MANILA, Philippines - The Petron Blaze 100 X30 Challenge Philippine Series kicks off the 2017 Karting Season this weekend with new rivalries expected to develop and bigger challenges awaiting the field at the Carmona Racetrack in Cavite.
Reigning Karter of the Year Jerry Choi of Apex Racing leads the cast of 40 karters in the two-round opening leg of the event promoted by Ceramics Pro Philippines, sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by Petron, Petron Blaze 100 Euro 5, Petron XCS, Petron Ultron, Petron Xtra, Petron Sprint, Magnolia Pure Water and Yokohama (official tires).
Titles to be disputed are the X30 Senior Blaze 100, X30 Veterans Blaze 100, X30 Masters Blaze 100, X30 Junior Petron Tri-Action, Formula Cadet Novice Ultron, Formula Cadet Expert Ultron, X30 Mini-ROK Petron XCS, Formula SL Novice Xtra and Formula SL Expert Xtra.
Choi, who also bagged the 2016 International Karter of the Year and 2016 Asian Senior Karter of the Year awards, will be going up against teammates Takaharu Nakamori, Ching Kwong Yu and Mikey Jordan, Praga Racing Team’s Karl Wilhelm, and Edgesport Racing’s Andrew Lawrence Go, John Dizon and Dylan Arambulo.
Cebuano brothers Rhett and Jericke Hulganza of Praga Racing Team will slug it out against the Apex Racing duo of Mervin John Mallen and Zhu Yejin in the X30 Veterans Blaze 100 while three Palawan Racing karters will dispute the X30 Masters Blaze 100 crown.
Jarred Kim of Empire-Red Bull Racing, the Mini-ROK champ who swept all the final races last year, banners the tough field in the X30 Junior Petron Tri-Action alongside teammate Keon Romoff.
Empire-Red Bull Racing young aces Zach David, Joharry Suba, Miguel Angeles and 2016 Formula Cadet Novice Ultron champion Khazart Romoff battle for the Mini-ROK Petron XCS plum while top gun William Go of Edgesport Racing tackles Empire-Red Bull Racing’s Junho Kim.