Santiago top pick in scooter race

Ivan Santiago is the heavy favorite but Mark Barcial and Benjo Mendoza pose the biggest threat’s on today’s eighth leg of the 2002 Shell Advance Super Scooter Championships at the Carmona Racing Circuit in Carmona, Cavite.

Santiago will be looking for his fourth win in eight races in the centerpiece expert open category to boost his chances for the prestigious Rider of the Year honor in the annual series organized by the E.L. Racing Tech in cooperation with Shell Advance motorcycle oil.

Santiago dominated the seventh leg held last Sept. 1 to become the winningest rider in the expert open class with three victories.

But Barcial, who topped the second and fourth legs, and Mendoza, who ruled the fifth and sixth legs, are expected to bounce back into contention.

A doubtful starter is three-time scooter champion Jolet Jao, who is still deep in preparation for the final two rounds of the Shell Advance Super Bike Championships at the Batangas Racing Circuit in Batangas later this month.

The battle is getting to be very exciting, especially in the expert open category.

"The riders are really putting their best effort now," said well-known motocross champion-turned-race organizer Ernie Leongson.