It’s been a busy day in the paddock of MXGP today with all the mechanics, staff and pit crew working hard to get everything prepared and ready for tomorrow, day one of MXGP round two in Si Racha, Thailand. While most people had their hands full, Youthstream organized a media opportunity for all MXGP and MX2 riders to race each other in a traditional Thai Tuk-Tuk. This unique opportunity was also open for the photographers and journalists of MXGP to snap some shots of all the riders messing about and having a good time.
The MXGP Tuk-Tuk Championship started with a bang, quite literally, when Wilvo Forkrent KTM’s Mattis Karro came into a hairpin too hot and rolled the poor Tuk-Tuk on the training laps. Kemea Yamaha Racing’s Petar Petrov, who was in the back seat of Karro’s Tuk-Tuk at the time, was gifted his adrenaline spike of the day, but luckily no harm was done and everyone managed to laugh it off. With one Tuk-Tuk down, the officials running the MXGP Tuk-Tuk race opted to change the circuit from an oval ring race to a 200m straight-line drag race in order to protect the Tuk-Tuk’s, as well as the riders. Nevertheless, it proved to be just as fun with the riders holding those things pinned for the full 200m.
After a series of ‘knock-out’ rounds, the riders had dwindled down to four teams of two, for the Semi-Finals. TM Ricci Racing’s Davide Guarneri and Tanel Leok were up against Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Todd Waters and Pascal Rauchenecker while 24MX Honda’s Xavier Boog and Honda JTech’s Klemen Gercar were up against HM Plant KTM UK’s Shaun Simpson and Mel Poccock. With the settling of the thick blue smoke produced by the tiny old 200cc scooter engines, it was Teams Waters/Rauchenecker and Boog/Gercar who had won their Semi-Final heats and were able to proceed to the Finals.
In the Final race of the day, both teams revved their tired engines as they waited for MXGP’s TV Host Amy Dargan to wave the green flag. Finally, with the waving of the flag, both teams were pedal to the metal putting it all on the line for the prestigious title of MXGP Tuk-Tuk Champion. As they approached the 100m mark, both teams Boog/Gercar and Waters/Rauchenecker were neck and neck, but thanks to a lane swap by Boog/Gercar and a somewhat friendly nudge, Team Boog/Gercar was able to inch ahead and claim their first ever MXGP Tuk-Tuk Championship title.