Kato successfully defends Japanese 1:8 Buggy title

Infinity’s Kouki Kato has successfully defended his JMRCA 1:8 Offroad Japanese National title, the 18-year old winning the title race at the Futaba Buggy Track located in Ichihara, Chiba.  Joining Infinity’s offroad program in July and winning the Asian Buggy Championships Finale in Indonesia last month, Kato would put his IFB8 top in all four rounds of qualifying to secure the overall TQ.  His closest challengers would be 2022 Champion Yusuke Sugiura and 2024 1:10 4WD Buggy National Champion Yui Kaino, both drivers counting two P2 runs each to tue on points.  It would be Sugiura however who secured his direct spot into the half hour final on the tie-breaker.  Winning his 20-minute Semi Final Kaino would line up third the Main,  this being his first nitro buggy event.  While Sugiura’s Kyosho would lead in the early laps, once Kato got back to the front he was able to hold station setting the fastest lap of the race to win by 13-seconds from Sugiura.  Almost a lap down, Kaino’s Team Associated would complete the podium.

Source: Kouki Kato [Facebook]