21 / 26
REGIONAL & NATIONAL
The TCR Thailand series began at
Buriram’s Chang International Circuit,
where Honda and SEAT claimed one
win apiece.
On Saturday, Chariya Nuya dominated
the first race at the wheel of the
Billionaire Boy Racing Honda Civic,
but in the Sunday race he had to
bow to Kittipol Pranoj Na Ayudhya, a
newcomer to the series who drives a
SEAT León run by Singha Motorsport
Thailand.
Race 1 – Pole sitter Nattachak
Hanjitkasen stalled at the start and
was passed by Pasarit Promsombat.
However Nuya managed to take the
lead from Promsombat during the
first lap and pulled away. Behind
him, there was a close fight for
second between Promsombat,
Hanjitkasen, lady driver Nattanid
Leewattanavaragul and Rattanin
Leenutaphong. Eventually,
Promsombat claimed the second
position ahead of Hanjitkasen, while
Leenutaphong overtook
Leewattanavaragul for fourth. After
the race Leenutaphong was demoted
to sixth by a 30-second time penalty
for a jump-start.
Race 2 – The track was wet after a
morning shower and
Leewattanavaragul made the best
start from second on the grid. Again
Nuya came from the third row and
stole the lead from the Morin Racing
lady before the end of the first lap.
On lap 2, Leewattanavaragul went
wide at the last turn and dropped to
fourth, behind Kittipol Pranoj and
Hanjitkasen.
It seemed as though Nuya was on his
way to encore his Saturday success,
but in the second part of the race
and on a drying track, Pranoj closed
in on him. The two final laps saw the
pairing locked in a close battle.
Eventually, Pranoj overtook Nuya a
few turns from the end and won by
only three tenths of a second.
Hanjitkasen took third ahead of
Leewattanavaragul.
Next event: Rounds 3 & 4, Bangsaen,
1/2 July.
21
Honda and SEAT win one apiece
Results
Buriram, Round 1, Saturday 29 April
1. Chariya Nuya (Honda Civic); 2.
Pasarit Promsombat (SEAT León); 3.
Nattachak Hanjitkasen (Honda Civic)
Buriram, Round 2, Sunday 30 April
1. Kittipol Pramoj Na Ayudhya (SEAT
León); 2. Chariya Nuya (Honda Civic);
3. Nattachak Hanjitkasen (Honda
Civic)