Thai drifting ace targets KON diadem

MANILA, Philippines — With 240 points after two legs, Thai drifting champion Wuttitat “Keng” Pankumnerd is one good ride away from the overall title in the King of Nations Asia Pro Series 2018, which ends Sunday at the Clark International Speedway.

Pankumnerd, known in the drifting circuit as “The Little Wizard,” said he can win his first KON Asia crown with a decent finish among the 30 participants in the KONPH race scheduled today until Sunday.

“I really want to win the championships,” Thai drifter, flag-bearer of the Thai PTT RD-2 Drift Team, said through an interpreter.

Pankumnerd, who learned how to drive a car when he was 10, has a Japanese rider trailing him by 50 points after the first two legs in Thailand last month.

“If I get to the final four I will have a very strong chance,” said the 25-year-old drifter, who started out as a track racer.

Pankumnerd is counting on his 1989 Toyota Corolla that rolls on a souped-up three-liter engine, and the full support of PTT oil and lubricants.

He will have his hands full in tomorrow’s qualifiers heading to Sunday’s final events against Asia’s finest, including Charles Ng of Hong Kong, Daigo Saito, Hirohide Tanaka, Keiichiro Kadekaru and Toni “HalfBreeds” Arakaki of Japan, and Nasser Almutairi of Kuwait.

Filipino drifters will try to hold their ground, led by 19-year-old Luis Gono and veteran David Feliciano, Atoy Llave and Gabe Tayao.

“They are all very good,” said the Thai ace, who hopes to vie in the world stage as well as the tough Japanese circuit.

Drifting, according to the young rider who has closely followed the “Fast and Furious” movie, has no boundaries.

“Anybody who wants to be a drifter can be a drifter. If you like the sport, you can do it. But never do it on public roads. There’s a circuit to drift. But never on public roads,” he said.