Buriram – Thailand Super Series (TSS) has returned to the North East for its second and final visit of the year. The first visit to Chang International Circuit, which kicked off the new season, proved to be a real thriller and the signs are already there that the second visit is going to be even more dramatic.
Over the last couple of days the teams have been setting up in the paddock and the majority of the racecars will hit the track this morning as a full day of free practice gets underway. Tomorrow the build up will continue with the official qualifying session and the opening races for some categories before the weekend will see non stop race action over two days with additional festivities for the spectators squeezed in.
There are new drivers and new racecars joining up for this round and the bumper Super Car grid, which will be combined once again this weekend, will number more than 30 high powered racecars in total with several newcomers included.
It’s going to be the same story right across the programme, Super 2000, Super Pickup, Super 1500, Super Production and Super Eco will be just as close and hard fought. No one can afford to let go any championship points this weekend either as by Sunday evening TSS will have reached the halfway point and title favourites will be starting to break clear from the pack.
There is an added bonus too this weekend as the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia will be joining the TSS programme, the prestigious Asian championship is making a very welcome return to Thailand after a decade long break.
That will give race fans even more added excitement and furious action out on the world-class Chang International Circuit as these top international drivers go into battle together in identical specification racecars.
Preview: Super Car Class 1-GT3
The Reiter Vattana Motorsport party at the front doesn’t look like it’s going to be disturbed too much on the return trip to Buriram. Back at the opening round of the year the reigning Class 1-GT3 champion Khun Chonsawat Asavahame got his title defence off to a great start in his new Lamborghini Gallardo Extenso R-EX.
He won the first race of the weekend ahead of his Czech teammate Khun Tomáš Enge (Camaro GT3) and then bagged the points for the runners up spot in the second race as the top two saw their finishing positions reversed.
That means Khun Chonsawat and Khun Tomáš are on equal points, 35 apiece, going into this weekend’s second event of the year and with these two drivers looking to be so evenly matched for a second season the title could once again go all the way to the wire in Bangsaen in November.
Khun Umar A. Rahman also enjoyed a good start to the year in the second Reiter Vattana Lamborghini Gallardo FL2, he followed his teammates home to claim two third places and put himself on 24 points going into this weekend’s races. Khun Umar also has a busy programme in single-seater racing across Asia this year but is looking forward to being back in action over the next few days in the powerful Italian sportscar.
Preview: Super Car Class 2-GTM
Class 2-GTM is really rocking and it’s already shaping up to be, arguably, the most competitive category and competitive year in the rich history of Super Car. It’s difficult to pick winners for this weekend and several drivers that didn’t shine first time out in Buriram back in May should have caught back up to the pace, which makes the list of potential winners even longer.
Possibly the safest place to start is with Thai motorsport’s hotshot youngster Khun Kantasak Kusiri. He’s joined Singha Motorsport Team Thailand this year and taken to the Ferrari 458 Challenge like a duck to water. In his first outing in the Italian sportscar at the season opener in May he took a superbly judged win in the first race although issues cost him a finishing position in the second race.
Khun Kantasak has blisteringly natural pace and is maturing as a driver very quickly and clearly he’s able to mount a run at the title. But in Buriram he was only 6/10ths ahead at the checkered flag in the first race and in the second, before he dived for the pits, Khun Craig Corliss in the Holden Commodore had the measure of the youngster – so he’s going to have to work very hard if he wants to make another trip to the top step of the podium this weekend. He kicked off his week here early as yesterday he was out testing the white Ferrari.
Numerically superior in numbers, Porsche’s 997 GT3 Cup doesn’t look like it’s going to fade from the front anytime soon and the joint championship leaders, Khun Aekarat Discharoen and Khun Sarun Sereethoranakul, are both hungry to make a run at the title. The former, a highly experienced Super Car driver, has raised his game considerably over the last year and won here last November during TSS’s inaugural visit to the North East, while the latter has come on at a stunning pace after only switching to circuit racing last year.
