MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines wound up bagging three of the 11 titles at stake to claim the overall runner-up finish in the 2009 Asian Karting Open Championship that culminated recently at the S.C. Motorsport Circuit in Saraburi, Thailand.
Talented young karter Estefano Rivera of PCR-Tough Gear Racing-FERN-C and Marino Sato copped significant feats in the junior division while Indy Villalon clinched the Yamaha Cup Seniors crown of this event 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.
The 13-year-old Rivera, a Grade 7 student of JASMS-Manila, made the biggest splash capturing the Yamaha Cup Junior plum only on his maiden season in Asian karting, accumulating 56 points against older and more experienced rivals Archim Lagman and third placer John Castelar of AUTS Racing.
Prior to the final leg, he was nowhere in third or fourth place. But Rivera emerged the surprise overall champion following his impressive performance that saved the Philippines from a total shutout in Thailand.
Sato survived the grueling battle against fellow Filipino Christian Gaddi and Thailand’s Sasakorn Chaimongkol to claim the overall Asian Mini-ROK crown while Villalon took the Yamaha Cup Seniors crown beating Alessandra Racing’s Oliver Aquino and AUTS Racing’s Joseph Castelar.
It was Thai ace karter Tin Sritrai who shone brightest after claiming his back-to-back overall Asian Karter of the Year award as top RP bet Juha Turalba of Ready2Race only wound up overall second, eight points behind the Thai champ.
RP’s Roby Benito, Franco Reyes and Joey Orduna ended third, fourth and fifth respectively in the Formula 125 Open Junior division.
Indonesia eclipsed the Philippines this time as the overall champion winning five of the 11 titles.
Ryan Anthony Monoarfa led Indonesia’s big harvest claiming the Rotax Max Senior overall title over compatriot Victor Wijaya Susilo and Malaysian Gary Mumford.
Following Monoarfa’s trail were Cadet 60 champion Presley Martomo, ROK Junior champ Denzel Sofyan, Rotax Max Junior titlist Andhika Sasabone, Formula 125 Open Junior winner Mohammad Sharif Raharjo.
John Zhang of Singapore won the overall ROK Senior crown while Malaysia’s Gary Mumford took the overall title in Rotax Max Veteran class.
Among others were Red and White Racing’s Yasuo Senna Iriawan shared overall runner-up in the Rotax Max Junior class with Macau’s Andy Chang Wing Chung while Perdana Putra Minang who ended fifth in the Mini-ROK division.