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Collin Matiza
Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE’S junior motocross champion rider Emmanuel Bako is slowly monopolising the 85cc ProMini Class in South Africa.
Bako (14), who has been riding in the South African circuit since the beginning of the year, chalked up another impressive victory in the 85cc ProMini Class during the second round of the 2021 Northern Regions Championship at Sandrax in Sasolburg on Saturday.
Coming up against some of South Africa’s top junior motocross riders at this one-day regional event, Bako wagged his tail vigorously as he took holeshots in both heats and never looked back as he gapped and even lapped them, coming first overall for the day.
Bako scooped 50 points and is now leading in the championship, as he continues to cause ripples in the South African junior motocross circuit.
“I really enjoyed my riding today as my bike never gave me any problems and I would like to thank God for giving me this opportunity to ride in South Africa almost on a weekly basis and I would also like to thank my main sponsor Scott Sakupwanya of Better Brands Jewellery and Fuchs Silkolene Zimbabwe for their support,” Bako told The Herald after Saturday’s race meeting at Sandrax.
Bako is now a household name in the South African motocross circuit where he has won almost all the races he has competed in this year. He opened his campaign in South Africa with a fine win in the first round of the 2021 Mayfair Gearbox Inland Championship at Dirt Bronco in Krugersdorp on January 30.
Bako then had a slight blip in the opening round of the 2021 South African National Championship series at Terra Topia just outside Johannesburg on February 20 where he finished third in the ProMini Class.
But he was soon back to his winning ways when he swept to victory in the second round of the Mayfair Gearbox Inland Championship series at the same venue on February 27 to tighten his grip at the top of the ProMini Standings in this regional event.
On March 6, Bako took part in the second round of the 2021 Free State Regional Championship at Harrismith and claimed another top step on the podium after beating a strong field of 13 riders as he continued to take South African riders to the cleaners.
And on Saturday, Bako was at it again, coming out tops in the ProMini Class in the second round of the Northern Regions Championship at Sandrax.
The young Zimbabwean rider is expected to take part in one more regional event before he travels to Port Elizabeth where he will compete in the second round of the South African National Championship at Rover on April 3.
He is expected to be joined at Rover by young Zimbabwean dirt bike rider, Riley Rocher, who competes in the 65cc Class.
Rocher finished 17th in the 65cc Class during the opening round of the South African Nationals at Terra Topia on February 20 where there was a strong field of 28 riders in this junior section.
This was not bad at all for Rocher, considering that he didn’t train well back home in Zimbabwe as most motorsport events were frozen in this country due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
Rocher and Bako are now expected to take part in the second round of the South African Nationals at Rover on April 3, followed by Welkom on May 22, and back to Gauteng for the July 3 round at the brand new Legends motocross track.
Then it’s down to Zone 7 in Cape Town on September 18, Bloemfontein on October 23, and the November 20 finale in Pietermaritzburg.
Online Reporter