Team Suzuki Pilipinas makes the podium at SAC Round 3

Team Suzuki Pilipinas bagged podium finishes at Round 3 of the Suzuki Asian Challenge (SAC) at the Suzuka International Circuit in Japan. The Suzuki Asian Challenge is a one-make support race of the Asia Road Racing Championship series, run with Suzuki Raider R150s. It was envisioned as a grassroots feeder series for the ARRC Supersport 600, run on the same weekend.

April King Mascardo (#43) qualified in pole position and set the fastest course record (among the SAC riders in Suzuka) of 2:52.455: 5.3 seconds, quicker than last year’s pole.

For the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) series, Eane Jaye Sobretodo’s (#22) bagged a top podium finish, with Mario Borbon, Jr. (#29) in second place, making it a 1-2 finish for Team Suzuki Pilipinas.

In race 1, Mascardo was leading with Indonesian riders Jefri Tosema and Muhammad Sapril on his trail. The three racers went head to head during the last lap, but both unfortunately crashed, giving way to Team Suzuki Pilipinas riders, Sobretodo and Borbon, to lead the race, landing them on the podium.

Race 2 saw Mascardo dropping out of the race due to a crash. Sobretodo took over the lead, but was caught up by a big pack, landing him in ninth place. Borbon followed in 10th place.

Nonetheless, in the overall standings, Team Suzuki Pilipinas secured positions in the top 10, with Sobretodo in fourth place, Mascardo in fifth, and Borbon in seventh.

The riders will face head to the next Suzuki Asian Challenge round on August 5 to 7 at Sentul, Indonesia.