within the grueling 8-hour time limit.

Another team of X1 riders, Team Yamaha X1-B of veteran Noel de Mesa, with Aaron Imani, and Mark Anthony Barcial, almost had the title through the backdoor by coming close at 181 laps, but had to settle for 1st runner-up. Team Suzuki, entering a Smash Revolution 110, with lone female factory rider Joanna Arreglado as skipper, together with equally youthful riders Herbert Lopez and Mark San Pascual, gave it their all to receive second runner-up after going around the track for 168 laps. Third runner-up, meanwhile, was the Honda XRM 110, ridden by Triumph JT racers Ron Ellis San Juan, Raymund Santos and Vermon Espiritu. The XRM successfully managed to complete 167 laps within 8 hours.

Two more entries from Yamaha complete the line-up for the Sportbike of the Year class. These are the groups of Dashi Watanabe, Alexis Zerrudo, and Pioly Isidro — this time riding a Crypton Z – finishing 161 laps, for fourth runner-up and the triumvirate of Team RMT, made up of Jackson Bragansa, Benjie Dolores, and Ian Villaflor, with 160 laps, on a Yamaha X1, ended their race for fifth runner-up.

Going over to the automatic geared bikes, the PGO GMAX 150 continued to stamp its class by ruling it over Suzuki’s Step 125 — two entries in this non-bearing race category. The MPI-PGO team of captain Jolet Jao, scooter expert Gerry Quinones, and veteran endurance rider Edwin Buenaventura, fought for 174 laps to come out the automatics leader. The Step 125 of Team Suzuki’s John Allen Mendez, Chito Barcenas, and Josh Reuben Tan, completed the 8 hour endurance with 162 full rounds at BRC.

Two wildcards were also part of the day’s fun, as Yamaha entered their STX 125 and Motorstar had the biggest contingent in sharing a Z200 Explorer.

Team STX, composed of Ivan Santiago, Raniel Resuello, and Danilo Alfaro, clocked in for a total of 183 laps, while the Team X-Philippines/Motorstar group of Ken Leander, Vincent Navea, Joel Lanuza, Brian Fuentes, and Anthony Rozano.