Guidicelli on kart title: I wuz robbed

Three-time national karting champion Matteo Fernan Guidicelli claimed yesterday he was robbed of the recent Karter of the Year Cup and said he’ll skip the next super kart series if necessary reforms in the sport are not implemented.

Guidicelli particularly scored clerk of course (CoC) Gabby Intengan for his alleged "unfair and oppressive officiating" during the final leg of the 2005 Shell Super Kart Series Oct. 8-9, allowing Michelle Bumgarner to steal the Karter of the Year honors.

The 15-year-old Fil-Italian karter was leading on points heading into the final leg but lost allegedly on a serious error of the CoC to start the race ahead of the schedule.

Curiously, Guidicelli didn’t finish the race as he figured in a collision with a teammate of Bumgarner who had long been out of contention for the Karter of the Year Cup.

"The proper start procedure was not followed, and the CoC gave the signal to start almost 30 minutes ahead of the schedule. As a result, my kart was still in the stand and the engine had not been warmed up, and even the previous race karts were not done with their weigh-in, so the pits were not clear of traffic," rued Guidicelli.

In a press conference at the Manila Hotel, Guidicelli cited several alleged unfair decisions of the CoC that favored the eventual winner.

A statement said: "There was no race briefing, an important role of the Clerk of Course under Section 2.18 of the Prescriptions Generales which he completely ignored.

"Guidicelli’s plea for an extension, given that the start was way ahead of schedule, which extension is allowed under the rules, was unreasonably ignored.

"The CoC inexplicably allowed the pole sitter to run at a very fast pace in the pace and formation laps, preventing Guidicelli from regaining his place. And yet, the CoC had in other cases ordered the pace to be slowed down in the very same event of that weekend. In one instance, the CoC even went down to the track, stopped the race and allowed the pole-sitter to rejoin the grid.

"The CoC did not penalize or even talk to the pole-sitter’s teammate who bumped from behind Guidicelli’s kart. Guidicelli could have been hurt by what seemed like an intentional attempt to end his race. Matteo’s kart was too badly damaged to continue and the maneuver effectively wrapped up the championship for the pole-sitter."

Guidicelli has accepted the fact that the series is over but said he wants a thorough investigation of the final event.

"I’m making this statement because I feel that I have been a victim of a terrible injustice," said Guidicelli.