Pinoy kids sweep kart heats

CARMONA, CAVITE — Cebuano Matteo Guidicelli of Team Cebu-CRG swept all three qualifying heats yesterday, giving the Philippines a 1-2-3 start in today’s pre-final heat of the 2003 Casino Filipino-Shell Asian Karting Open Championship at the Carmona Circuit Philippines.

Guidicelli, 13-year-old son of Italian Gianluca Guidicelli and Cebuana Glenna Fernan, warded off the tough challenge of M&M Racing’s Michelle Bumgarner to take the pole in this event sponsored by Casino Filipino, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, Department of Tourism, Bridgestone, Nokia, Denso-Iridium, Palmer Asia Inc. and Vivere Suite Hotel.

Edgesports’ Christian Barrero took third to make it a 1-2-3 start for the Philippines.

The pre-final heat will determine the positions for the afternoon final race.

Bumgarner, champion of the Asian Karting Open Championship kickoff in Indonesia last August, proved to be a tough challenger as she stuck behind Guidicelli all throughout the event sanctioned by the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) and the Philippine International Karting Association (PIKA).

But Guidicelli kept his pace and closed all open doors on Bumgarner in the stretch.

"It’s really tough, but I’m glad I managed to hold through to the end," said Guidicelli, who’s no stranger to international races though only on his second karting season.

After emerging as national Cadet 85 national champion last year, Guidicelli took a plunge in the international scene and bagged the Alpin Cup in Gordona, Italy last July.

Sharing the spotlight were Singapore’s Nasri Naufal, Indonesian Arya Setyaki and Malaysian karting boy wonder Calvin Wongwengman in the Cadet 85 class.

Naufal will take the No. 1 spot in the Formula Rotax Max Juniors.