Cuki zooms to Expert Class title

On the podium from left, Alverick Alvarez, Cuki “The Janitor” Alvarez, and Patrick Togawa show off their trophies after their Top 3 finish in Marianas Racing Association’s 2021 Monster Energy Point Series Race while the rest of the Expert Class riders join them on stage during last Wednesday awards banquet at the Royal Taga Hall of Saipan World Resort. (Mark Rabago)

True to his moniker, Cuki “The Janitor” Alvarez swept the competition to win the Expert Class of the Marianas Racing Association’s 2021 Monster Energy Point Series Race held the last seven months at the CowTown Raceway Park in Marpi.

Alvarez and other division champions were feted Wednesday night during MRA’s end-of-season awards banquet at the Saipan World Resort’s Royal Taga Hall.

The veteran motocross rider finished with 309 overall points to beat out son Alverick Alvarez, who totaled 277 points. Patrick Togawa settled for third place with 232 points.

In the final race last Sunday, the elder Alvarez, aboard his trusty two-stroke Yamaha YZ125cc, finished tied in first place with his other son, Shane, to all but wrap up the Expert Class championship. Third place last Sunday went to Alverick, making the Expert Class’ final day of the 2021 season an Alvarez family affair.

For his win, Cuki took home $250, a first place trophy that could double as the No. 1 plate for next season, a medal, certificate, a plastic crate from True Value, and, more importantly an off-season’s worth of bragging rights. Alverick and Togawa also got trophies that double as No. 2 and No. 3 plates as well as medals, certificates, and cash prizes.

“It feels good knowing that I can still manage to win against these young fast guys. I have much more experience than them as far as years of racing is concerned. So I put my experience  to use and ride smarter, not harder. These young guys ride hard and fast and aggressive that they tend to make more mistakes than I do. So although we are all basically as fast as each other, speed-wise, I make less mistakes than they do and I am able to edge them out at the end,” he told Saipan Tribune when asked about his secret in winning MRA’s top division.

In the Mini 1 Class, Devin Yumul outclassed the competition with an overall score of 337 points. He was followed by the 266 points of Harley Susulin, while Stanley Iakopo Jr. completed the season’s Top 3 with 231 points. In Sunday’s final race, Yumul stamped his class anew by getting 50 first-place points, followed by Vicente Palacios’ 40 points and Susulin’s 36 points.

Yumul earned $250 points for his win, while Susulin and Iakopo got $150 and $100, respectively. They also took home trophies/plates, medals, and certificates for good measure.

In the Mini II Class, Michael Camacho was without peer with his 340 points. Ethan Yumul finished with 314 points followed by Mariana Alvarez with her 250 points. Yumul tried hard to overtake Camacho in the last race, earning top honors with 50 points, but the latter’s lead was just too big to surpass. Camacho was second in Sunday’s race and earned 40 points, while Alvarez was third with 36 points.

Like the Mini I, first, second, and third places in the Mini II also pocketed $250, $150, and $100, respectively in addition to trophies and numbered plates. All first place winners were given plastic crates courtesy of YCO True Value.

Results of the rest of the divisions—Power Puff, Big Boy ATV, Mini ATV, Pewee ATV, Pewee 1, Pewee 2, Invoice, and Veterans classes—will be published in the next week’s issues of Saipan Tribune.