They each took a P2 and a P3 at the season opener in May to lead the championship standings out after the first event. Khun Sarun visited Bira Circuit at the start of this week to squeeze some extra testing in so he should be more than ready to shine and both of them in fact kicked off their on track week here yesterday emphasising just how serious they are. Expect Khun Sarun and Khun Aekarat to be on the podium if they reach the end of the races this weekend – the big question is whether they can make it to the top step.
The other winner in Buriram, Khun Craig, has had a new lease of life. Choosing to retain his brash ‘V8 Supercar’ Holden Commodore for a third season he shipped it back to Australia last December for a full rebuild and that paid off instantly as he unboxed the car and promptly won the second race in May. His confidence is sky-high and with a rejuvenated racecar that can mix it with the best in Class 2-GTM the New Zealander is squarely aiming to take a shot at the title.
Behind that quartet comes Khun Voravud Bhirombhakdi in the other Singha Motorsport Team Thailand Ferrari. The reigning champion had a tough weekend back in May as he kicked off his title defence, although he scored championship points in both races. However he can’t afford to drop anymore points if he wants to retain his crown. He was out testing here yesterday and posting strong laptimes.
Sitting equal in the standings to Khun Voravud is Khun Pitsanu Sirimongkolkasem in the first new-generation Porsche 991 GT3 Cup to pitch up in Thai racing. Driver and team are both new to the cutting-edge racecar as well as to Super Car and thus they both have a steep learning curve ahead, especially as they were racing a front wheel drive Honda Civic FD last year.
However the signs of promise are there, Khun Pitsanu squeezed into the lower reaches of top ten in the first race in May but in the second he was a fine fourth. A talented driver with a competent team behind him, expect the bright gold Porsche to move another step closer to the front this weekend as the package’s potential is further unlocked.
Toyota Team Thailand endured a very difficult start to the year in Buriram with a fourth place for Khun Nattavude Charoensukhawatana being their best result. The fans’ favourite, he’s won more titles than just about anyone else in domestic motorsport and was vice champion last year so expect Khun Nattavude to be looking to get his title challenge back on track; if anyone knows how to claw back lost ground it’s this driver.
The factory team sprung a surprise last week when it announced that Khun Kazuya Oshima would be joining the Class 2-GTM attack in Buriram to deputise for the 86’s regular driver Khun Nattapong Horthongkum. Khun Kazuya, who usually races in Japanese Super GT, was the brightest star when TSS visited here last November after he powered Toyota’s Class 1-GT3 machine to a stunning double victory on its race debut. Now he will be looking to reprise that instant success, this time though in the second Class 2-GTM 86 entry.
Meanwhile Khun Manat Kulapalanont will be back in the third 86 again. He’s graduated from Super 2000 to Super Car this year and although the car he’s driving is a development step below that of his teammates, he should be poised to pick up more championship points for the factory team.
Vattana Motorsport is currently steamrollering Class 1-GT3, however in Class 2-GTM Thailand’s biggest team will also be pulling out all the stops in the search for victory this weekend. It will have a highly potent double lineup this week, Khun Jack Lemvard and Khun Akihiro Asai, and these two hotshots will have much-improved Lamborghini power behind them and should be amongst the favourites for victory.
Both drivers ran in Class 2-GTM during the season opener but Khun Jack was at the wheel of his aged Porsche which very clearly isn’t up to the demands of this category any longer while the Japanese driver was switched at the very last minute from Class 3-GTC and his unsorted Lamborghini stuttered all weekend. Khun Jack now drops the 997 and joins Khun Akihiro in a two-strong Gallardo LP520 lineup entered by Vattana Motorsport.
With a successful afternoon’s testing at Bira Circuit last Saturday behind them and the two machines now more sorted, they should be able to show their talent much better. Expect both drivers to be on the podium and pushing for the top step – if the cars are fully sorted and reliable. Certainly both Khun Jack and Khun Akihiro were in a very positive frame of mind after the test. Already, race fans are relishing the prospect of Khun Jack and Khun Kantasak disputing track position in a Lamborghini and a Ferrari respectively.
