Singaporean rules Asian Karting Open; Cabrera top Pinoy finisher

CARMONA, Cavite , Philippines   â€“ Seaoil-DC-Kilton karter Gabe Tayao-Cabrera emerged the top Filipino finisher when he captured the Formula 125 Open Junior crown even as  Singaporean Mohammad Nasri Naufal Bin Nasir ruled the premier Formula 125 Open Senior class yesterday in the Philippine leg of the 2013 Asian Karting Open Championships at the Carmona race track.

Cabrera, 13, held his ground despite tough double-teaming pressure from Singaporeans Jon Lee Xuan and lady karter Gabriella Teo Yu Ting to escape with the win.

Cabrera completed the 22-lap final race in 16 minutes, 12.090 seconds, 0.424 second ahead of Xuanhao.  Teo checked in 3.436 seconds later to claim third place. Arthur “AT”Tuason of TRS Karting Kids and Brian Thorp of AUTS Racing finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

It should have been a double victory for the Philippines but Nasir blew it up following a strategic maneuver on the final lap to clinch the Formula 125 Open Senior crown.

Bobby Domingo was in control until the  last 10 laps before Nasir wrested the lead on the first turn of the final lap.  From there, it became a seesaw battle between Domingo and Nasir who raced side by side in the final strait.

The Singaporean had better control at the inside lane as he turned back Domingo, winning by just 0.070 of a second.

Lady karter Sacha Feliciano rallied from the tailend to claim third place. Daniel Miranda of Cebuana Lhuillier and CJ Tsui of Formule-E Racing ended fourth and fifth, respectively.

Jacob Ang of Eagle Cement emerged the Asian Mini-ROK champion, pulling off a shocker over top favorites Flynn Jackes of TRS Karting Kids and third placer Dylan Arambulo of Tough Gear Racing.

The event is  sanctioned and approved by the world governing Commission Internationale de Karting- Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (CIK-FIA) with the Philippine leg duly sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by Coca-Cola, Yokohama, Sparco, Vivere Hotel (official home of Asian karters), Motorstar and Aeromed.