Enchanted hosts Magnolia karting's 5th leg

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s top karters gear up for crucial tasks as the Enchanted Kingdom hosts the fifth leg of the 2010 Magnolia Purewater Karting Super Series this weekend at the EK Kart Trak in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

The event is part of the annual Enchanted Kingdom Motorsports Week that showcases exciting karting action and intense underbone motorcycle racing on Aug. 28-29.

“The Enchanted Kingdom Motorsports Week is intended not just to provide our visitors an added spectacle aside from our superb rides but also to help promote motorsports and provide a different challenge for our karters and underbone riders,” said Enchanted Kingdom president Mario Mamon.

And with three legs to go, top contenders will try to bolster their respective title campaigns in this event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by Magnolia Purewater, San Miguel Corporation, Petron Corporation, Yokohama Tires, Motorstar and Aeromed.

Stefano Marcelo of Maranello-San Miguel Corporation-Marcelo Racing and Javi Benitez of Jet Racing appear headed for an exciting duel for the coveted Karter of the Year award.

Marcelo still leads the premiere ROK Overall class as he tries to bounce back from a disappointing performance in the Asian Karting Open in Carmona.

But Benitez, who currently holds the top spot in the ROK Senior division, will all out for a decisive victory that may also wrest the solo lead against Marcelo in the ROK Overall.

Likewise, Juha Turalba of Ready2Race is also close behind and may steal the limelight from the two.

However, eyes will be on Roby Benito also of Ready2Race as he aims a repeat of his feat winning both the ROK Overall and ROK Junior titles last year at Enchanted Kingdom.

Benito currently leads the title race in the ROK Junior division and is just close behind Marcelo in the ROK Overall class.

Joining them in the combined field are Estefano Rivera of FERN-C Racing, Cebuanos Jette Calderon and Tonyo Carcel, Christian Villenueve of Maranello-San Miguel Corporation-Marcelo Racing and Asian Karting Open top Filipino winner Franco Reyes of Jet Racing.

Chances would depend on their strategies in negotiating the narrow but treacherous and fast course of the EK Kart Trak. Taking the pole position is not enough since even a minor lapse could spell disaster for any karter.

Also gunning for crucial wins are Joseph Castelar of AUTS Racing in the Formula SL Expert class and Jericho Tolin in the Formula SL Heavy division.

For further details, interested parties may contact Carmona Circuit Philippines c/o Rose Feria at 817-2241.