Suzuki riders dominate EK underbone racing

MANILA, Philippines - Suzuki worked behind the exploits of Johnlery Enriquez and Josh Reuben Tan to dominate the fifth leg of the 2010 Philippine Underbone King Championship series at the Enchanted Kingdom Kart Trak in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Enriquez scored a major upset that shattered Maico Buncio’s four-race winning streak in the premiere 150cc Open class of this event sponsored by MTRT and Pagcor Sports and supported by Enercel Forte, Aeromed, Stoplight TV and Inside Racing Magazine.

Tan, on the other hand, wrested the lead in the final three laps to pull a big win over Cassey Ng in the180cc MTRT Automatic Scooter class.

Suzuki riders were better prepared to tackle the narrow, challenging track of the Enchanted Kingdom with Enriquez and teammate Paul Mark Doblada controlling the tempo most of the way before wrapping up the 150cc pre-final race with a 1-2 finish.

As Doblada figured in a spill in the final race, Enriquez took the charges for Suzuki and dominated the 12-lap race from coast-to-coast to complete his sweep in the 150cc. Open.

He clocked six minutes, 25.871 seconds or 9.905 seconds ahead of Buncio who bagged the runner-up honors. Jaime Barcial took third place while Anthony Roman and Marvin Mangulabnan ended fourth and fifth, respectively.

It was the first season win for Tan after getting early exits in the past two legs. So determined, he dueled Ng nearly throughout and got the big breaks in the final five laps to push his win in the180cc MTRT Automatic Scooter clocking six minutes and 28.541 seconds or just 0.244 seconds ahead.

Ivan Santiago checked in third while Dashi Watanabe and Jeffrey Chan wound up fourth and fifth.

With the win, Enriquez bolstered his title bid moving up third with a total of 185 points. But it was Barcial, following two third place finishes, who benefited as he now tallies 219 points, trimming the gap to just two againt frontrunning Buncio who holds 221 points.

Buncio went home with the 130cc Open plum after beating Anthony Roman and Michael Altamira.

Winning the other races were Jeffrey Anthony Teodengco and Marvin Mangulabnan.

Teodengco, parading the Honda Beat Automatic, drew the first blood the new class -- the160cc MTRT Automatic Scooter where he prevailed over Ralph Kenneth Torres and Allan Suansing while Mangulabnan ruled the 115cc Superstock over Nicolo Ramos and Gio Adriano.

For other details, interested parties may log on at www.batangasracingcircuit.com or contact the Batangas Racing Circuit c/o Nelson Gayola or Rodini Rivera at (632) 817-2241, 729-5365 or fax 844-7766.