3 RP bets claim pole in today’s Asian karting

CARMONA — Three of the Philippines’ top bets — defending champion Michelle Bumgarner of M&M Racing, Mike Tuason of Tuason Racing-Addict Mobile and Brandon Angel – will take the pole in today’s qualifying races after posting the fastest times in their respective classes yesterday in the the 2004 Casino Filipino-Shell Asian Karting Open Championship at the Carmona Circuit Philippines here.

The 15-year-old Bumgarner, daughter of an American serviceman and a Filipina from Zambales, proved fastest in the Formula Open 100 class in this event sanctioned by the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) and sponsored by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, Bridgestone, Denso, PCSO, Casino Filipino-PagCor Sports, Philippine Sports Commission, Palmer-Asia, Bellevue-Manila and Aviva Insurance.

She clocked 43.206 seconds to claim the top spot, beating Malaysian Victor Cheong Kim Foong (43.253) and another Filipino Indy Villalon of Birel-A3 Motorsports (43.422).

Indonesian Imran Zaharias Shaharom registered 43.437 while RP’s Marlon Stockinger of Birel-A3 Motorsports posted 43.468 to complete the top five spots.

Tuason topped the Formula Rotax Seniors class with 44.423 followed closely by another Filipino bet Marcel Thenu with 44.647.

Arya Setyaki of Indonesia, the reigning champion in this class, is third overall with a best time of 44.699 while Lee Bumgarner and Tyson Sy took the next two spots in 44.736 and 44.749 seconds, respectively.

Angel, on the other hand, will lead the cast in the Formula Cadet 85 class after clocking 49.416 seconds, just a few ticks ahead of Malaysian Mitchell Gilbert, who posted 49.521.

Naqiyuddin Bin Nor Azahar is third overall with 49.885 while Alexandra Madrigal (50.587) and Ayrton Cuesta (50.798) follow in fourth and fifth, respectively.

Malaysia took the top two spots in the premier Junior Intercontinental-A class courtesy of Malaysian Karting Kid Wonder Calvin Wong Wen Man and Jazeman Firhan Jaafar, who posted 44.495 and 45.051 seconds, respectively.

Matteo Guidicelli of Cebu Racing Group, who ruled the Malaysian leg last April, is third with 45.111. In fourth and fifth places are Vittorio Fabregas of Malaysia (45.38) and Mark Bumgarner (45.495).

The Rotax Juniors Max was dominated by Indonesia’s Alexandra Asmasoebrata who clocked 44.735 to claim the pole, followed by Malaysian Syafiq Bin Ali with 44.774.

Bosch-Intelco’s Marty Aguilar is third overall with 44.774, Armaan Ebrahim of Indonesia is fourth with 44.781.

Two Filipinos followed suit — Mark Bumgarner with 44.802 and Matteo Guidicelli with 44.940.