Then there is B-Quik Racing. The team endured a difficult start to the year at the season opener although new signing Khun Daniel Bilski bagged a podium on his first race in Thailand. However Khun Henk J. Kiks suffered a double DNF with mechanical issues in the Audi R8 LMS Cup. He was one of the pre race favourites after showing a blistering pace when TSS visited Buriram at the end of last year and the team reported yesterday that they had identified the fault and the parts have been replaced.
Meanwhile, Khun Daniel, driving the team’s venerable Porsche 997 GT3 Cup, is no slouch either and will have his eye on more podium glory. Both B-Quik drivers were on the track yesterday as they kicked their week off early. The Audi was swiftly turning in the pace that Khun Henk showed with it here last November and that means he should be pushing for the podium.
There are a few more Porsches to look out for this weekend. With two races now under his belt Khun Suttiluck Buncharoen should be much more at home in the 997 that Khun Kantasak drove last year and Khun Shuipang Kanjanapas is steadily improving race-by-race and will benefit from getting more cockpit time in the Painkiller Racing 997.
Meanwhile the Team NZ entry is slated to be driven this weekend by Khun Graeme Dowsett who missed the opening races with a back injury – he will be making his TSS debut.
Also look out for Khun Bhisanu Bhusitarnuntakul in the unique Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo; he debuted the car at the opening races of the year and will be looking to make further progress with the ‘one make’ racecar.
Preview: Super Car Class 3-GTC
After the first two races of the year just 7 points separate the top five drivers in the championship and that really reflects the success of the newest Super Car category – there are so many potential winners to choose from.
Thanks to two quick and consistent drives, Khun Sontaya Kunplome leads the points standings coming into this weekend. Third in the first race back in May, he went one place better in the second to grab the early championship advantage in his Porsche 997 GT3 Cup.
Khun Sontaya has a slender four-point cushion over Vattana Motorsport’s Khun Settasit Boonyakiat who claimed a P5 and P2 during his debut weekend in the team’s Ferrari 430 Challenge. This car won the inaugural Class 3-GTC title last year in the hands of Khun Akihiro Asai but the Japanese driver’s sudden elevation to Class 2-GTM left the car free and Khun Settasit, who drives for the team in Super Production, jumped in to fill the space. He will be back in the Prancing Horse racecar this week and looking to push to the front as he will now be much more comfortable with mid engine power.
Khun Settasit’s teammate, Khun Narasak Ittritpong, will also be back in the Mitsubishi Evo and he will be hoping that the sporadic unreliability of this ‘carbon edition’ racecar can be put behind him. He picked up no points in May but clearly this driver, who is amongst the most talented racers in Thailand, is a potential winner if this fast-but-fragile machine can stand the Buriram heat.
Just one point behind Khun Settasit comes Toyota’s experienced Team Manager Khun Suttipong Smittachartch. He will be looking for two more consistent drives in the factory-run 86 to build on his excellent start to the season.
On 20 points apiece are Khun Grant Supaphong (Mitsubishi Evo X) and Khun Naputt Assakul (Ginetta G55). These two drivers shared the wins between them in May but both suffered zero points scores in the other races and they were costly in terms of the championship table. Clearly they are two strong title favourites so long as their machines prove reliable – and that’s the big question mark for them.
Khun Grant’s Krating Daeng teammate, Khun Daychapon Toyingcharoen, is also a top runner, but his DNF in the final race in Buriram was also costly and just like Khun Grant he will be targeting helpings of points from both races to get his title challenge on track.
A Motorsport is stepping up its challenge in Class 3-GTC and will double its representation this week. Khun Kraingkrai Woraratanatham will be back in the team’s new BRZ which should be further improved for this event, including have a race-focused manual transmission to replace the production slush box he had to use on his debut, while longtime A Motorsport driver Khun Pinet Piyaoui returns after a year out to drive the team’s third-generation Impreza hatchback which has stood virtually idle for a couple of seasons. Driver and car should be in good shape to make the podium.
