Miranda scores double sweep in karting series

MANILA, Philippines - Daniel Miranda of Cebuana Lhuillier fended off Fern-C Racing brothers Milo and Estefano Rivera in the final stretch to score a double-title sweep in the championship leg of the 2012 Coca-Cola Karting Super Series at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga recently.

Miranda, 15, flaunted superb driving skills to upstage his fancied rivals and capture the crown in the event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by Coca-Cola, Yokohama Tires, Motorstar and Aeromed.

He turned in the fastest in the time trials with 1:01.484, topped the qualifying heat over the Rivera brothers and VJ Suba and finished runner-up in the Pre-Final by just 0.052 of a second behind Estefano Rivera.

In the Final race, he quickly grabbed the lead and stayed ahead until the sixth lap when the troika caught up with him. The four alternately seized the top spot before Miranda wrested the lead for good and pulled away as Suba clogged the path of the Rivera brothers with three laps to go.

The Rivera siblings did get past Suba, who suffered engine trouble and was forced to quit the race. But the duo failed to catch up with Miranda, who held his ground in the main straight to post his first major win in the season.

Miranda captured the ROK Overall plum after wrapping up the 12-lap race in 12 minutes, 22.106 seconds or 1.012 seconds ahead of runner-up Milo Rivera.  

Estefano checked in third while CJ Tsui of Formula E Racing and Archim Lagman wound up fourth and fifth, respectively.

Miranda also copped the ROK Juniors crown over Estefano Rivera and Jaz Monzones of Natmo Asia-GP1 Racing.

Milo Rivera, meanwhile, bagged the ROK Senior title over Tsui and Lagman with lady karter Sacha Feliciano and Suba finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.

Feliciano likewise won the ROK Clubman title over Monzones.

Miranda’s triumph, however, hardly slowed down Estefano Rivera in his pursuit of the Karter of the Year and Junior Karter honors in a single season as he firmed up his lead in the premiere ROK Overall with 376 points against Suba who has 323. Estafano likewise kept the top spot in the ROK Junior division with 440 points against Miranda who moved up with 344.

Nike Mora of Red Bull Supreme completed his double-title feat by winning the SQ Expert plum with 465 points despite losing the final race to teammate Don Batino, and also the SQ Veteran crown with 470 following his victory over Oliver Soto.