Cebu teener sparks RP sweep in Asian karting

CARMONA, CAVITE – Cebuano Matteo Guidicelli of Team Cebu-CRG emerged the pride of Philippines karting when he captured the prestigious Junior Intercontinental-A crown yesterday in the 2003 Casino Filipino-Shell Asian Karting Open Championship at the Carmona Circuit Philippines here.

The 13-year-old Guidicelli, who claimed the Alpin Cup in Gordona, Italy only last June, clocked 26:05.758 in the 20-lap race to deliver the country’s lone win in this event sponsored by Casino Filipino, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, Department of Tourism, Bridgestone, Nokia, Denso-Iridium, Palmer Asia Inc. and Vivere Suite Hotel.

Michelle Bumgarner of M&M Racing and Christian Barrero of Edgesports made it a 1-2-3 finish for the country.

Also earning respectable finishes for the host country in this race sanctioned by the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) and the Philippine International Karting Association (PIKA) are Paco Rodriguez also of Team Cebu-CRG who bagged the runner-up finish in the Cadet 85 class and Dado Peña of Birel A3 Motorsports who checked in second in the premiere Formula 100 Open division.

Singapore got its lone win from Nasri Naufal who outsmarted Indonesian Alida Alexandra Asmasoebrata and third placer Michelle Bumgarner in the Formula Rotax Max Juniors.

Malaysia also had one when its very own "karting boy wonder" Calvin Wongwengman captured the Cadet 85 crown.

Guidicelli actually started second to the last in the six-man field final heat after a loose nut forced him out of the morning’s pre-final race. But he quickly grabbed the pole on the first turn, sending defending champion Michelle Bumgarner to second place.

And all went smooth for the Philippines in the said class when lone foreign entry Ryan Monoarfa of Indonesia spun out of the race on the second turn.

Indonesia actually emerged the biggest winner in this event following the big exciting wins delivered by Arya Setyaki in the Rotax Max Seniors class and Zahir Ali in the premiere Formula 100 Open.