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Emmanuel Bako

Collin Matiza Sports Editor
YOUNG Zimbabwean junior motocross sensation Emmanuel Bako is set to open his 2018 campaign by taking part in the opening round of the South African Northern Regions Series at Sand Trax near Bloomfontein tomorrow.

This year’s South African Northern Regions Series will be made up of six race meetings with the first one scheduled for tomorrow at Sand Trax followed by two more at Dirt Bronco in Krugersdorp on March 17 and Terra Topia in Johannesburg on June 9.

Terra Topia will also host the fourth race meeting of the series on July 7 with the last two taking place on September 8 and October 6 at Welkom (Bloomfontein) and Dirt Bronco respectively.

And 12-year-old Bako, a Grade Six pupil at Heritage School in Harare, is set to raise the Zimbabwean flag high in this year’s series, starting with this Saturday’s opening round at Sand Trax where he will be competing in two classes – 65cc and 85cc.

And apart from competing in the South African Northern Regions, Bako will also take part in the tough seven-round 2018 South African National Championship Series which gets underway on February 17 with the staging of its first round at the Rover Raceway in Port Elizabeth.

In fact, the birthday of Bako’s father and manager, Brighton “Bucks” Bako, falls on February 17 and the young rider has already promised to give him “a perfect birthday present” by taking the first step on the podium in the opening round of this year’s South African Nationals at the Rover Raceway.

A talented rider, who took up the sport at the tender age of three, Emmanuel got a timely boost ahead of the 2018 motocross season when he was invited to race for one of South Africa’s top teams – Team Vision Racing Team – which is owned Grant Florey.

Florey is a revered motocross trainer who trains “quite a big number” of top junior and senior riders from around the world and some of them end up riding for his Team Vision Racing Team in South Africa.

Team Vision (Husqvarna) Racing Team is based in Johannesburg.

And Bako will this year be under the guidance of Florey as he tackles the track in South Africa, starting with tomorrow’s opening round of the Northern Regions Series.

Bako is scheduled to leave for South Africa this morning to team-up with his new teammates at Team Vision Racing Team ahead of tomorrow’s race meeting.