Palacios gets 1st Intermediate Class win of 2024

Vicente “Beng” Palacios captured his first checkered flag in the Intermediate Class in the penultimate race of the 2024 “MOTO IV” Points Race Series last Sunday at the Cowtown Race Park in Marpi.

The 15-year-old incoming sophomore at Marianas High School finished first in Heat 1 before coming in second to runaway season winner Aric Cruz in the second heat for 47 points.

Cruz, who has won all Marianas Racing Association races in the division before last Sunday, came in second with 45 points, while completing the podium finish in the Intermediate Class is former MRA president Charles Cepeda with 42 points.

“The weather was good. It was a little slippery and muddy but it was a fun day of racing. The course was good, the track looked perfect in the morning then it just started raining but it was a fun day of racing overall. After I managed to go around Aric I was battling with my big brother Shane Alvarez,” said Palacios.

Alvarez, who topped the Expert Class, raced with Palacios, Cruz, and other division racers as MRA decided to have them race lumpsum for the first August race.

Aboard his father’s Kawasaki 2023 250f, Palacios said he was just lucky to hold off Cruz in the first heat.

“Aric had a good start in the first heat and got the hole shot. He managed to hold us off and had a fast pace going into the first lap, but I just had to dig deep and fortunately got around the mud while trying to catch up to Aric,” said Palacios.

He then dedicated his win to his Trench Tech Racing Team, his family, and MRA.

In the Mini II Class, T.J. Ferrer reasserted his dominance by winning both heats for a perfect 50 points. Calix Cruz was second with 44 points.

In the aforementioned Expert Class, Alvarez again beat all comers with 50 points. He was followed by Corry Pangelinan and MRA president Ellery Cruz with identical 40 points, but the former took second because he won the last race.

The Veterans Class was again won by Alvarez patriarch Cuki, who rode to twin 25s for another 50 points. Champi Villacanes and Charles Cepeda completed the Top 3 with 44 and 40 points, respectively.

Results of the other classes will be published in the next issue of Saipan Tribune.