Honda Racing Vietnam: On the Verge of Glory in Asian Road Racing Championship 2023 Round 5

Two-thirds of the race completed

After completing 4 out of 6 stages, the entire Honda Racing Vietnam Team traveled to China to participate in stage 5 of the ARRC 2023 season with great hopes. Previously, all 4 racers performed exceptionally well, earning valuable points for the home team.

Entering stage 5, the Vietnamese representative currently holds the 8th position in the overall standings of the AP250 category with 56 points and has earned 18 points in the UB150 category. Our racers are growing in experience, gradually gaining control of the game and fiercely competing with other strong opponents in the region.

Notably, racer #65 Cao Viet Nam achieved a remarkable feat by finishing in the top 6 on two occasions (Race 2 – stage 3 and Race 1 – stage 4). He constantly put pressure on his opponents, aiming for a coveted position on the prestigious Podium. The other three racers from the Honda Racing Vietnam Team also achieved impressive top 10 results and scored points for the team.

In addition, the Vietnamese racing team also had outstanding warm-up performances, with Cao Viet Nam and Nguyen Duc Thanh finishing in 1st and 3rd place respectively at the MSBK tournament held in Sepang, Malaysia. The entire team is in a strong and hopeful state as they head to the Chu Hai racing track in China.

The southern sea of waves awaits

The Chu Hai racing track, formerly the Zhuhai International Circuit, is currently the oldest and largest speed arena in China. It was transformed from a street circuit and officially inaugurated in 1999. The circuit spans 4.319km and features 14 corners, including 9 right turns and 5 left turns, with a straight section that extends up to 900m in length.

The Chu Hai racing track’s intertwining structure of left and right turns requires racers to possess true skill in entering and exiting corners, accelerating, and controlling braking force. The most challenging areas for racers are the two 90-degree corners, number 4 and 14. These high-speed corners demand exceptional handling and occur in the blink of an eye.

Any mistakes made on this circuit come at a high price. In reality, during training days, many barriers have been shifted or even damaged due to racers’ efforts to explore different approaches and find the best racing line.

Additionally, the very long straight section pushes the maximum speed that racers can reach to a completely different level. Therefore, competition on this circuit is incredibly fierce.

On the other hand, the Chu Hai racing track is located on the coast of the South China Sea, adjacent to Hong Kong and Macau. The circuit is in the GMT+8 time zone, and both the geographical and weather conditions are quite familiar to our racers.

After the free practice races, all 4 racers participated in the timed qualifying race to determine their starting positions. Our team’s flagbearer, Cao Viet Nam (#65), gave his best and secured 7th place, leading from Row 3.

Meanwhile, his teammate in the AP250 format, Nguyen Duc Thanh (#193), started in 22nd place. In the UB150 format, racers Nguyen Anh Tuan (#178) and Nguyen Huu Tri (#111) achieved unfavorable starting positions, starting in 23rd and 25th place respectively after the qualifying session.

Day 1 of the race

AP250 Competition

Entering stage 5 in China, Honda Racing Vietnam Team’s hopes were focused on their two AP250 racers. Scoring points, making it into the top 10, and even reaching the top 5 are all achievements within the capabilities of Cao Viet Nam (#65) and Nguyen Duc Thanh (#193). The ultimate goal for both racers and the entire team is to secure a spot in the top 3 and stand on the prestigious Podium.

At the start of the race, Cao Viet Nam (#65) adopted a cautious approach, different from his usual aggressive start, but it was enough for him to maintain a position among the top 10 leading racers. On the other hand, Duc Thanh (#193) made several impressive overtakes and moved up to 20th place after the first lap.

In the second lap, Indonesian racer #46 Herjun Adna “fell off the horse” while leading the race. Cao Viet Nam (#65) seized the opportunity, surpassed 3 opponents, and moved up to 6th place, then 5th place. Meanwhile, Duc Thanh (#193) persevered and climbed up to 18th place after the second lap, and then secured 17th place in the following lap.

A notable moment occurred in the third lap when there was an unconventional maneuver at turn 3, causing Cao Viet Nam (#65) to drop to 7th place. However, he quickly regained his composure and climbed back to 6th place. Meanwhile, Duc Thanh (#193) steadily made his way to 17th place in the subsequent lap.

Despite this setback, Cao Viet Nam (#65) experienced a second DNF since the start of the ARRC 2023 season. His teammate, Duc Thanh (#193), finished the race in 12th place, a commendable result considering his starting position of 22nd place.

UB150 Competition

On the first race day, the air temperature reached 28°C with light sunshine, a slight breeze of only about 10 km/h, and 68% humidity. The weather conditions were stable, and everyone was ready to start Race 1 Round 5 ARRC 2023.

