By Barry Russell
The Thai word for “having a good time” is “sanook” which describes perfectly the Kawasaki Mini GP series. Although it is very popular here as a low cost way to go racing and have fun, I had never been to one until Saturday 17 December. I went along to support two friends, MotoGP hopeful, Michael Kongaubon and Canadian racer, Colin Butler, who were both competing in the fourth round of the series at Bangkok Racing Circuit (BRC).
The twisty, bumpy track is most often used for karting and is not an easy one to throw motorcycles around on. The classes included KSR, D-Tracker supermoto, Ninja 250 and 650 for ER6s. Each class was split between ‘Standard’ and ‘Modify’. There were 10 minute practice sessions for each class, but no timing, as the grid positions are all drawn out of a hat.
Because of the low costs and the nature of the track, KSRs were most popular. With Le Mans style starts and rider changeovers every few laps, it was a riot. Safety clothing seemed to be optional, with many racers relying on the anti-abrasion properties of denim. The other classes saw safety taken a little more seriously.
Mickey and Colin both picked up wins in the 250 Modify and 650 Modify classes respectively, but the results seemed to matter less than having a good time. Although there was plenty of action and glamour, the whole event was more like a big family party with some racing in the back yard for anyone who fancied having a go. The photos say it all.
