2026 Race Blog – Year 10 – Here We Go Again!

[Mikku]

So off we go for another year of racing in the Land of the Rising Sun. As recently mentioned, this year could well see a change of race scene, but for the time being I plan to kick off the season doing KBU’s Winter Series in Osaka. Apparently the Oizumi track is going to be rebuilt, so the three-race series will take place at Osaka’s other track at Kishiwada. The first round is on 18th Jan, so I’m hoping my back has healed up fully before then, as I really don’t want to put myself out of action by doing too much too soon, which is what happened before Christmas in an over-enthusiastic session at the skate park. Live and learn – or not, as the case may be!

[Mikku]

It’s race day! But not for me, as my back is still not 100% which I would want it to be before riding a difficult track like Kishiwada. I have started riding again though, including some light sprinting, but am avoiding anything more strenuous including the skate park. Next race is on 8th Feb, so I have three weeks to get myself back on track, as it were.

[Mikku]

Yesterday's race was cancelled due to snow. My back's getting better, despite all of the snow shovelling over the past few weeks, so I was half-disappointed but half-relieved that I didn't have to drive all that way in the snow! Next race is on 15th March!

[Mikku]

The weather's looking good for the weekend, so I've entered Sunday's race in Osaka. My back's feeling ok-ish, so am going to do some sprint training today to see how it holds up.

[Mikku]

Made the trip down to Osaka yesterday for the third and final round of the winter race series and my first outing of the year. For whatever reason, there was a really small turnout with only 5 motos and 4 riders in the usually popular over 30s class. The good thing though was that all four of us are a similar-ish level, which made for some close racing. I blew away the cobwebs with a 3/3/4 to finish 3rd overall on total points. I was happy with that, especially as I nearly crashed not once but twice in the final moto, getting super out-of-shape over the first jump then tyre-buzzing the 2nd placed guy as I went for a gap that wasn’t there. Overall, though, a good day and a nice start to the season.

Next month I have the chance to race not once, not twice but three times at three different tracks, which should be fun but we'll see how things pan out.

[Mikku]

Was able to hit up the first of those three-in-a-month races yesterday - a small local race north of Tokyo. The track was super damp and slippery following Saturday rainfall, and I just didn’t have the confidence aka balls to do anything other than tiptoe around the berms, particularly the first. Moto after moto that meant losing a position or two in the first berm despite getting out the gate well. I therefore went 4/4/5 out of 6 riders. Disappointing but that’s the price of putting self-preservation first, so can’t really complain.

With racing done by lunch and fuel still left in the tank, I headed over to a much larger and thankfully drier track for an afternoon practice session. This is one of the most popular tracks in Japan, as evidenced by the number of cars in the parking area. Riders ranged from beginners to elite, and at one point I lined up on the gate next to a World #1! Talking of gates, I managed to get in some much-needed gate practice, all with a view to racing there later this month. That’ll be the third of the three April races, the second being a return trip to Osaka on the 19th.

[Mikku]

Was supposed to go to that second April race in Osaka on Sunday but life (aka moving preparations) got in the way of that. I could have gone but decided to save both time and money, and put the effort into sorting and clearing out house stuff instead!

That said, I'm driving down to Tokyo with a car-load of stuff on Thursday, so if the weather stays good and my back holds up, I plan to enter that third April race on Sunday. Fingers crossed!

[Mikku]

Am now in Tokyo and yesterday I swapped out the Maxxis tyres on my Quamen for the Vee Mk3s that were originally on my Sunday. That should better suit the track that I’ll hopefully be racing on tomorrow, though will see when I go for a practice session there this afternoon.

[Mikku]

Raced at the Shonan Speedway Cup on Sunday. The track is in Chiba, just northeast of Tokyo and is popular enough that they run an over 50s class - a rare thing in Japan despite the comparatively large number of us older racers! This time there were 11 riders divided into two racks of six and five.  I was in the second rack and went 3/4/4 over the three motos. At other tracks that would have qualified me for the main but here the top 7 go through and they run a “B” main for the rest, with the winner of that taking the final spot in the “A” main. Having qualified in 8th place, I had first gate pick and went for 3, with my main competition choosing 2. We were side by side for most of the first straight but I got beat into the first berm and slotted into second. Thereafter I couldn’t quite get close enough to make a move for the lead, so that’s how it finished. A little disappointing but at least I didn’t have to then race the “A” main, as my legs were shot!

Overall, a fun day of racing at what is going to be my local track from next month. Looking forward to it and also to returning to the Redline, as fun as the Quamen is to race.

[Mikku]

Headed up to Niigata on Wednesday (a national holiday here) for Round 1 of the JBA race series at Joetsu. A four-hour drive but it's one of my favourite places to race in Japan, so well worth the effort. I’ve been racing there for 7 years but with my pending move to Tokyo, it will be difficult to get there on a regular basis from now on, so it felt like a bit of a farewell race. Decent weather and a good turnout of regulars added to the sense of occasion, at least for me.

There were 10 riders in the 30 and over mixed class, split into two racks of five with the top four from each going into the main. After my recent outings on the Quamen, it was good to be back on the lighter and roomier Redline and I immediately felt faster than last month's races. That feeling translated to the motos and I went 3/3/2 to qualify for the main. With third pick I went for gate 4 and got out well, mixing it down the first straight and fighting for 3rd into the first berm. I lost that place down the second straight, then found myself battling for fourth. I got overtaken in the third straight, took that back by diving down the inside of the third berm but lost speed in the process and was re-passed coming out of the berm. That left me in 5th, which I kept to the line. A fun race and nice end to the day. That said, I stayed on after lunch for a gate session then some extra track practice, so I got my money’s worth. Talking of money, I also managed to sell some pedals and wheels, so that almost paid for the trip.

So that was my 4th race of the year - all at different tracks in different prefectures (counties) and on two very different bikes. I sell my car next week and move to Tokyo the week after, so am not sure where or when my next race will be, but will keep this blog updated with developments.