Bandung's rider Dadang wins Gudang Garam Championships

TEGAL, Central Java (JP): Aep Dadang Supriatna from Bandung, West Java, reaffirmed his status as one of the country's top 125cc riders when he took out the opening round of the Gudang Garam Motocross National Championships yesterday.

Unchallenged from a field of 24 riders, including 14-year-old Adam Cini of Australia, Aep dominated in both moto one and moto two.

Aep -- who only gained his seniority status in late 1996 -- surged ahead of the field on his Honda, taking the lead from the more seasoned Johnny Pranatha from Surabaya, East Java, in the eighth lap of moto one.

He earned 20 points for finishing first in moto one and another 20 points after finishing ahead of the field in moto two.

Cini was among the top finisher in both races but being foreign rider racing in a national event he did not receive any points.

"Cini is a really good rider because he has had more chances to race at home in Australia. Even though he is younger than me he has had more hours on the track," Aep said during a post-race media briefing.

Aep, 20, who has been on the track since he was 16, said he would concentrate on motocross racing after finishing high school last year.

"I think I can make a living from the races. What I need now are more competitions either at home or abroad."

The economic crisis which has plagued Indonesia did not seem to deter local fans who flocked to the track, which is located some 10 kilometers east of the town. About 15,000 people attended the final day of the two-day event.

"I think this is a good indication for the next Gudang Garam motocross races which we plan to stage. I hope more spectators will come to the future events," Helmy Sungkar from Trendy Promo Mandiri, which organized the event, said.

Asep Sunandar, a spectator living 20 kilometers away from host town Tegal, said watching the event gave him a break from his daily routine in the village.

Finishing second in the opening round, on a Yamaha YZ, was last year's overall champion Irwan Ardiansyah from Yogyakarta. He collected 34 points, 17 from moto one and another 17 from moto two as he followed Aep to the finish line.

Third place was jointly shared by Johnny and Andi Suryanto from Yogyakarta, who each earned 28 points. Johnny picked up 13 points in moto one and 15 after taking third place in moto two. Andi collected 15 points and 13 points respectively.

Between the races, fans were entertained by a local band performing dangdut music on a large stage near the circuit,

Future Gudang Garam races will be held in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra (April 11 to April 12), Surakarta, Central Java (May 2 to May 3), Samarinda, East Kalimantan (Sept. 5 to Sept. 6) and Palu, Southeast Sulawesi (Oct. 3 to Oct. 4) before the race ends in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi (Oct. 10 to Oct. 11). (rsl)

Results

1. Aep Dadang Suprianta (Bandung) Honda PR 40 pts 2. Irwan Ardianysah (Yogyakarta) Yamaha YS 34 3. Johnny Pranatha (Surabaya) Suzuki RM 28 4. Andi Suryanto (Yogyakarta) Yamaha YS 28 5. Surya Sunarso (Yogyakarta) Yamaha YS 21