Yasutomo Nagai

Yasutomo Nagai was a motorcycle road racer, born in Koshigaya, Japan.

Early life

Nagai was born in Koshigaya, Saitama, Japan on 29 October 1965.

Career

Nagai raced in Japan's All-Japan Road Racing Championship for many years, spending seven of them in the late 80s and early 90s racing with the Yamaha Motor Company World Team. He was also a member of the 1994 Bol d'Or winning Yamaha France team, with Dominique and Christian Sarron.
Nagai took two pole positions in the Superbike World Championship. He was the first Japanese racer to take a Championship pole outside Japan. He achieved four podium finishes, including a third place finish at Sugo, Japan a few weeks before his death.

Accident and death

Nagai died two days after crashing at Assen, Netherlands during the 1995 Superbike World Championship race. Riding a Yamaha YZF750, he rode over oil spilled on the track by Fabrizio Pirovano’s Ducati 916. As he fell, his Yamaha landed on top of him, fracturing his skull. Nagai's injuries left him in a coma from which he never regained consciousness. Nagai died in a nearby hospital at the age of 29. Despite not taking part in the final two rounds, he was 5th overall in the standings.

Photographs

http://www.highsider.com/textlager/japan_textlager/Nagai.htm
http://www.highsider.com/textlager/japan_textlager/Nagai_95_01.htm
http://www.highsider.com/textlager/japan_textlager/Nagai_95_02.htm
http://www.highsider.com/textlager/japan_textlager/Nagai_95_03.htm