Cheever, Chang, Pull lead AKOC Qualifiers in Macau

Edward Cheever, Andy Chang and James Pull topped the Formula 125 Open Senior, Formula 125 Open Junior and Mini Rok categories, respectively, in the ongoing second leg of the Asian Karting Open Championships at the Kartodromo de Coloane in Macau.

Cheever, 17-year-old son of former Formula One star Eddie Cheever, showed remarkable consistency throughout all three qualifying heats to emerge as the top qualifier in the premier Formula 125 Open Senior class. The American, who is competing under the Indonesian flag, finished second in heat two as well as fifth in heats one and three to earn the right to start the 30-kart Pre-Final from pole position.

Pre-event favorite Richard Bradley of Singapore, 19, took a pair of victories and one second place finish but a 10-second penalty for jumping the start nullified his second win and dropped him to second place behind Cheever. Girl Power, in the meantime, received a boost today when Indonesian Alexandra Asmasoebrata, 22, scored two scintillating third places and a ninth to make it to the top three in qualifying. Rounding out the top ten qualifiers are Indonesians Sean Gelael, Andi Aviandha Triadna Jakile, Christian Silvano; Macau's Joao Carlos de Jesus Afonso; Malaysian Weiron Tan, who submitted the fastest qualifying time of 48.994 seconds; Singaporean Andrew Tang; and Indonesian Mohamad Sharif Rahardjo.

In Formula 125 Open Junior, Andy Chang of Macau, 14, bucked the pressure exerted on him by his 18 rivals during the qualifying heats to secure first place ahead of Yasuo Senna Iriawan of Indonesia, 14; Thailand's Supanut Suwankham, 15; and Singapore's Andersen Martono, 13. Queued up behind them are Denzel Sofyan of Indonesia; Jacky Chan Cheuk Hin of Hong Kong; Franco Reyes of the Philippines; Christian Villeneuve of Singapore; Marino Sato of Japan; Chatmongkon Wisutthisen of Thailand.

James Pull of Malaysia showed that he is the karter to contend with in the Mini Rok class for karters aged 13 and under. Starting beside him on the front row of the Pre-Final will be Daim Bin Hishammudin of Singapore, while row two will be occupied by Andi Tangguh Farid Faqih of Indonesia and Christian Gaddi of the Philippines. Filling up in remaining slots on the grid are Indonesian Perdana Putra Minang; Singaporeans Maximilian Fewtrell, Indonesian Presley Martono and Jordan Tay of Singapore.

The second leg of the Asian Karting Open Championships is supported by Red and White Racing and held in cooperation with the Automobile General Association Macau-China.