Azroy tops Race 2 at ARRC in Honda sweep of 600cc class

SEPANG: Azroy Hakeem Anuar of Team Idemitsu Boon Siew Honda Racing Team presented a Malaysia Day gift to the local fans in the stands after winning Race 2 of the SuperSports 600cc category in the Asia Road Racing Championship at Sepang International Circuit yesterday.

At the start of the 10-lap race, championship leader Apiwath Wongthananon of Yamaha Tekhne Racing Team Asean was the first to steal the hole shot. The Thailand rider held the lead up to lap 3 but he eventually lost his lead three laps later when Indonesia’s Mohd Adenanta Putra of Astra Honda Racing Team and Azroy broke past his defence.

The two Honda riders proceeded to dictate the race pace with Azroy pipping Adenanta at the finishing line, claiming his third win of the season with a time of 22:01:801s. Adenanta settled for second with 22:01:890s.

Indonesia’s Veda Ega Pratama of Astra Honda Racing Team took third place, completing an all Honda clean sweep.

“Big thanks to my team after the struggle yesterday. Today we still faced challenges but my target was to stay in the front group no matter what. When the race started, I fought very hard

every lap to stay in the first position. In the last lap, I knew Adenanta was very strong, so I needed to pass him quickly.

‘’In the last corner, I knew I could be in the front, and Alhamdulillah, this finished in a good way. We will be stronger than this weekend for the upcoming round in Buriram,” said Azroy, who was fourth in Race 1 on Saturday.

In the Asia Superbike 1000cc category, Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah made amends for missing out on the podium in Race 1 the previous day by stealing third spot in Race 2.

Hafizh, riding for Johor Racing Team, came in third in 25:30.275s behind Thai rider Nakarin Atiratphuvapat of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with Astemo (25:29.138s).

Japan’s Yuki Kunii of SDG Team HARC-PRO Honda Ph. claimed a double at Sepang by sweeping Race 2 in 25:26:318s.