Asian Motor Sports

I’ve been sadly deficient in my coverage of the Asian Formula Three Series both here and my other place. After the cancellation of the AF3 Indonesian rounds last month due to “unforeseen commercial reasons” (whatever that means) the Series returns this week to Sentul Indonesia for 6 rounds of action.

Never one to shy away from highlighting the distaff side of racing or posting a few cheesecake images this weeks AF3 events offers the best of both worlds. The best lady drivers of Philippine racing, Michele Bumgarner (upper left) and Gaby dela Merced (below right), renew their rivalry in AF3’s Promotions Class.

Michele, at age 23, has amassed an impressive resume that includes both Philippine National and Asian karting success. She captured the Asian Intercontinental Junior Karting Championship in 2003 and the Open Class in 2004, in addition to being a multiple winner of the National title at her home track in Carmona Philippines. (10 miles from my homestead if anyone cares) Michele and brother Mark also competed in the Italian Margutti Cup with their Open Class karts this past April.

This year, thanks to AF3 Team Goddard, she stepped up to the AF3 Series and became the first female driver to post a win in the series when she won the Promotions Class in her Series debut at the Batangas Racing Circuit (BRC) Philippines last May.

The biggest Bumgarner story is she’s headed to North America in 2007. She will be driving for the newly formed Mandeville-Deas Team in the Formula Atlantic series.

Gaby dela Merced is the older of the two racing divas and has competed in the Philippines since the early eighties. First in the local Slalom Championship where she won the Ladies Championship in 2001 with 3rd overall placing in both the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

Also in ‘03 dela Merced finished 3^rd overall in the Philippine BRC Production Touring Car Championship and 2^nd overall in the Philippine Petron GP Touring Car Series Production Class. 2004 saw her finish 3^rd overall in the Philippine Formula Toyota Championship and was named as a Formula BMW Asia Scholarship Driver.

As intimated earlier, Bumgarner and dela Merced renew a rivalry that started with Michele’s first win and continued at Zhuhai in July when they had a little “get together” at the start. Bumgarner currently leads dela Merced by 5 points in the Philippine Natonal Drivers Championship.

This week at Sentul presents a unique challenge to all the drivers. With the previous event moved to this week they will contest 6 rounds vice the normal 3 over the course of five days.

Tuesday’s scheduled first practice went off without a hitch with Filipino Dado Pena setting the fastest time three tenths quicker than three drivers. Amazingly James Winslow, Henri Karjalainen and Ali Jackson all set the identical practice times.

Gaby dela Merced threw down the gauntlet to her rival setting fast time in the Promotions Class by besting Bumgarner by 7 tenths of a second. Bumgarner had the third quickest time with Satrio Hermanto sandwiched (hold the snarky comments, they’re reserved for me) between the two racing divas.

Wednesday will see the second day of practice prior to qualifying and the first two races on Thursday afternoon.

Yea! You go Girls!