FORMER Junior Karter of the Year awardee Paco Rodriguez took the spotlight in the second leg of the 2009 Kartzone Superkart Series, as he claimed the championship in the KT 100 division, yesterday at the Kartzone Race Track in Brgy. Panagdait.

Rodriguez, a 15-year old speedster from Sacred Heart School-Jesuits (SHS-J) who rose up the national ranks with his Junior Karter of the Year award in 2006, was simply unstoppable as he claimed the checkered flag in the second and final heats, finishing the latter with a total time of nine minutes and 23.649 seconds in the 20-lap race.

Adding more luster to his victory was that he also logged in the fastest lap time of the race with 27.714 seconds, a feat he achieved in the 23th lap of the final race.

Rodriguez's journey to the podium though, did not get off to a rosy start as he finished the first heat in a dismal sixth place, after his race team put on rain tires in anticipation of the bad weather. Unfortunately, the pouring rain did not come leaving Rodriguez to fend off the competition with the wrong set of tires.

Finishing in second place is up-and-coming karter Jette Calderon who was edged by Rodriguez by just over a second. Calderon timed in with a total time of 9:24.768 and had the second-fastest lap time in the race with 27.776 seconds, which he accomplished in the 12th lap as well.

Rounding out the top three was the reigning Junior Karter of the Year Tonyo Carcel, who courageously made his way to a podium finish in spite of his miserable performances in the first two heats. Carcel finished in 10th place in both heats and started the final heat in last place. However, that proved not to be a deterrent as he zigged and zagged his way past his opponents to finish in third place with a time of 9:34.398.

All three racers are preparing themselves for the Cebu leg of the National Karting Series which is slated for late next month. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio