AAP fetes Rivera year’s top karter

MANILA, Philippines - After being feted in the Golden Wheel Awards Night, Estefano Rivera got another prestigious distinction from the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) for his feat as the 2012 Junior Karter of the Year in the Annual AAP Awards Night recently at the Philippine Trade and Training Covention Center in Pasay City.

The AAP cited the exceptional talent of the 16-year-old Rivera, a Don Bosco Makati High School Senior who scored a rare milestone as the first karter in Philippine Motorsports history to capture four major titles all in one season.

Aside from the Karter of the Year, he also emerged the 2012 International Junior Karter of the Year, 2012 KF3 Champion and the 2012 ROK Junior Champion.

In receiving the award, Rivera compares racing to life itself and success depends on how you work hard for it with God’s guidance.

“I thank God for giving me this life, trusting me with the skills and talent to be successful in this chosen field with the unrelenting, all-out support of my parents, the camaderie of my teammates, the guidance of our coach Edgen Dy-liacco and the great work of our mechanics and crew,” he further said.

It was the second time that Rivera was feted by the AAP Awards Night, the first was in 2009 when he bagged the Rookie Karter of the Year plum and the Asian Karting Yamaha Cup Junior crown.

Even in his younger years, the AAP acknowledged the huge potentials of Estefano Rivera who, at age 12, became its unanimous choice as the Philippines’ official representative to the Federation Internationale de Automobile (FIA) World Training Pool for Young Karters in October, 2009 in China when the FIA sent a memorandum to all affiliate nations to select one junior karter aged 12-16 who’s deserving to avail of the grant administered by the FIA Institute for Motor Sport Safety from the FIA Motor Sport Safety Development fund.

From thereon, his major accomplishments proved Rivera worthy of AAP’s trust an ace karter, a true sportsman and a gentleman who never resorted to dirty tactics that may endanger the safety of fellow karters.

Moreover he has proven his love for country when he put up a strong fight against talented foreign rivals to emerge the top Filipino finisher for several times in his three-year stint in the Asian Karting Open Championships.

This year, Rivera plans to give back the shower of blessings he received by imparting his talent and knowledge gained as one of the trainors of Tough Gear Racing’s new recruits aspiring to become future karting champions.

“I believe the most noble way to express gratitude to the sport that has given me so much is to pass on the baton to the next generation of talents by sharing all you learned and closely guiding them in their pursuit to become the new breed of top caliber karting champs.  And I will be there to teach them during their practice sessions and provide inspiration to boost their confidence during actual competitions,” he added.