Bumgarner, Tuason clinch overall title in Asian karting

CARMONA — The Philippines put up an impressive show behind defending champion Michelle Bumgarner of M&M Racing and Mike Tuason of Tuason Racing-Addict Mobile to emerge the overall champions yesterday in the Philippine leg of the 2004 Casino Filipino-Shell Asian Karting Open Championship at the Carmona Circuit Philippines here.

The 15-year-old Bumgarner pulled away early in the 28-lap race to bag the premier Formula 100 Open crown in this event sanctioned by the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) and sponsored by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, Bridgestone, Denso, PCSO, Casino Filipino-PagCor Sports, Philippine Sports Commission, Department of Tourism, Palmer-Asia, Bellevue-Manila and Aviva Insurance.

Tuason delivered the second big win when he ruled the Formula Rotax Max Seniors class.

It was the second straight win for Bumgarner, daughter of an American businessman and a Filipina from Zambales in this annual Asian Zone Karting Championship after topping the Malaysian leg last April.

She clocked 21:57.537 with the fastest laptime of 42.762 seconds in the race where she upstaged Malaysians Charlie Charliz, who was far four seconds behind, and Imran Zaharias Shaharom who took third place honors.

Indy Villalon of Birel-Fila and Mark Bumgarner of M&M Racing wound up fourth and fifth.

Tuason finished 18:18.722 in the 22-lap Rotax Max Seniors race which ended in an All-Filipino show.

Tyson Sy of Demvels-San Miguel checked in 2.794 seconds behind Tuason for the runner-up finish while JP Carino of Bosch-Intelco wound up third.

The third victory came from Marcel Thenu, who copped the Rotax Max Veterans plum over compatriots Lee Bumgarner of M&M Racing and third placer Tom Stockinger.

The Philippines could have made it four but Marty Aguilar of Bosch-Intelco lost the lead in the final two laps of the Rotax Max Juniors to Armaan Ebrahim who gave Indonesia its lone triumph in this event.

Malaysia brought home two titles courtesy of Calvin Wongwengman and Mohammad Nabil.

Wongwengman, last year’s Cadet 85 champion, prevailed in the Junior Intercontinetal-A class over RP bet Matteo Guidicelli of the Cebu Racing Group and Malaysian Jazeman Firhan Jaafar.

Nabil, on the other hand, upstaged RP’s Brandon Angel and fellow Malaysian Naquiyyudin Bin Nor Azahar in the Formula Cadet 85 class.

The next leg of the Asian Karting Open Championship will be held in Jakarta July 30-Aug. 1.