Tee-Anupap Secures Podium Finish at Home Race on Yamaha YZF-R6 in ARRC Buriram Competition
Thai rider Tee-Anupap Samun finished third at the ARRC Buriram round on Saturday, narrowly missing victory by 0.141 seconds in the SuperSport 600cc class at his home circuit.
The second round of the 2026 Asia Road Racing Championship's qualifying race took place on Saturday, May 9th at Chang International Circuit in Buriram province, with enthusiastic cheers from Thai motorsports fans filling the venue.
The focus was on Thai riders from Yamaha Thailand Racing Team competing for podium positions. In the SuperSport 600cc class, Tee-Anupap Samun, riding his YAMAHA YZF-R6 number 500, started from the front grid before competing over 12 full race laps under intense heat—a significant test of tire management and pace maintenance throughout the race.
Tee-Anupap made an excellent start and rode according to his planned strategy with discipline, staying close to the leading group before launching his attack in the final three laps. He moved into the lead in the race's final lap but ultimately crossed the finish line in third place with a combined time of 20 minutes 6.544 seconds, securing a podium finish at his home race just 0.141 seconds behind the winner.
In the Asia Production 250cc class over 10 laps, Idea Kritpat Khuankham, a rising Thai talent from Yamaha Thailand Racing Team, started from pole position and maintained his position at the front throughout the race. Despite his YAMAHA YZF-R3 number 39 having its engine limited to 200 RPM lower per racing regulations—making speed maintenance on straightaways more challenging—Idea-Kritpat managed the race excellently, crossing the finish line in fifth place with a combined time of 18 minutes 49.677 seconds, just 0.982 seconds behind the winner, while solidly maintaining his championship position.
Meanwhile, Gas Thiernai Taptim, a rising talent competing on a wild card for his second race of the season, started from 12th grid position and steadily improved his pace, climbing toward the leading group in the race's final stages before crossing the finish line in sixth place, only 1.054 seconds behind the winner.
The second round of the 2026 Asia Road Racing Championship will continue with its second race on Sunday, May 10th, with the Asia Production 250cc class starting at 14:10, broadcast live on PPTV HD 36 and online through the Asia Road Racing Championship page.