The race began with the simultaneous release of the brakes and full-throttle acceleration by all racers. Seizing the opportunity, Nguyen Huu Tri (#111) immediately overtook several opponents in the first lap. Shortly after, four racers (#38, #61, #22, and #60) fell off their bikes and retired from the race, creating further opportunities for Anh Tuan and Huu Tri to advance.

By the end of the first lap, Nguyen Anh Tuan (#178) had surpassed 7 opponents and held the 17th position, while his young teammate, Huu Tri (#111), followed closely behind in 20th place, having overtaken 5 opponents.

As the race progressed, the situation became unfavorable for the Vietnamese representatives, as Anh Tuan (#178) gradually lost positions after each lap. By the end of the fourth lap, he had dropped to 18th place, trying to regain lost ground but immediately losing positions again.

At the end of the race, Nguyen Anh Tuan (#178) finished in 20th place, while his young teammate, Huu Tri (#111), held onto the 21st position. The winner of Race 1 was Md Akid Aziz (#13) from Malaysia.

Day 2 of the race

AP250 Qualifying

At the start of Race 2, Cao Viet Nam (#65) continued to adopt a cautious strategy, similar to the first day of racing, and maintained a position among the top 10 leading racers. Two racers, #33 and #15, fell off their bikes after a collision, allowing Nguyen Duc Thanh (#193) to advance to 18th place after overtaking 3 opponents.

The duo, Cao Viet Nam (#65) and Nguyen Duc Thanh (#193), kept their fans on edge with their astute tactics and unwavering positions throughout the next 2 laps. Then, something incredibly surprising happened. On turn 14 of the third lap, Cao Viet Nam suddenly accelerated, surpassing 5 opponents and securing the leading 3rd place on the long straight section as the next lap began.

In the subsequent rounds, Cao Viet Nam repeatedly executed his “sleeping enemy” strategy. In the 8th round, he surged forward, surpassing two opponents (#36 and #46) to claim 4th place. However, he was attacked and dropped to 5th place when Race 2 reached its halfway point. Meanwhile, Nguyen Duc Thanh (#193) maintained his position in 18th place and patiently awaited an opportunity that could arise at any moment.

In the final rounds, Cao Viet Nam continued to perform exceptionally well. In the 8th round, he suddenly rose to prominence, surpassing opponents #36 and #46 to claim the prestigious 3rd place.

Despite this remarkable achievement, luck was not on Cao Viet Nam’s side, and he ultimately dropped to 8th place with regret before crossing the finish line. His teammate, Nguyen Duc Thanh, maintained his position and finished the race in 17th place.

UB150 Qualifying

On the second race day, things began quite challenging as racers Nguyen Anh Tuan (#178) and Nguyen Huu Tri (#111) struggled to break through in the first few laps. Both of them started in unfavorable positions, with Tuan in 23rd place and Huu Tri in 25th place.

With remarkable effort, Nguyen Anh Tuan surpassed each opponent in the second lap, rising to 22nd place and then 21st place. Meanwhile, the 15-year-old racer, Nguyen Huu Tri, consistently held onto the 22nd position.

In the fourth lap, Nguyen Anh Tuan gradually closed in on the 19th place and subsequently secured 18th place. His younger teammate, Nguyen Huu Tri, kept up the pace and held onto the 22nd position.

In the final lap, Nguyen Anh Tuan successfully overtook opponents and finished the race in 17th place, with a gap of less than 3 seconds to the first-place finisher. Meanwhile, Nguyen Huu Tri completed the race in 20th place.

Summary of stage 5 of the ARRC 2023 motorcycle race: After two highly competitive days, the Honda Racing Vietnam Team achieved very promising results.

At the end of Round 5, our team still holds the 8th position in the overall standings of the AP250 category, with 68 points (thanks to 8 points from Cao Viet Nam’s Race 2 and 4 points from Nguyen Duc Thanh’s Race 1). In the UB150 category, the team continues to hold 18 points and ranks 12th.

Most importantly, our racers have showcased their efforts and skills that are second to none. Cao Viet Nam can compete fairly and deserves a spot in the top 3. However, due to a lack of luck, the Vietnamese racers have yet to step onto the Podium.

The aspirations for greater achievements, determination to fight, and clear goals of all 4 Vietnamese racers will undoubtedly be demonstrated most truthfully in stage 6, which is also the final stage of the ARRC 2023 season, held at the Chang racetrack in Thailand from December 1st-3rd, 2023.

Anh Phan (Tuoitrethudo)

Photos by: Minh Dai