Team Australia tests Phl aces in SQ karting

MANILA, Philippines - Six members of the SQ Racing Team Australia test their mettle against equally talented Filipino rivals in the first ever SQ International Kart Race this weekend at the Carmona Racetrack.

The SQ International Kart Race is one of the three major racing spectacles slated in the busy karting weekend, together with the kickoff of the 2012 Denso KF2-KF3 Cup Series and the championship round of the 2011 Petron Karting Super Series sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by Petron Blaze, San Miguel Corporation, Motorstar and Aeromed.

Leading the charges for the SQ Racing Team Australia are Jason Wroth and Adrian O’Callaghan of the Eastern Goldfields Kart Club as they will be joined by four other New South Wales drivers Martin Brien, Peter Brien, Paul Wroe and Michael Bartley.

O’Callaghan and Bartley will be vying for the SQ Expert and Senior titles while Wroth will be competing in the SQ Veterans class with Peter and Martin Brien, and Paul Wroe.

Though admittedly it’s their first time to venture overseas, Wroth and O’Callaghan’s track record spells big challenge for the Filipinos.  Wroth emerged the 2011 Southern Zone Series’ 125 Heavy class champ and likewise bagged the title in last November’s Dash-For-Cash in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

O’Callaghan likewise bagged the crown in the 125 Lights division of the Southern Zone Series and took the runner-up trophy in the Dash-For-Cash.

“From what we’ve been told, they (Filipinos) are really good drivers who knows the track quite well. This should be a really good experience for us,” said Wroth.

Spearheading the country’s quest for the titles are Don Batino and One Racing stalwarts John Effinger and Daniel Castaneda.

Batino captured the 2011 SQ Expert crown and will be joined by equally strong contenders Peterson Lim, Raul Baretto, Nike Mora, Joseph Castelar, Julius Milla, Jeremy San Diego and former matinee idol Onemig Bondoc for the SQ International Expert/ Senior crowns.

Effinger emerged the SQ Veterans champion last year and will be joined by Gonzalo Julian Jr., Rolan de Guzman, Philip Lao, Philip Rido and Matthew Edmunds in the hunt for the SQ International Veterans title.

Castaneda will banner RP’s quest in the SQ International Novice division together with Gonzalo Julian Jr., Mark Laxa, Choi Jerry Acuna, Lachlan Christic, Wilson Patrick Ong, Philip Rido and Paulo Cabrera among others.

Also up this weekend are the hunt for the Karter of the Year and Junior Karter of the Year plums in the 2011 Petron Karting Super Series. With four-time champ Stefano Marcelo of Maranello-San Miguel Corporation-Marcelo Racing a shoo-in for the Karter of the Year award, focus will shift on the showdown for the runner-up honors among FERN-C Racing’s VJ Suba and Industria Racing’s Franco Reyes and Jette Calderon.

Suba likewise is set to defend his KF2 crown in the 2012 Denso KF2-KF3 Cup Series against Marcelo, Reyes and FERN-C Racing teammate Milo Rivera.

For more info, interested parties may 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.