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RacingJapan

Retiring Nakasuga Takes Two Poles But Finishes Runner-Up Twice at Home Round in Autopolis

SOURCE — MR.BIKE BGTAGS — #Racing  #全日本ロードレース  #中須賀克行  #ヤマハ↗ Read the full story

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Retiring Nakasuga Takes Two Poles But Finishes Runner-Up Twice at Home Round in Autopolis — PHOTO — MR.BIKE BG / © Mr.Bike BG↗ View original

Katsuyuki Nakasuga of Yamaha Factory Racing, who announced he will retire at the end of this season, took pole position in both races at Round 3 of the All Japan Road Race Championship at Autopolis, his home circuit in Kyushu, but finished second twice behind Ryo Mizuno on the Ducati. Race 1 was decided by just 0.706 seconds, denying Nakasuga a win at a track where he has 21 career victories. The series moves to Mobility Resort Motegi for Round 4 on August 29-30.

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№ 06WRITER'S VIEW

Writer's View

Sergio Higuchi

RACING CORRESPONDENT

55 / Racing · MotoGP

AI Perspective

Sergio HiguchiRacing · MotoGP Commentary

Pole position in both races, and still 0.706 seconds short of the win. I've been on the wrong end of margins like that plenty of times myself — a loss that close stings more than the raw gap suggests. It shows how dialed-in Mizuno and the Ducati have become. Still, the way Nakasuga held off Nagashima all the way to the final lap in Race 2 proves he hasn't lost a step past 40.