MANILA, Philippines - Bobby Domingo, Jacob Ang and Dylan Arambulo bested their rivals from the US and Japan as the Philippines scored another sweep in the final leg of the Asian Karting Open Championships Series at the Carmona Racetrack in Brgy. Bangkal, Carmona, Cavite recently.
Domingo, a Formula-E Racing mainstay, ruled the premiere Formula Open 125 Seniors class to emerge the Asian Karting King of the event sanctioned and approved by the world governing Commission Internationale de Karting- Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (CIK-FIA) and Automobile Association Philippines (AAP).
Ang, a standout of Eagle Cement Racing team, pulled off a title repeat in the Formula Open 125 Juniors while Eduardo Coseteng Jr. topped the Asian Mini-ROK class of the event sponsored by Petron Corp., Magnolia Pure Water and Health Juice drinks by San Miguel Corp. and Yokohama the official tires.
Domingo’s Asian Karting feat came on the heels of his victory in the Petron Karter of the Year derby and it snapped the country’s eight-year Asian title drought since Marlon Stockinger won in 2006.
He took control early and went on to dominate the 28-lap race in 20 minutes and 33.925 seconds, 0.636 of a second ahead of erstwhile frontrunning Macau ace Joao de Jesus Afonso of CKS Racing Team.
With the triumph, Domingo emerged the overall Asian Karting champion with a 105-point total, three ahead of Afonso, who wound up with 103.
Ang, on the other hand, started in third spot behind Flynn Jackes and Cabrera. But the Clubman Karter of the Year rallied to seize second place from Jackes, of Kart Master Drakar Racing team, in the third lap and wrested the lead from Cabrera in the fifth.
Ang pulled away from there, leaving Cabrera and Jackes to duel for runner-up honors. Cabrera finished 14.321 seconds behind Ang in the 22-lap final race but went on to cop the Asian Juniors plum.
Mikey Jordan also made a big surge and raced past Jackes in the final lap to grab third place honors. Jackes wound up fourth with Bobby Redpath placing fifth.
Arambulo, of Tough Gear Racing, stole the limelight from top contenders Eduardo Coseteng Jr., Bianca Bustamante of Formula-E Racing and defending Asian Mini-ROK champion Flynn Jackes to shake the overall standing.
Coseteng Jr. actually dominated majority of the race but Arambulo pulled off a decisive maneuver in the last turn to wrest the top spot and win the 16-lap Final race.