Preview: Super 2000
Khun Jack Lemvard kicked off his long awaited chase for Super 2000 title glory with a clean sweep at the season opener in May to open out a 13-point advantage at the top. However that means he’s zoomed straight up to the maximum ballast limit and that’s going to make the BMW quite a handful around Buriram. Rather it looks like Khun Jack may have to focus on locking down the highest scores he can although for a driver who has never shown much interest in second places, expect to see some heroics as he manhandles the E90 as far as it can go – and then a someway beyond that.
Vattana sprung a surprise last week when it announced that Khun Narasak Ittritpong would drive the team’s Honda Civic FD. The car has been idled for a couple of years; it last graced the Super 2000 grid in the hands of Khun Jack at Bangsaen in 2013. It’s a fast car though and couple it to a quick and intelligent driver that knows the characteristics of ‘FD’ inside out and the potential for an upset is likely.
A bid for victory is much less likely on the Saturday as Khun Narasak will have a weight penalty for his late entry, but for Sunday he should be unleashed and he certainly has to be one of the favourites for victory. Vattana Motorsport leads the Teams’ standings after the first rounds so playing for points is going to come into it and Khun Narasak can also help Khun Jack’s push for the Drivers’ title so who gets let off the leash and when remains to be seen, the bigger picture is going to be prevailing for this team.
While Vattana has assembled a very strong lineup they aren’t going to have it their own way, not just form the ballast angle but there are some very quick drivers out there. Based on form in the first rounds Khun Pasarit Phromsombat has to be a contender for victory.
The reigning Super Production champion made a perfect start to his full Super 2000 graduation with a P2 and P3 from the two races, leading and being in the front running action the whole weekend. His first win isn’t far away and at present he looks like the driver most likely to challenge Khun Jack for the title. His Honda DC5 also boasts some new front end aero upgrades for this week.
Khun Munkong Sathienthirakul is proving to be a consistent pacesetter in Super 2000, he should continue to thrive at the front of the overall pack (he’s also already opened out a useful early lead in Class B) while his teammate, Khun Ekprawat Petcharak is hoping to get better equipped for the podium battle as he believes his unique Civic EB will be able to deliver its full power this weekend.
Singha Cosmo TT Motorsport has a couple of very quick drivers on its roster. Khun Kittpol Pramoj Na Ayudhya is rapidly turning into one of Thailand’s top touring car drivers and not content with the battle for Class B honours he was in the thick of the action at the front in Buriram. He’s also prepared to roll his sleeves up and fight tough at close quarters – vital ingredients if you are going to succeed in Super 2000. But business commitments mean he will only arrive in time for Sunday’s Race 2 – certainly though expect nothing less than a fast fight up from the back of the grid. His teammate Khun Rudolf Yu has established himself as a top name in touring cars here in just a few races and he will be looking for a podium.
Toyota Team Thailand didn’t enjoy a promising start to the season back in May and the factory outfit will be looking forward to getting their challenge for the podium back on track this week. Khun Chen Jian Hong will as usual lead out the challenge in the #58 Altis racer while his new teammate Khun Pure Hongsapan will be entering his second event with the team in Super 2000 and should be getting more to grips with the car and so look for him to build on the flashes of promise he showed first time out.
Much is expected of Team Eakie’s brand-new Toyota 86, which it’s developing for especially Super 2000, particularly as it’s in the hands of one of Thailand’s fastest young drivers, Khun Kantadhee Kusiri. The car was straight out of the box last time out and teething problems plagued it all weekend, although there were clear signs of promise.
Team Owner Khun Anothai Eamlumnow reported earlier this week that they have resolved the mechanical issues that arose in Buriram, which was in effect a ‘shakedown’ run. The 86 should now be closer to the pace so expect Khun Kantadhee to be knocking on the door of the action at the business end of the race.
Khun Jakthong Navasoopanich was a front-runner back in May and performed one of his trademark fights up through the field after a lowly starting position in his Toyota Altis. He has to be a good bet for a podium finish if all goes well, while his Speedbuster Ducati Chiang Mai teammate Khun Paritat Bulbon will be looking for better all round pace from his unique turbodiesel VW Golf after a less rewarding opening weekend.
In Super 2000 Class C the early title advantage has gone to Khun Jetsada Yangpichit and he will be looking to defend that points lead this weekend. There were quite a few drivers that didn’t have a very good start to the year at the season opener and who should be up to the pace this week – and that means Super 2000 is brewing up for some cracking fights across the classes.
Preview: Super Pickup
The long running truck category looks set for a renaissance as new drivers pitch up, old stars return and new machines and teams arrive in the paddock. Khun Songsak Kornsirisuepsakun and Khun Aekaluck Nakkerd took a win apiece in May and the former driver heads the overall points standings (as well as Class B) at this early stage in the season thanks to him also nabbing the runners up spot in the other race.
A second and third place for returning former champion Khun Jaras Jaengkamolkulchai puts him into third in the standings with this trio covered by just eight points. Khun Pete Thongchua might have departed after throttling the life out of the truck category in recent seasons but Khun Phisit Netdechathanasit is still flying the flag for Innovation Motorsport and a P3 and P4 overall keeps him in fourth place and the joint leader in Class B.
Class C also looks to be set for an exciting season and the arrival of the slick Krating Daeng Racing Team in the truck category looks set to push reviving standards higher. The famous team has blooded two new drivers not just to pickups but also to racing, Khun Songkran Yamamura and Phillip Massoud. The former bagged a win on his debut and both look to have a lot of potential to unlock. This is a team that’s used to winning so expect rapid progress as it gets the most out of its new Isuzu D-Max trucks.
While the menacing black Krating Daeng trucks grabbed a lot of attention back in May, it’s Khun Peerawat Pajeeyachart who arrives this week in Buriram as the Class C leader thanks to his first and fourth places during the opener.
Preview: Super 1500
The 2014 Super Production vice-champion and 2013 champion, Khun Kajornsak Na Songkhla has switched to Super 1500 for this year and he made a very impressive start in the category as a win and a runners up spot from the opening two races of the year gives him an 11 point lead in the championship coming into this weekend. He’s an experienced driver who knows how to both win races and maximise point scores so it’s going to be tough to dislodge him from the top of the standings.
But there are plenty of drivers who will fancy their chances and they start with Khun Nuttapong Lertlumprasertkul, he’s on 20 points and that’s thanks to his win in the second race back in May. However a DNF in the first race was costly and he will be looking to bounce back and outscore Khun Kajornsak.
Sandwiched between them is Khun Teerasak Sakphaet, he bagged two third places at the opener to move up to 24 points and a couple more podiums this weekend will certainly keep him right in the overall title action. However of more importance to Khun Teerasak is Class C where he’s the pacesetter, claiming a double win in May to arrive here this week with 40 points and a very useful 15 points clear of his closest rival.
There are plenty of other drivers that will be shooting for the top spots over the next few days and they include Khun Isara Limthanetkul and Khun Komkrit Lertlumprasertkul (runner up in Race 1 back in May).
They’re currently in joint place fourth in the championship standings with 15 points apiece, which puts them one point ahead of Khun Naratip Kerdchuay and three points clear of Khun Wichaiyut Meesai, while this latter pair of drivers are also second and third in the Class C standings respectively.
There could be a surprise last entry into Super 1500 from Innovation Motorsport who have brought the petrol-powered Mazda2 sedan they ran in Super Production last year with them, as well as their two new diesel racers. The team reports that they will make a decision after today’s practice sessions whether to run one of the ‘2014’ cars in Super 1500 this weekend; it’s going to depend on how the development of their new diesel cars is progressing.
Preview: Super Production
The ‘production’ category has a longstanding reputation for providing the closest racing action in Thailand. Last year was a classic as Khun Kajornsak Na Songkhla and Khun Pasarit Phromsombat fought it out all year and the title was decided on the last green flag lap of the season-closing second race in Bangsaen. They traded places at the top of the standings all season and at the end the gap was just 1 point, final advantage going to the latter driver.
Both these drivers have moved on this year, Khun Kajornsak to Super 1500 and Khun Pasarit to Super 2000, but on the basis of the opening round of the year Super Production has unleashed a new wave of drivers to take their place. In fact coming into this week the top three are covered by just 4 points.
The early advantage goes to Khun Thanasit Bhunyatharanonth in the Tein Honda Jazz. It’s now finished in a new green and white livery and its experienced driver nabbed the bottom step of the podium in the first race back in May and they climbed to the to step in the second. That gives him 28 points and means he is just a single point clear of Khun Chattraphol Jiemvijid who claimed a second and third place. Khun Thanasit is also the joint leader of Class B. Just two points back is Khun Sirisak Manthugumphol who has stepped his pace up for the new season with a third and a fourth place; he’s also equal leader in the Class B points standings.
Next up are two more drivers with their eye on the title, Khun Thomas Raldorf (22 points) and Khun Settasit Boonyakiat (20 points). The Dane suffered contact and a spin in the first race in Buriram but still recovered well to collect 10 points and he followed that up with third place in the second race while the OMP Vattana Motorsport driver won the first race of the year but had a DNF in the second, thanks to car problems, and that was costly to him.
Behind them come two drivers who have switched from Super 1500 to Super Production this year, Khun Tony Percy (14 points) and Khun Anon Rodprasert (7 points). They both picked up points in both races in May and will be looking to continue that form.
Equal with Khun Anon is Team Eakie’s Khun Thirakon Rungravi, the top lady driver in the overall standings. Also look out for Khun Poomee Phromatham, the reigning Super Eco champion who has graduated to Super Production this year. He didn’t get the results he really wanted at the opener but showed plenty of promise and with his first experience of this category and with more kilometres behind the wheel of his brand new Honda Jazz GK, he should be knocking on the door of the top runners this weekend.
Class C is a hotbed of emerging talent and Khun Thanawat Wongnapachant has quickly marked himself down as one to look out for as the RMI Racing Team driver banged in two emphatic wins in Buriram to open out a 15-point cushion at the top of the standings.
Second and third in the Class C points standings after the opening race are locked down by two fast lady drivers, Khun Tachapan Vijittranon (25 points) and Khun Nattanid Leewattanavaragul (18 points). Both ladies collected a runner up spot in May and in fact scored points in both races.
However Khun Tachapan was driving Innovation Motorsport’s petrol Mazda2 that was used last year as the team was only able to complete one new-generation Mazda2 diesel in time for the opening race and that went to Khun Michael Freeman. Now they have the second car built up and Khun Tachapan will switch to that machine, which is still in the earliest stages of development and that means she is likely to be much further back in the Class C running order this race.
Look out for Khun Phongthep Wachirarungruang (18 points) too, he’s new to Super Production but claimed a double Class C podium in May and will be looking to build on that.
The top five in the Class C standings is completed by Khun Ray McDonald who has changed teams and cars this year, joining TT Motorsport for a shot at Super Production, another driver to have made the switch over from Super 1500. His new car wasn’t ready for the season opener but he still claimed third place in the second race.
Then comes Khun Anusorn Asiralertsiri in the BBR Honda City. He’s expected to be one of the Class C title favourites and needs to claw back lost ground this weekend if he’s to get himself on track for a shot at the crown after only claiming 12 points from the two races so far, a DNF in Race 2 proving very costly in points terms.
Preview: Super Eco
With a win and a second place from the first round of the year Khun Konpichit Toyingcharoen (Suzuki Swift) has set himself up as the driver to beat this weekend and he’s already opened up a 10 point gap at the top of the standings which his rivals need to quickly claw back before it gets any bigger.
The irrepressible Khun Naruchit Kiatmaneesri (Honda Brio) was a model of consistency at the opener and his P2 and P3 gives him 25 points to the Krating Daeng driver’s 35. Meanwhile the other driver to record a win this year, Khun Supong Khamtonwong (Swift) is just four points back from the Team Donut driver as, while he picked up a maximum score of 20 points in the first race, he only added a single point for tenth place in the second race to his weekend’s tally.
Lookout too for Khun Kmik Karnasuta (Brio). The 15-year-old ‘star of the future’ finally took the checkered flag first at the season opener, but was later excluded from the final classification. The youngster’s first win isn’t far away and it could well come this weekend, certainly he will be pushing hard for P1.