Japan’s rising star, Goyu Nakagawa (18), becomes the first Japanese rider—and the youngest ever—to win the overall title in a series that includes the Pro class! He heads into the final round in November aiming to defend his title in the Thai Motorcycle Championship. With three wins in three races this season, he enters the final showdown at the top of the annual standings.

He left Japan at age 11 and, at age 17, became the team’s first-ever Japanese rider to win the annual championship.

2026.11.05 12:00

GOYU NAKAGAWA 日本応援事務局

チャーン・インターナショナル・サーキットを走る中川豪優選手

Racer Goyu Nakagawa at Chang International Circuit

An 18-year-old born in Japan and raised in Thailand. Road racer Goyu Nakagawa, originally from Omuta City, Fukuoka Prefecture, has won three consecutive races since the start of the season in the 600cc class (SS1) of Thailand’s Motorcycle Road Racing Championship. He currently leads the season standings and will compete in the final round on November 21 and 22.

At the age of 11, Nakagawa left his parents’ home to pursue his dream of competing on the world stage and moved to Thailand. He continued racing in a land with a different language and culture, and last year, at the age of 17, he was crowned the SS1 class annual champion. According to his team’s official profile, he is the first Japanese rider to win the annual title in a domestic Thai class with that team. According to an announcement by the organizers, as of the end of Round 3, Nakagawa has earned 75 points—the maximum possible score for winning all three races—and holds a 19-point lead over second place. In Round 3 on October 18, he took the overall victory in a rain-soaked race that also featured Pro Class competitors. This victory was reported by multiple Thai media outlets, and the organizers introduced Nakagawa as a rising star from Japan. This young talent, nurtured by both Japan and Thailand, is aiming for his second consecutive annual championship.

[Key Points]

● A first in team history! In 2025, at age 17, he became the first Japanese rider to win the annual title.

● Three wins in three races this season—leading the standings! He has earned a perfect 75 points, holding a 19-point lead over second place. In Round 3 in October, he took the overall victory in a 600cc mixed-class race that included the Pro class.

● The final showdown is finally here! On November 21 and 22, he’ll take on the last two races in his bid to defend his SS1 Class annual championship title.

■ The first Japanese annual champion in team history. A title won at age 17, and now the challenge to defend it begins.

In 2025, Nakagawa was crowned the annual series champion in the Super Sports 600cc SS1 class of Thailand’s “NEXZTER BRIC Superbike Championship.”

According to the official profile of his team, EEST NJT Racing Team, this marks the first time a Japanese rider has won a domestic class annual title with the team. Nakagawa has made history for the team as a Japanese rider.

Nakagawa continues to compete on Thai circuits in 2026, aiming to defend his annual title. In Round 3 on October 18, he demonstrated his prowess by taking the overall victory in a mixed 600cc race that included the Pro class. In the final two races, scheduled for November 21 and 22, he will aim to win the annual championship for the second consecutive year.

2025年、17歳でSS1クラス年間シリーズチャンピオンに輝いた

In 2025, at the age of 17, he was crowned the SS1 Class Annual Series Champion

■ Overall victory in a mixed-class race—including the Pro class—amid torrential rain. The 18-year-old’s impressive performance drew attention from the Thai media

October 18, 2026, Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Thailand.

The Super Sports 600cc final of Round 3 was hit by heavy rain. After a temporary suspension due to a red flag, the race was shortened to eight laps. Amid the wet conditions, there was a dramatic turn of events when a leading rider crashed. The one who emerged victorious from that fierce battle was 18-year-old Japanese racer Goyu Nakagawa.

Starting from the fifth grid position, Nakagawa claimed the overall victory with a time of 15 minutes, 16.767 seconds.

He finished 5.005 seconds ahead of the runner-up.

This final race featured a mixed-class format, with riders from the SS1 and Pro classes competing simultaneously. Nakagawa transcended class boundaries and took the checkered flag in first place among all competitors.

This victory was covered by several Thai motorsports media outlets.

Local specialty media highlighted his skillful control of his bike in the rain, and the circuit organizers also praised Nakagawa as “Japan’s rising star.”

A Japanese racer who claimed the class championship at age 17 went on to win the overall title the following year in a mixed-class race that included the Pro Class. Goyu Nakagawa demonstrated his prowess on the Thai circuit.

雨に見舞われた第3戦、ウェットコンディションのコースを走る

Race 3, which was hit by rain, took place on a wet track

■ “When it started raining, I knew I could do it”—the decisive moment he revealed immediately after winning

After the race, a supporter who had been cheering him on at the track asked Nakagawa himself:

“At what point did you feel certain of victory?”

Nakagawa replied, “When it started raining, I knew I could do it.”

Influenced by his father, a former racer, Nakagawa began motocross in the second grade of elementary school. He honed his skills riding on dirt and maneuvering his bike on slippery surfaces.

He has previously spoken about racing in the rain, saying, “Racing in the rain gets me pumped up.”

Wet conditions are challenging for many riders. However, Nakagawa sensed an opportunity to win in the rain.

Rather than being at the mercy of the rain, he demonstrated his true ability in the rain.

This victory was a testament to the experience he has accumulated since childhood and his confidence in racing in the rain.

■ At age 11, he left Japan for Thailand. A boy who has aimed for the top of the world

Goyu Nakagawa’s journey took a major turn when he was 11 years old.

The young boy, who had been attending Ginsui Elementary School in Omuta City, Fukuoka Prefecture, left his parents’ home and moved to Thailand in search of a better training environment.

In a country with a different language and culture, he trained and raced relentlessly with the goal of becoming a world-class racer.

In 2022, he claimed his first victory in the Honda Thailand Talent Cup. In 2023, he finished as the runner-up in the overall standings. He then moved up to the 600cc class, and in 2025, at the age of 17, he was crowned the SS1 class champion in the Thai National Championship.

He speaks Japanese, English, and Thai, and on the podium, he raises a flag that combines the Japanese and Thai national flags.

A racer born in Japan and raised in Thailand.

His journey has become a story that bridges the two nations, Japan and Thailand.

In 2023, when he was 15, Nakagawa returned to his hometown and spoke about his dreams for the future in an interview with a local TV station.

“I want to win a MotoGP race by the time I’m 24 or 25.”

Three years have passed since then.

Now 18 years old, he continues to pursue that dream.

日タイの国旗を肩にかける中川豪優選手

Goyu Nakagawa, with the Japanese and Thai flags draped over his shoulders

路面ぎりぎりまで車体を倒し、コーナーを攻める中川豪優選手

Goyu Nakagawa leaning his bike right down to the track surface as he attacks a corner

ライバルとともにサーキットを疾走する中川豪優選手

Goyu Nakagawa racing around the circuit alongside his rivals

■ November 21–22: The Final Showdown for Back-to-Back Annual Championships

The final round of the 2026 season will be held from Thursday, November 19, to Sunday, November 22, at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand. On Saturday, November 21, and Sunday, November 22, the final two races to determine the annual champions in each class are scheduled. Goyu Nakagawa left Japan at age 11, grew up in Thailand, and became the SS1 class annual champion at age 17. This year, at age 18, he claimed the overall victory in the mixed-class race. His next goal is to win the SS1 class championship for the second consecutive year. This Japanese talent is competing on the world stage. The 18-year-old, who continues to pursue his dream of reaching the world’s highest level, will once again challenge for the top spot in Thailand.

ダイナミックな走りでコーナーを駆け抜ける中川豪優選手