Villalon halts Castelar run; Aira scores

MANILA, Philippines - Upsets rocked the day as Indy Villalon of AUTS Racing and Aira Medrano of PCR-Tough Gear-Fern C Racing scored convincing wins recently in the third leg of the 2010 Magnolia Purewater Karting Super Series at the Boomland track of the CCP Complex in Pasay City.

Villalon staged a big comeback in the Formula SL Expert class to stop teammate Joseph Castelar’s back-to-back run in the event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by Magnolia Purewater, San Miguel Corporation, Petron Corporation, Denso Iridium Power, Motorstar and Aeromed.

His mastery of the Boomland track was a big factor for claiming a sweep of all three races. He clocked 14 minutes and 42.099 seconds in the 28-lap final race or 3.770 seconds ahead of Joseph Castelar.

Lady karter Yvana Carangan displayed marked improvement as she pulled a big dive early in the race to wind up third while John Caster of AUTS Racing and Kim Lagman checked in fourth and fifth, respectively.

Medrano, backed up by the Tyson Sy Foundation, also posted her first triumph in the season, showing guts and determination for a big escape over Ready2Race bet Basti Escalante.

She pulled away early in the final race but Escalante uncorked a big rally in the last 10 laps and got too close for comfort. But Medrano held her ground all the way to the finish line and wrapped up the 16-lap race in eight minutes and 37.047 seconds or just 0.219 of a second ahead of Escalante.

Last year’s Cadet champion Carl Pollington of PCR-Tough Gear-Fern C Racing took third place.

Sharing the limelight was Christian Gaddi of Jet Racing who ended the two-leg domination of Joseph Marwin Rojo.

Gaddi likewise swept all three races to clinch the Formula SL Novice title. It was Ayrton Cuesta who dictated the pace in the first five laps but figured in a collision with Wayne Norman Darvin.

Gaddi took over the front seat and held on to his post from thereon.

CJ Tsui bagged the runner-up honors while Matthew Chan of PCR-Tough Gear-Fern C Racing checked in third. Kali Carcel of Cebu and Jaz Monzones made it fourth and fifth, respectively.