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Collin Matiza, Harare Bureau
EMMANUEL Bako is on fire!

The 12-year-old Zimbabwean junior motocross sensation is taking no prisoners in the South African circuit this year as he posted his third straight victory in the 65cc Class Down South in the second round of the 2018 Northern Regions Championship series at the famous Dirt Bronco track in Krugersdorp on Saturday.

Coming up against 21 South African junior riders in the 65cc Class, Bako, a Grade Six pupil at Heritage School in Harare, ran his number 10 plate on his Husqvarna bike with pride and did it justice as he first came first in practice before settling for second place behind South Africa’s Barend du Toit in Heat 1.

Bako then upped his game in Heat 2 which he convincingly won ahead of South Africans Wian du Plooy and Lucas Venter to emerge as the overall winner of the 65cc Class.

Saturday’s second round of the South African Northern Regions’ new season was reminiscent of the opening round, which was held at Sand Trax in Sasolburg on February 3 where Bako also swept the board in the 65cc Class and took the premier position to set himself up well for success this year.

It rained heavily in the early morning of the day on Saturday and this turned the beautiful Dirt Bronco track muddy; and this played to the advantage of Bako who was just on fire as he didn’t give his South African rivals a ghost of a chance right from Heat 1 in the 65cc Class.

He opened up a huge gap from the gates in Heat 2 and was faster than all of his rivals by seven seconds as he won it without raising much of a sweat to take the first step on the podium with 47 points at the end of business on Saturday. Du Toit (44 points) and du Plooy (41 points) were placed second and third respectively.

Venter finished fourth overall with 40 points.

Bako is now leading South Africa’s Venter by 15 points in the 65cc Class standings after the opening two rounds of the 2018 South African Northern Regions Championship series.

He is also the early pacesetter in the 2018 South African National Championship series after he took the top honours in the 65cc Class during its  opening round at Rover in Port Elizabeth on February 17.

Bako’s fine form on Saturday was not only confined to the 65cc Class as he also took part in the 85cc (Juniors) Class and the big surprise was that he was also crowned the overall winner of this section.

Bako rode extremely well in the 85cc (Juniors) Class where he maintained a lead of 1.47 seconds per lap and was faster than his nearest rival by three seconds for his second number one place on the podium for the day. South Africa’s  Wesley McGavin came second ahead of fellow his countryboy Troy Muraour.

Speaking to our Harare Bureau after Saturday’s race meeting, Bako said he really feels good at the moment and was convinced that he will have a great season this year.

“I felt really good all weekend and especially on the new Husqvarna, the bike is really good, you can see that all the testing and work we put in during the off-season is paying off.

“I was pretty pumped up coming into this weekend because I knew we had some good practise sessions ahead of this event. To get the first step on the podium twice (in the 65cc and 85cc classes) is just amazing.

“I believe that through hard work everything is possible and thanks to my (Zimbabwean) trainer Stanley Mugiyo who is making sure that all my bikes are well set and many thanks to Grant Florey of Team Vision Racing Team of South Africa who is training me here in South Africa,” said Bako, who is sponsored locally by a borehole drilling company, Prolific Boreholes.

His father and manager, Brighton “Bucks” Bako, was also all smiles after Saturday’s race meeting at Dirt Bronco.

Brighton Bako said: “It is a lot better start than last year. Emmanuel has now won his first three race meetings in South Africa this season and being on a new bike this year it is cool and I look forward to what the rest of the season holds for him.”

Emmanuel Bako was not the only Zimbabwean rider in action at Dirt Bronco on Saturday. The country’s senior champion rider Jayden Ashwell took part in the main MX1 Class and rode solidly to finish sixth overall after coming third in Heat 2 behind two of South Africa’s top bikers Tristan Purdon and David Goosen.

Ashwell pushed hard to finish third in Heat 2 after he saw himself crossing the finish line in 10th place in Heat 1 of the day.

There were 14 riders in the MX1 Class and the first three places on the podium went to Purdon, Goosen and Kerim Fitzgerald with the next three positions going to Joshua Mlimi, Jason Visser and Zimbabwe’s Ashwell.

The third of the six-round 2018 South African Northern Regions Championship series is scheduled for June 9 at Terra Topia in Diepsloot (north Johannesburg).