Rivera gives RP lone title in Asian karting

MANILA, Philippines - Talented young karter Estefano Rivera of PCR-Tough Gear Racing-FERN-C delivered the lone victory that saved the Philippines from a total debacle recently in the final round of the 2009 Asian Karting Open Championship at the S.C. Motorsport Circuit in Saraburi, Thailand.

The 13-year-old Rivera was consistent throughout, topping all three qualifying heats, the pre-final and the final race to claim the Yamaha Cup Junior title of this event organized by Grand Prix International Co., Ltd. (GPI Motorsport) and Kart Association of Thailand (KAT), and powered by Red White Racing of Indonesia under managing director Stanley Iriawan, The Department of Tourism through Assec. Cynthia Carreon-Norton, and the Philippine Sports Commission.

It was one big feat for Rivera, who captured the title on his first season in the international scene, as he emerged the overall champion of the Asian Karting Yamaha Cup Junior class with 58 points.

 He finished fourth in the combined race with the senior karters as he wrapped up the 18-lap race in 18 minutes, 48.019 seconds to turn back Thai rival Patiphat Jeerapaet.

 Following his triumph, he was invited to compete in the Red White Sangari Invitational Kart Prix set Nov. 19-21 together with teammates Vencer John and Vrei AR Suba at the Sepang Karting Circuit in Selangor, Malaysia against karters from Europe, South America, Australia, India, Singapore and Hongkong.

Only five Filipinos competed in the AKOC Finals that was dominated by the host country’s homegrown talents.  

Marino Sato bagged runner-up finish behind Thai champion Sasakorn Chaimongkol in the Mini-ROK division while top bet Christian Gaddi only wound up ninth in the said class.

Jet Racing’s Franco Reyes struggled against his rivals as he ended with a consistent fourth place finish in both the Pre-Final and Final race of the Formula 125 Open Junior while Juha Turalba of Ready2Race again suffered a misfortune spinning out in the Pre-Final and landed only sixth in the final run of the Formula 125 Open Senior class.

Among others were Red and White Racing’s Perdana Putra Minang who ended fourth in the Mini-ROK division and Yasuo Senna Iriawan who bagged third place in the Rotax Max Junior class

The day belonged to Thai defending champion Tin Sritrai who bounced back from fifth place to a big win in the Formula 125 Open Senior class with Tanart Sathienthirakul and Jonathan Reveille making it a 1-2-3 finish for Thailand.

The Thais won most of the titles with Dhummatorn Sirowattana winning the Cadet crown, Thanapol Pruttipong in the ROK Junior; Teeravate Pookpiboon in the Rotax Max Junior, Chatmongkon Wissutthisen in the Formula 125 Junior, Tachapan Vijittranon in the Yamaha Challenge and Chaiporn Wongsanganan in the Rotax Max Veteran class over Indonesian Jeffrey Ibrahim and third placer Malaysian Gary Mumford.