Pagcor KF2-KF3 kicks off

MANILA, Philippines - Young ace Filipino drivers tackle the challenge of foreign rivals as they vie for the titles in the 2009 Pagcor Sports KF2-KF3 Series kicking off today at the Carmona Circuit Philippines.

Fourteen local drivers will be battling six Japanese drivers from Kuwayama Racing Team and two equally tough Indonesians in this event sponsored by Pagcor Sports and Palmer Asia Inc. – the fire and security expert.

The event is geared towards preparing Filipino and Asian karters in time for the 2009 World Championship of Karting this October in Macau – which Asia will host for the first time in 30 years the international competition has been staged annually in Europe and North America.

The KF3 class, which runs on 24-hp, 125-cc. engines, is open to karters aged 12-15 years old as of Jan. 1 while the KF2 division, which will be parading faster engines running on 32 horsepowers and 15,000 rpms, is open to all karters who are at least 15 years of age at the start of the year.

Reigning Asian ROK champion Juha Turalba of Ready2Race and Junior Karter of the Year Javi Benitez of Jet Racing will lead RP’s charges in the KF2 class against five Japanese – Daiki Sasaki, Nobuharu Matsushita, Reo Takahashi, Tsubasa Takahashi and Koki Hoshino.

Joining them in the quest for the premiere KF2 crown are Vencer John Suba of Tough Gear-PCR Team, John Alvarez of Maranello-San Miguel-Marcelo Racing, Bobby Domingo and Michael Vaughn Fox of AUTS Racing and RG Romero of Jet Racing.

John Castelar of AUTS Racing, who bagged the Formula SL Novice crown last year, will spearhead the campaign in the KF3 division together with AUTS Racing teammate Andres Calma, Roby Benito of Ready2Race, Franco Reyes and Renz Pazcoguin of Jet Racing, Cebuano Jette Calderon and Milo Rivera of Tough Gear-PCR Team.

Out to stop them are Japanese Ukyo Sasahara and Indonesians Andhika Sasabone and Senna Sulaiman Noor who’s tagged as the biggest threat to RP’s bid being a veteran of several international competitions.

The eight-round, four-leg event is geared at further developing and training the country’s young talented karters by making them more adept with more powerful engines in the KF2 and KF3 races which are fast becoming a top favorite in international competitions, particularly in Europe.

These karters will be battling each other in two rounds per leg. The other legs are set March 22 at the Carmona Circuit Philippines, May 3 at the Batangas Racing Circuit then back to the Carmona Circuit Philippines on June 14 for the championship leg.

For details, interested parties may call up Carmona Circuit Philippines c/o Rose Feria at 817-2241.