SEA rivals fancied as Asian Karting Open begins

MANILA, Philippines - Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia are expected to be the Philippines’ toughest rivals for the titles at stake in the forthcoming penultimate round of the 2011 Asian Karting Open Championship kicking off today at the Clark International Speedway.

The bulk of the delegation arrived the other day and tested their skills and machines yesterday in preparation for the international motorsports spectacle sanctioned by the Commission International de Karting (CIK) and the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) and sponsored by Petron (the official fuel), San Miguel Corporation, Yokohama Tires (official tires), Denso Iridium Power (official spark plugs) and Clark Development Corp. 

Andrew Tang of Kartronix International hopes to repeat his feat in the Carmona leg in the Formula 125 Open Seniors class last July as he spearheads Singapore’s campaign together with Andersen Martono and Sean Tang of Kartmaster and Julien Fong of Simon Racing.  

Tang is way ahead in the race for the Asian Karting diadem with 90 points while compatriot Zahir Ali, who will be missing action in this leg, is second overall with 60.

Kittitat Vongprai of CRG-Thailand, third overall with 56 points, aims to surpass his third place finish the last time here in Carmona while two Indonesian ace karters – defending Asian Karting champion Sean Gelael and Senna Sulaiman Noor – follow with 54 and 52 points, respectively.

Even as the Philippines’ Estefano Rivera of FERN-C Racing, currently seventh with 32 points, is favored anew in the Formula 125 Open Juniors, the title will be a toss-up between Indonesian Yasuo Senna Iriawan of Red White Racing and Malaysian Timothy Yeo of IRU 1 Racing who are tied at the top spot with 54 points apiece.

Thailand’s Sasakorn Chaimongkol of Maxima Motorsports is in close third with 52 while our very own Franco Reyes of Industria Racing is fourth overall with 49.

Singaporean Daim Bin Hishammudin, who ended runner-up behind Rivera in Carmona, is fifth overall with 37 while Indonesian Darma MH of Humpuss Junior Racing Team follows with 36.

Though Kush Maini of India’s Gautama Maini Team is favored anew in the Mini ROK class, Thailand’s Veravich Wongsanganan is way ahead with 100 points while Malaysia’s Freddy Numan Lawan eyes another big win in the Formula 125 Open Veterans.

Also favored in other divisions are Sacha Feliciano of FERN-C Racing in the Yamaha Cup Juniors, Cebuano Joseph Marwin Rojo in the Yamaha Cup Expert, Don Batino in the SQ Expert class, Daniel Castaneda of One Racing in the SQ Novice, Raymond Cudala in the SQ Cadet Expert and Bryan Thorp of AUTS Racing in the Cadet SQ Novice.

For more info, interested parties may call the Carmona Racetrack c/o Rose Feria at 845-0745, 889-3389, 845-3287 and 845-4142 or visit the website www.asiankarting.com.