CARMONA – The Eagle Cement racing team grabbed a share of the spotlight following the scintillating wins of Eduardo Coseteng and Jacob Ang in the Philippine leg of the 2013 Asian Karting Open Championships recently at the Carmona Racetrack.
Hard work and perseverance paid off for Coseteng and Ang, sons of illustrious fathers, whose passion for racing cars are legendary, as they topped the Asian Mini-ROK and Cadet Championships, respectively, against elite opposition.
The 11-year-old Ang, son of San Miguel Corp. president and business tycoon Ramon Ang, scored an exciting victory in the Asian Mini-ROK, where he engaged top favorite Flynn Jackes in a back-and-forth battle, before finally grabbing the pole in the final stretch en route to the close win over the TRS Racing star and Dylan Arambulo of Tough Gear Racing.
“We practiced everyday at Carmona, especially on the week of the race,†said Ang.
Coseteng, whose father Jody is a circuit-racing champion many times over, actually began Eagle Cement’s fruitful campaign in the event sanctioned by the world governing Commission Internationale de Karting- Fédération Internationale de l’ Automobile and the Automobile Association Philippines.
He pulled off a come-from-behind victory in the Cadet category over defending champion Jackes, Draeco McLelland and Luigi Lachica in a race where he had to recover from the tailend of the field as he spun out of the track right in the first lap after being bumped by a fellow karter. But he wove his way bit by bit, overtaking one rider at a time, before finally grabbing the lead with two laps to go and staying there for good the rest of the way.
“I just stayed focused while driving fast and consistent. I’m very happy for a well-deserved win. This is a result of all the sacrifices to practice and train,†said nine-year-old Coseteng. “I would like to thank my dad, the support of my ninong Ramon and Ma’m Tessie Ang, and supervision of Tito Boy Ochoa.â€
The Eagle Cement team includes VJ Suba, the 2012 Karter of the Year, who has turned to coaching.
Ang said the victories will push them further.
“We have to practice more and train harder with coach Edgen (Dy Liacco) and VJ Suba, who are helping us hone our driving skills,†said Ang,.