Here is the sad story of the latest mishap that occurred at Youichi Ui, former Japanese Grand Prix driver.
Shows that the scum know no borders!
If this translation, which also poses the problem of insurance, could generate the slightest help...
Hi, I'm Youichi Ui, a motorcycle racer.
I started racing 27 years ago, and I mainly competed in the All Japan Road Race championship.
However, for 9 years, from 1996 to 2005, I competed in the World Championships, before returning to race in the Japanese Road Racing Championships.
In addition to my pilot activities, I have been a trainer and coach of pilots, since I started participating in the World Championship. I am currently working as a coach, engineer and team manager in the Asian Road Racing Championship and the Japanese Road Racing Championship.
● How we lost our truck and equipment
Our truck was stolen the day we left for Malaysia for the opening of the Asia Road Racing Championship.
We prepared for the Japanese Road Racing Championship until the night of March 2nd. On the morning of March 3, the mechanics and I found ourselves at the garage and discovered that the truck with the equipment needed for the race had been stolen.
I prepared a report on the damage to the garage at the last minute. I checked in for the flight at the airport only 40 minutes before the flight. To be honest, the thought of not going to Malaysia crossed my mind for a while. However, for the sake of Yamaha Thailand, the team I am the manager of and the team members who were waiting for me, I had no choice but to leave.
I decided that I could take care of the flight business even while I was abroad and getting on the plane. Of course, I was filled with anxiety, but I was encouraged to go for it by many people who gave me advice. While in Malaysia, I continued to provide information about the truck to those who were helping us. At the same time, I asked TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) to report the incident on their TV station, which allowed other TV stations to broadcast the news. I am grateful to the television channels and newspaper publishing houses for the great cooperation they showed in broadcasting the news that caught the attention of the general public.
The police also made a lot of effort to find our truck, but unfortunately it has not been found yet. A small amount of racing equipment was found, but most of it was burned, to destroy the evidence I suppose, and was in no condition to be used.
● What losing equipment means to us
In the truck was everything we needed to race, including our racing gear, spare parts and tools that I have been collecting, one by one over many years. These were the strengths of our team. It's not just about money, there were a lot of things that are no longer made or are hard to get. For example, there is a part of the motorcycle called the transmission. This is a very important piece of equipment that transmits power to the motorcycle smoothly. In order to accommodate many circuits and racing situations, I had a wide variety of transmissions. Some of them are no longer available, and now I've lost them all.
In the world of motorcycle racing, we fight for a 0,001 second lead. To achieve this advantage, it is necessary to pay attention and react to changes by combining specific components and certain parts. These details make all the difference. This is why I have a motto: “Pay attention to details and do precise work” and I have been racing as a professional driver for a long time. However, in one night I lost all my precious running gear that I had accumulated over many years.
At first, I was busy dealing with the incident as well as racing at Asia Road Racing, hoping to find the truck. However, as time passed and the possibility of finding the truck faded, it was time for me to think about what I should do for the future.
At first, I didn't know what to do and couldn't calm down enough to think of a plan. I also wondered if we asked for favors, we would be able to return them…
● The reason I want to compete again
From the moment the incident happened, I have been encouraged by many people. They say : “I still want to see Mr. Ui race” et “Don’t end your career like that.” The more I listen to the warm voices of all those who support me, the more I tell myself that I must continue running and that I must finish my professional work.
Over the past 11 years I have received support from sponsors and invested my private property to run my own “Driver Development Team”. I continued this activity because I want the riders to race in the best conditions, while further stimulating motorcycle racing by developing good riders.
I have also worked on tire development for Dunlop for 16 years. Racing involves risks because developmental tires are used. However, I continued to serve my profession because I am grateful to Dunlop who have supported me for many years, and who have a passion for making good tires and helping drivers race better while making racing interesting. .
When I started running 27 years ago, I only ran for myself.
Then, as I continued to run for many years, I began to feel strongly that I wanted to give something back to the world of road running that gave my life meaning.
I continued these 2 activities which are “driver development” and “good tire development” because I wanted to contribute to the racing world by continuing to be a professional driver and making people happy.
I can't stop this halfway.
I have another motto when it comes to shopping. That's to say “Once I get on the grid and the race starts, I will try my best to be creative and never give up”. I cannot withdraw from the races that are my life, not halfway. So I decided to find a way to continue.
● Future activities
The Japanese Road Racing Championship begins on April 6. The first round at Twin Ring Motegi will take place on April 6-7. For this round, although we don't have enough funds or equipment, because I want at least our drivers to participate in the race, I borrowed equipment for them from the people around us. Even if I won't be able to take part in the Motegi round, I would really like to participate in the second round, in Sugo. I would like to ask for your support so that I can participate in this second round.
● What I would like to ask
I would like to set our goals in 2 steps.
Objective 1: Fund participation in the Sugo round of the Japanese Road Racing Championship. (May 25 and 26) (6,20 million yen, or 50 euros)
These are the minimum funds to prepare the equipment necessary to resume racing activities at this time. This includes funds for a truck, generators, wheels, brake rotors, brake master cylinders, electric blankets, bulkheads, lighting equipment and replacement parts.
Objective 2: Fund the continuation of racing activities throughout the season. (9,84 million yen, or 65 euros)
This funding will allow us to continue our racing activities for a season similar to the previous structure. (A season's worth of spare parts, tire development wheels, electric blankets, fairings, spare forks, etc. whatever was in the stolen truck).
Although it is a difficult situation, I want to fulfill the mission given to me until the end. After the incident, people supported me and told me: “Please don’t give up! », which gave me a lot of energy and motivation to take on this challenge. I don't know how I will be able to repay the support I have received from many sponsors, including Dunlop, DENSO, people who have been racing with me for many years and everyone else who supports me. I have always pursued the goal of racing well and I don't want to end my racing career that way.
I would sincerely like to ask you for this favor and your support so that I can continue my journey.
Contact
Please contact [email protected] to make your donation.
ou
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Source: readyfor.jp
