Tayao-Cabrera overall champ in Asian karting

MANILA, Philippines - Gabriel Tayao-Cabrera of AUTS Racing team became the youngest overall champion in the Asian Karting Open Championship when he ruled the Formula SQ Cadet overall title and Cadet Novice class crown at the Carmona Race Track recently.

The 11-year-old rookie humbled his upper level rivals in the Cadet Expert class as he made an explosive debut in the AKOC, which includes a hundred karting contenders from AKOC member countries.

Under coach Indy Villalon and team manager Martin Alvendia, Tayao-Cabrera is currently AUTS Racing’s youngest karter. He was the only cadet to hit the 54-second mark in the qualifying time trials, posting a best time of 54.5 seconds.

Upstaging the upper level Cadet Expert class karters throughout the Novice/Expert combined race, Tayao-Cabrera clocked in a competition best of 1:00.511 and 1:00.811 during qualifying heats 1 and 2 and 57.132 during the pre-finals.

Duplicating Tayao-Cabrera’s stellar performance is AUTS teammate Brian Thorp, who secured the second overall spot in the same class. Also an AKOC first-timer, the 12-year-old has consistently held on to the No. 2 spot by posting a best time of 55.498 during the qualifying time trial, 1:01.012 and 1:02.685 during qualifying heats 1 and 2.

Both Tayao-Cabrera and Thorp were the only two karters who hit the 57-second mark during the pre-finals with Thorp clocking in 57.475 seconds faster than the boys’ upper level Cadet Expert class counterparts.