Cabrera shines in Mini-ROK Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Fresh from a successful stint in the recent 2012 Coca-Cola Karting Series, 12-year old Mini-ROK karter Gabriel Cabrera clinched the Mini-ROK Cup runner-up crown in the opening leg of the 2012 Formula Cadet Cup and Mini-ROK Cup recently at the Clark International Speedway.

Powered by Seaoil and Kart Plaza Manufacturing, the race leg also marked his debut as the first and only Filipino karter and youngest amabassador of the world-renowned DC brand.

With racing icon and veteran race engineer Elson Carpio currently overseeing his engine set-ups, Cabrera initially struggled with mechanical issues during the time trials but eventually was able to bounce back with faster lap times as the race progressed.

The young karter posted a personal best time of 1:10.206 in the qualifying heat.  Getting more confident as mechanical issues were resolved, Gabe pushed his kart’s limits to 1:09.873 in the pre-finals and a much faster 1:09.668 laptime in the 9-lap final event.

Along with class top contenders Flynn Jackes and Dylan Arambulo, Cabrera delighted karting fans with heated dicing and photo finishes throughout the day that made the Mini-ROK Cup race the most colorful and dramatic event.

Cabrera will again compete in the remaining events of the 3-leg race series on November 10 and 11 at the Carmona Race Track.