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Collin Matiza Sports Editor
THERE was no stopping two of the country’s top junior motocross riders Emmanuel Bako and Daiyaan Manuel during round two of the 2018 Bogwheelers Club National Championship series at Donnybrook Raceway in Harare on Sunday where they stole the show in the 65cc and 85cc Class respectively.

The supremely talented Bako and Manuel were by far the most dominant riders on the day with the former taking the first step on the podium in the 65cc Class while the latter cleaned up the 85cc Class without raising much of a sweat as he looks forward to competing in Europe in August.

Sunday’s event, which was sponsored by hp lubes Castrol, saw Bako (12) returning to race on the home track at Donnybrook after spending most of the first five months of the year racing in the South African motocross circuit and was untouched as he took two hole shots on his way to victory in the 65cc Class.

In fact, points leader Bako, who was in good spirits, never looked back as he lapped most of his rivals twice and was crowned the hole shot rider of the day in this division.

Bako won the 65cc Class ahead of young Jordan Dewdney and Dillan Faasen. And to crown a memorable day for himself, Bako finished second overall behind Manuel in the 85cc (big wheel) Class. Third place went to Ricky Whyte.

Manuel (13) was just in a class of his own in the 85cc (big wheel) Class which he dominated from the word go, leaving Bako and Whyte to fight for second and third places.

With this victory, Manuel has tightened his grip at the top of the 85cc (big wheel) Class standings ahead of his proposed trip to Europe during August’s school holidays.

There were two other Bakos in action during Sunday’s race meeting which saw Emmanuel’s young brother Junior competing in the PeeWee Class (which is designed for riders under the age of seven) while his cousin Munyaradzi came fourth overall in the 65cc Class.

In the seniors MX2 Class, the country’s former champion rider Ashley Thixton took the first step on the podium with Josh Goby and Davin Cocker coming second and third.

Tristan Grainger emerged as the top dog in the 125cc Class ahead of Davin Cocker and Manuel while the top three places in the 50cc Class went to Karl van As, Luke Southon and Callum Moore.

Promising female rider Mufaro Kabasa also did well to finish in fourth place in the 50cc Class.

Unfortunately, the country’s top female rider Tanya Muzinda “was missing in action” on Sunday as she fell sick on the eve of this race meeting and was conspicuous by her absence in the 85cc (big wheel) Class.

Muzinda’s father and trainer, Tawanda, told The Herald on Sunday morning that his daughter was down with flue and couldn’t make it to the track.