9th June, Sepang  - Defending champion Yasuhiro Kuhara clocked the fastest time in qualifying at the Malaysian Super Series (MSS) to take pole position for the opening race of the Superbike Championship at Sepang Circuit tomorrow.

Clocking a time of 1 minute 5.925 seconds, the Japanese rider would share the front row Australian Brent Odgers, who is leading the championship with 50 points and Kuhara’s biggest threat to his crown.

Missing the opening round in April, Kuhara would be desperate to take masximum points from the two races tomorrow and he showed that commitment with an impressive ride around the newly surfaced 2.609-km South Track beat his rivals.

Champion in 2003 and runner-up in the following year, Odgers, however, was clearly in an awesome form and his Honda CBR1000 machine is expected to match the power of Kuhara’s similar machine.

Second overall in the Supersports Championship, Malaysian Ahmad Zamani Baharuddin made his debut in the open superbike championship, scoring a commendable feat to finish fourth fastest on his Kawasaki ZX10RR but was the fastest among the Malaysian riders.

Italian Massimo Nanni was fastest among the 600cc riders; clocking a time of 1 minute 8.681 seconds around the twisty 2.609km track with Pretham Moses producing the second best time of 1 minute 9.270 seconds.

In the 135cc Production Bike Championship, championship leader Ahmad Nashrul Baharuddin clocked an impressive 1 minute 17.342 seconds to take pole position; sharing the front row with his closest rival Safrizan Buang, who produced a time of 1 minute 17.710s.

Mohd Khanafi Kamaruddin was fastest among the 150cc Kawasaki Cup riders with a time of 1:17.365s while the opening race for the 250cc Aprilia Cup would see championship leader Chia Koo Keat, who clocked a time of 1 minute 14.800s, starting ahead of his rivals.

Tomorrow’s session would start with Race 1 of the 135cc Production Bikes Championship at 10am. Tickets are priced at only RM10 for entrance at the Main Grandstand.

MALAYSIAN SUPER SERIES - BIKES ROUND 2
Race Results - Sepang Circuit South Track (2.609 kilometers)

Sepang Circuit South Track (2.609skm)

OPEN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP

1. Yasuhiro Kuhara (Honda CBR1000) 1:05.925s
2. Brent Odgers (Honda CBR1000) 1:06.031s
3. Jussi Hoikka (Suzuki GSXR1000) 1:06.334s
4. Ahmad Zamani Baharuddin (Kawasaki ZX10RR) 1:06.370s
5. Omar Ali Abdullah (Honda CBR1000) 1: 07.129s

600cc SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP

1. Massimo Nanni (Yamaha R6) 1:08.681s
2. Pretham Moses (Yamaha R6) 1:09.270s
3. Nils Uchida Zakariassen (Yamaha R6) 1:09.308s
4. Karl de Souza (Yamaha R6) 1:10.531s
5. Safarin Hasibon (Yamaha R6) 1:10.551s

250cc APRILIA CUP

1. Chia Khoo Keat (Aprilia RS250) 1:14.800s
2. Mohd Rahim Amon (Aprilia RS250) 1:14.882s
3. Victorio Fabregas (Aprilia RS250) 1:16.004s
4. Mohd Anuar Salleh (Aprilia RS250) 1:16.083s
5. Ahmad Nazri (Aprilia RS250) 1:17.485s

150cc KAWASAKI CUP

1. Mohd Khanafi Kamaruddin (Kawasaki ZX150RR) 1:17.365s
2. Mohd Rizal Jantan (Kawasaki ZX150RR) 1:17.699s
3. Muhammad Fairuz Murad (Kawasaki ZX150RR) 1:18.189s
4. R. Suresh (Kawasaki ZX150RR) 1:19.773s
5. Renganathan Krishnan (Kawasaki ZX150RR) 1:20.160s

135cc PRODUCTION BIKE CHAMPIONSHIP

1. Ahmad Nashrul Baharuddin (Yamaha RXZ) 1.17.342s
2. Safrizan Buang (Yamaha RXZ) 1:17.710s
3. Abdul Razak Sidek (Yamaha RXZ) 1:18.983s
4. Mohd Zamri Baba (Yamaha 125z) 1:19.560s
5. Mohd Rizal Jantan (Yamaha RXZ) 1:20.112s


For details, contact the Press Officer Azhar Ghazali at 019-3837865.
 

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