IMPERIOUS FARID UNCHALLENGED AS MSBK1000 CHAMPION
The torrential downpour that had deluged the Sepang International Circuit during the MSBK600 Race 3 had eased off by the time the MSBK1000 riders assembled on the grid. However, Race 3 for the premiere class still got off to a gingery start, with all the riders wary of the slippery surface.
Polesitter and newly minted MSBK1000 champion Farid Badrul sat as best of the rest throughout the 10-lap race which he completed with a time of 25’59.982s.
The returning Ian Dublin, having tamed the mechanical gremlins that stymied his bid for the podium in Race 2, made a strong comeback in Race 3 when he placed himself solidly in P2 behind Farid Badrul in the first half of the race.
STK A champion Shahrulnizam Ramli settled into P3, and held off from making any overt moves on Ian until Lap 7. As the racing line continued to dry up, Shahrulnizam closed in and passed Ian on Lap 8. The FTA Liqui Moly Racing Team rider proceeded to carve out a 2-second gap in front of Ian and kept the position up to the finish line. Ian Dublin contented himself with third place.
Further down the field, Liam Taylor MacDonald crossed the line in fourth followed by Mohd Harith Farhan. Khoo Chee Yen, Afique Danial Izzad, Osama Aburabu, Muhammad Hamzi and Nik Hadi Nik Mahmood made up the rest of the top-10 in Race 3.
The MSBK1000 featured as the show-closer for the 2019 Malaysia Superbikes Championship. Farid Badrul’s hopes for an easy ride to close out the season were foiled when Liam Taylor MacDonald denied him the race lead with a phenomenal ride in the first six laps.
Farid tried to take control on Lap 7 but found it hard to shake off a persistent and determined Liam. The 2019 MSBK1000 managed to pull a 1-second gap in the final lap, and stormed to the finish line to claim his seventh win of the season with 22’14.366s.
Liam ended his MSBK1000 debut on a creditable note. He joined Farid on the podium in second place while Ian Dublin took third place.
In the final points tally, Farid Badrul claimed the title with a whopping 235 points. Zulfahmi Khairuddin finished second overall while Khoo Chee Yen placed third on the standings with 127 points.
The SBK B title went to Nik Hadi Nik Mahmood. Shahrulnizam Ramli claimed the STK A crown and Daniel Haiqal was the champion of the STK B class.