Asian Karting Open 2nd leg at Carmona

MANILA, Philippines - The Asian Karting Open Championships fires off Friday with the region’s leading karters clashing for supremacy in the second leg of the three-day circuit at the Carmona Racetrack in Brgy. Bangkal, Carmona, Cavite.

Titles to be disputed are the Formula 125 Open Senior, the Formula 125 Open Junior, Formula Open Veteran, Mini-ROK, Rotax Senior and Junior, Formula Cadet Novice and Expert, X30 Senior, SQ Novice, SQ Expert, SQ Veteran, Yamaha Expert and Yamaha Novice.

The top karters from Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Hong and Macau arrived yesterday and have started adjusting their respective karts in time for the event duly sanctioned by the world governing Commission Internationale de Karting- Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (CIK-FIA) and Automobile Association Philippines.

With most of the ace Indonesian karters are competing in Europe, Singapore looms as the Filipinos’ toughest rival in the event sponsored by Petron, Yokohama the official tires, Motorstar and Vivere Hotel, the official hotel. The Singaporeans will be led by reigning Asian Karting king Mohamma Nasri Naufal Bin Nasir and 2013 Asian Junior Karter of the Year Gabriella Teo along with Hong Yang of Kart Master Drakar Racing team in the Formula 125 Open Senior; and Ethan Tan of Kart Master Drakar Racing team, Dylan Bondi of Benz Motorsports Racing and Leroux Romain of Leroux Racing in the Mini-ROK division.

Joao de Jesus Afonso of CKS Racing Team spearheads the Macau squad with Leong Hon Chio of Solar RacingTeam, who will be competing in the Juniors plum.

Hong Kong will be headed by Kevin Pu Jin Jun, who bagged the Formula 125 Open Senior plum in the Macau kickoff and its four young future champions from WM Racing Team – Yuen Moon and Yu Chuen Yiu Royce of WM Racing Team in the Mini-ROK and Yuen Yuan and Kiki Yuen in the Formula Cadet.

The hosts, meanwhile, will pin their hopes on Seaoil-DC karter Gabriel Tayao Cabrera, who ruled the Formula 125 Junior Open in the Macau kickoff round last May and on defending Asian Mini-ROK titlist Flynn Jackes and Macau kickoff Mini-ROK champion Bianca Bustamante of Formula-E Racing.

Bobby Domingo of Formula-E Racing will be the country’s top bet in the Formula 125 Open Senior crown with back-up from reigning Karter of the Year Daniel Miranda and Franco Reyes of Industria Racing.

Free practice sessions will be held tomorrow. For details, call the Carmona Racetrack c/o Rose Feria at 845-0745, 889-3389, 845-3287 and 845-4142 or visit the website www.asiankarting.com.