Asian Karting Open on at Carmona

MANILA, Philippines - The biggest international karting event, the 2009 Asian Karting Open Championship Series and Magnolia Pure Water Karting Super Series, kicks off today with over 70 karters from eight countries competing for the titles at the Carmona Circuit Philippines.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Harry Angping, Carmona Mayor Roy Loyola and Automobile Association Philippines Motorsports Committee chairman Mandy Eduque are the special guests of honor in Sunday’s ceremonies of this event sponsored by Magnolia Pure Water, Petron, San Miguel Corp., Pagcor Sports, Denso Iridium Power, Palmer Asia Inc., Vivere Hotel, Red White Racing of Indonesia managed by Stanley Iriawan, Aeromed, Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of Tourism.

It will be a three-in-one event as the event also serves as the fourth leg of the 2009 Magnolia Pure Water Karting Super Series and the final leg of the 2009 Pagcor Sports KF2-KF3 Series.

Participants will be given five free practice sessions to check up on their machines and make necessary adjustments just before the official practices on Friday.

The qualifying time trials and three qualifying heats are set Friday.

 to determine their grid positions for the pre-final and final race on Sunday.

Expect the hunt for the titles at stake to turn more intense with the brewing rivalry between Filipinos and Indonesians, particularly in the star-studded premier Formula 125 Open Senior class.

Indonesia upstaged the Philippines in the Macau kickoff leg where it emerged the winningest team bagging four of the 10 titles at stake against RP’s haul of three wins, two runners-up and a third place finish.

Defending champion Tin Sritrai of Thailand spearheads the talented field of 15 karters in the Formula 125 Seniors class that also includes ace Indonesian bet Senna Sulaiman Noor and reigning Asian ROK champion Juha Turalba of Ready2Race, who’s the country’s biggest hope for the title as he currently shares the lead with Sritrai toting 35 points apiece.

Noor will be backed up by Victor Wijaya Susilo and Andi Aviandha Triana Jakile while Turalba will get the needed support from Cebuano Patrick Gandionco, Javi Benitez of Jet Racing, Joseph Castelar and Michael Fox of AUTS Racing and John Alvarez of Maranello-San Miguel Corporation-Marcelo Racing.

Also in the cast are Pasin Lathoras of Thailand, Japanese Ruichi Nara of Kuwayama racing and talented Malaysians Freddy Numan Lawan and Mohd Rohairjaz Bin Mohd Ropin.

Among the other favored karters are Marino Sato in the Mini-ROK; Franco Reyes of Jet Racing and Joey Orduna of Ready2Race in the Formula Open 125 Junior; Indonesian Denzel Sofyan in the ROK Junior; Andhika Sasabone of Indonesia in the Rotax Max Junior; Malaysian Gary Mumford in the Rotax Max Veteran; John Zhang of Singapore in the ROK Senior; Archim Lagman of PCR-Tough Gear in the Yamaha Cup Junior and Presley Martomo of Indonesia who’ll be going up against RP’s Joseph Tumambing and PCR-Tough Gear’ Aira Medrano in the Cadet 60 class.

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