Cuki widens lead in Expert Class

Expert Class’ Cuki Alvarez gets some airtime aboard his Yamaha YZ125cc during Marianas Racing Association’s June 2021 Point Series Race last Sunday at the CowTown Raceway Park in Marpi. (Joseph Chin)

Cuki Alvarez showed no ill effects of a multi-vehicle accident he figured in earlier this month to win anew the Expert Class of the Marianas Racing Association’s 2021 Point Series Race.

The 50-year-old topped the two races aboard his two-stroke Yamaha YZ125cc held last Sunday at the CowTown Raceway Park in Marpi and finished with 50 points to hike his division-leading total to 264 points.

Barring a complete collapse in the season-ending race next month on July 27, Alvarez is assured to take the checkered flag of the Expert Class of this year’s Points Series Race of MRA.

“All I have to do is place in the Top 3 and I should clinch the title and win the championship for the 2021 season,” he said.

Alvarez also considered himself lucky that he’s in good health after he and Frank “The Crank” Camacho were involved in multi-vehicle accident in Los Angeles, California, a few days before the latter was supposed to see action in the Ultimate Fighting Championship 263. Alvarez serves as Camacho’s cornerman.

“I came back all in one piece! Virtually unscathed,” he said.

The veteran motocross rider acknowledged that the season is long and slow and steady and safe is a better strategy now that he’s entering his fourth decade in his motocross career.

Devin Yumul, seen here aboard his KTM56cc, won the Mini 1 Class in Marianas Racing Association’s 2021 Point Series Race last Sunday at the CowTown Raceway Park in Marpi. (Joseph Chin)

“I’ve been racing motocross for well over 35 years and at 50,  of course I am not as crazy as I used to be. Now it’s all about racing smart and maintaining good positions to get the most points. Kind of like course management in golf. Since I race with all these younger and more aggressive riders in the Expert Class, I rely more on being smooth and consistent.  Lots of times it works to my advantage because the other racers get tired or slide out and wipe out because they try to go too hard. My strategy is to finish the race and ride smarter, not harder,” he said.

It also helps that Saipan has seen several more inches of rain these past couple of weeks, which translates to ideal to perfect conditions to the eyes of every motocross rider including Alvarez.

“CowTown is a very naturally dusty track because of the fine dirt texture. This rain has benefitted us as racers because it helped pack the track and so totally kept down the dust and made the track ‘tacky’ or gave it more traction,” he said.

Alvarez’s two sons—Alverick and Shane—proved the apple didn’t fall far from the tree as they came in tied for second in the Expert Class in last Sunday’s race. That gave them 42 points each in the race, but only Alverick has enough points to make it to the Top 3 overall and is in second place with 233 points. Third place overall is occupied by Franklin Santos, who wound up with 32 points last Sunday and 216 points overall.

In the Mini 1 Class, Devin Yumul continued to rule the roost by winning the twin races also last Sunday and added 50 points to his season-leading 287 points overall. He rides a KTM56cc. Stanley Iakopo Jr. and Vicente Palacios came in second and third, respectively, with scores of 44 and 40 points. Harley Susulin is second overall with 230 points, followed by Iakopo’s 197.

More impressive was Michael Camacho’s sixth straight win in the Mini 2 Class last Sunday that gave him another 40 points and a perfect score of 300 points for the season. Second place last Sunday and overall was Ethan Yumul (44 and 264), while third place was Audie Scott Iakopo with 40 points. Mariana Alvarez is third overall in the Mini Class 2 with 214 total points.

Results of the Power Puff, Big Boy ATV, Mini ATV, Peewee ATV, Pewee 2, Peewee 1, Veterans, and Novice divisions will be published in the next issues of Saipan Tribune.