Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Suzuki factory test rider Akira Ryo, riding the GSV-R MotoGP Prototype, finished first in round two of the All-Japan Road Race Championship held on Sunday, May 12 at the 1.294-mile, eight-turn Tsukuba Circuit near Tokyo, Japan. But because Prototype machines race in the non-points-paying exhibition class, the actual race win was credited to Team Cabin Honda’s Makato Tamada, who crossed the finish line in third overall on his factory Honda RC51. Finishing second was the second Suzuki GSV-R Prototype, ridden by Yukio Kagayama, 0.089-second behind Ryo. After turning the fastest lap of the race, a 0:57.103 on lap nine of 30, Tamada was 3.480 seconds behind Ryo at the finish.

The fastest lap among the Prototype class entries, for the second time, was turned by Akira Yanagawa, a 0:57.155 on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP prototype bike. Yanagawa crossed the line in fourth place overall. The fastest qualifier, for the second time, was Ryo, with a 0:56.340.

The next round of the All-Japan series is scheduled for May 26 at the Suzuka Circuit. Sources in Japan say that Tadayuki Okada is expected to race, as a test for the Suzuka 8-hour race later this year.

All-Japan Road Race Championship Race Two Results:

1. Akira Ryo, Suzuki GSR-V, Prototype, 30 laps

2. Yukio Kagayama, Suzuki GSR-V, Prototype, -0.089 seconds

3. Makoto Tamada, Honda RC51, Superbike, -3.480 seconds

4. Akira Yanagawa, Kawasaki ZX-RR, Prototype, -6.454 seconds

5. Wataru Yoshikawa, Yamaha YZF-R7, Superbike, -7.012 seconds

6. Atsushi Watanabe, Suzuki GSX-R750, Superbike, -8.591 seconds

7. Tamaki Serizawa, Tornado S-1, Prototype, -11.564 seconds

8. Takeshi Tsujimura, Yamaha YZF-R7, Superbike, -12.332 seconds

9. Keijchi Kitagawa, Suzuki GSX-R1000, Prototype, -14.838 seconds

10. Ryuji Tsuruta, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, Superbike, -35.438 seconds