Marave one win shy of Karter of Year plum

Just one more win and defending champion Pepon Marave will go down in motorsports history as the first karter to win a third Karter of the Year crown.

And that’s what Marave, the Futura lead driver, had in mind as he tries to ward off equally strong Formula-A rivals in the penultimate leg of the 2002 Shell Karting Super Series this weekend at the Carmona Circuit Philippines.

"This had been tougher season compared to last year. This is the best opportunity to achieve an unprecedented feat and I’m not gonna let it slip off my hands," said Marave.

MOFO’s Allan Uy, currently in second, will be his toughest rival in this event sponsored by Pilipinas Shell, WG&A Super Ferry, Bridgestone, Nokia, Zip-Zip, ZED and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Joining the fray to stop him in this series sanctioned by the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) are Tuason Racing-Team Oxygen’s Mike Tuason, GP-Kart Plaza’s Manny Sy and Jinky Cabilinan, and Edgesports’ Christian Sotto and Jess Garcia.

Young karters led by M&M Racing’s Michelle Bumgarner, Matteo Guidecelli and Brandon Angel, are also expected to engage in tough action.

Bumgarner needed the win to bag the crown in the ZED KT Juniors division; Guidecelli eyes a neck-to-neck duel against Mark Bumgarner in the ZED Cadet 85 while Angel hopes to pull away from Emil Cuyugan and Robert Buxton to intensify his campaign for the ZED Cadet 60 crown.

In the other classes, M&M Racing’s Lee Bumgarner and Kart 1 skipper Philip Alvendia are expected to engage in another down-the-wire action in the Formula Rotax 125 while Tuason Racing-Team Oxygen’s Michael Yap also hopes to firm up his lead in the Formula SL Heavy category over Ricardo Loi, Jerome Montemayor and Joseph Arriola.

Former Jet Ski Rider of the Year Jan Jan Gonzales is also eyeing a back-to-back win in the Formula SL Light division against Indy Villalon, Kendrick Sy and Tuason Racing-Team Oxygen’s PJ Religioso.

Another exciting highlight is the battle between Edgesports teammates Jeremy Marquez and Ryan Francisco in the Intercon-A class where Edgesports-Motorex’ Arvin Drueco, Tyson Sy and Kart 1’s Dado Pena are likewise in the hunt for the title.