The Guam Racing Federation held its 25th running of the largest off road event in the Pacific the Shell Miller Lite Smokin Wheels’ this past April 13th through the 16th. The event included rock crawling, mud drags and an obstacle course for the 4x4 enthusiasts. Motocross and endurance racing were also a part of the event and included both motorcycle and atv classes. The asphalt racers were also a part with both Friday and Saturday night quarter mile bracket racing. Guam’s chapter of the SCCA put on an auto-x race on Saturday and did a drifting competition on Sunday. The main event of the weekend was the 3 hour truck and buggy off road endurance race held on Sunday with thousands of spectators on hand for the entire weekends events. $5 dollars got you into the gates and children under 12 got in for free. Thanks to the support of the Guam Visitors Bureau, Kyowa Shipping along with dozens of other fine businesses this years event was one of the most successful Smokin Wheels’ events ever.
ATV events
The Japan All Terrain Vehicle Association, JATVA, had sanctioned and scheduled Guam to run in conjunction with the Smokin Wheels’ round two of their own Japan national championship series and had arrived to the island of Guam with eight 40 foot containers packed with atv’s and racing equipment. With over a 130 JATVA members on hand the pits and the atv events were dominated by the Japan contingent. With two scheduled events a Saturday motocross and a Sunday 2 hour endurance to compete in.
Open Pro Motocross Heat one
On a clear cool tropical 85 degree Saturday night and under the bright stadium lights of the Jose and Hermenia Calvo Memorial Off Road Park the open pro machines from both Guam and Japan lined up for the 7pm start of the first of two 10 minute heats. The course was about a minute in length and was filled with doubles and table tops. As the gates dropped Japans #2 Hiromasa Kitada racing a specially prepared team 356 Racing Yamaha yfz-450 grabbed the holeshot and led the field of pros around the course. Running in second was Japan #4 Takahiro Saso aboard a Honda 450 with Guam #1 Robert Bucek aboard the Cycles Plus Shell Suzuki 450 running in third but being challenged hard by Japan #1 Seiya Sakuma riding a Suzuki 450. Within just a few turns Seiya Sakuma had passed Bucek and had quickly put on a challenge for second. Saso was not giving up the position with out a fight. Saso and Seiya bumped and flew side by side over the 75 foot double bringing the crowd to its feet as the two Japan racers were neither letting up as they attacked a long difficult section of tables and doubles side by side. Seiya coming out of the long section had managed to pull away just enough to control the inside line of the upcoming left hand corner to make the pass for second on Saso stick. Mean while the leader Kitada had pulled a huge lead on the rest of the field. With half of the first heat complete Seiya running in second blasted around the course putting on an arial display that had everyone gasping as he quickly reeled in the leader Kitada. Kitada receiving a signal took a few glances over his shoulder as he flew over the 75 foot double and began to pour on the gas in an attempt to get to the checkers before Seiya could over take him. Seiya looked fast and focused and if the race would have been even a minute longer he may have made the pass for the win but it wasn’t so Japans Yamaha mounted Kitada took the heat one win with Seiya taking second, Saso third, Bucek fourth and Hiroshi Kobiyashi in fifth.
Heat two
Out of the gate on the start of heat two the reigning Open Pro Japan national champion Seiya Sakuma launched his #1 Suzuki Ltr 450 to an incredible holeshot and then proceeded to pull away from the rest of the field whipping his quad in the air over many of the jumps as if it was a feather. Heat one winner Hiromasa Kitada had managed to pull into a comfortable second place and was on the gas. Battling for third was Honda mounted Japan rider #4 Takahiro Saso and Guam’s reigning champ #1 Robert Bucek aboard the Cycles Plus Shell Ltr 450 Suzuki. With Saso holding on to third Bucek challenged repeatedly in an attempt to take the third place position. It was a dog fight between the two rivals as Saso’s feet were flying of the pegs at times in his attempt to stay in front of the challenging Bucek. Bucek pulled along side on several occasions but the fearless Saso was not to be denied the final spot on the podium as he shut down Bucek as he attempted a final last corner block pass that failed and allowed Saso enough room to take the third place position at the checkers. Taking first place was Seiya Sakuma giving him a first place overall for the event. Taking second in the heat and second overall for the event was Hiromasa Kitada. Saso took third overall. Bucek took fourth with Kobayashi rounded out the top five overall.