Karl Micallef and Deane Farrugia win ASMK National Autocross championship
The ‘Assocjazzjoni Sport Muturi u Karozzi’ held the last Autocross event of the ASMK Pasta Poiatti 2016/2017 season last Saturday.
Despite the small number of participants it was still undecided who wouldbe the champions in both the Autocross Modified and Standard Autocross classes.
In the Modified class Philip Joe Vella on the Opel Corsa won all the 3 heats thus he reassured his place in the Class A finals. Andrew Pisani also qualified for this race on his Vauxhall Nova, Karl Micallef on a Ford Fiesta, JeanPaul Grech on a Peugeot 106, the Fiat Punto of Noel Zammit and Brandon Lee Vassallo on his Peugeot 205.
With the departure of this race final, the finalists established their place after the first corner where Grech took the lead followed by Vella and Pisani. This order continued with Micallef taking fourth place followed by Zammit and Vassallo.
In the first half of this race final there was no change in any car position until the fifth lap when Vella’s car developed a mechanical engine failure and he retired before the end of the race. The final result of this race showed that Grech finished as the race winner of the day. Pisani and Micallef followed close by in 2nd and 3rd places with Zammit and Vassallo finishing in fourth and fifth places respectively.
In the finals of Class B only one driver qualified. It was the first experience for Kurt Aquilina on his Opel Corsa to automatically win his first Autocross Class B final.
In the Autocross Standard Class, matters were very hot as it was still completely undecided who would raise this year’s Championship winning trophy.
The challenge was mainly between Johann Vella and Deane Farrugia. During the day, Johann Vella on his Opel Nova and Quinn Camilleri on his Peugeot 106 scored the highest points but despite all this, everything completely faded out for Vella during his third heat.
During this lap Vella played an anti-sporting deed on Farrugia and consequently Farrugia stopped against the tyre barrier and discontinued the race. This resulted in the referee of the day having no option other than stopping Vella by the Black Flag as stated by the race regulations and Vella had to pack and go home. This decision was also confirmed after viewing the video clips provided and by agreement of the ASMK committee present.
The association apologised itself to all present on that day and condemned the anti-sporting behaviour by some of Vella’s supporters following this Black Flag decision. In the coming days ASMK is expected to take further disciplinary action against the members involved in this deed. It is also expected to take to court some of these members who were active in these un-sporting scenes.
Meanwhile, shortly afterwards the situation was controlled and the day’s programme continued as planned with the first Autocross Standard Class Race finals. Here the start line was composed by Quinn Camilleri on his Peugeot 106, the Citroen AX of Deane Farrugia, Jerom Peplow on his Kia Avella and Karl Curmi on his Opel Corsa. Kyle Agius on the Renault 5 did not start the race final.
With the start of this final Farrugia and Camilleri were seen to do the best launch but it was Farrugia who took the helm of this race final while followed by Camilleri. The order continued with Curmi taking third place and followed by Peplow in fourth place.
During the nine laps the four competitors defended their positions in a fast and sporting manner to the end. Farrugia’s final win granted him the championship victory too. Camilleri followed close by to Farrugia and Curmi finished in third place.
At the end of the day ASMK held the official ceremony for the 2016/2017 National Autocross Championship.
Karl Micallef on his Ford Fiesta won his first National Modified Autocross Championship for 2016/2017. During this season Micallef has won only one race but he finished in various high places in a number of other events. Micallef won this championship with 226 points followed by Gordon Johnson on his Opel Corsa who closed this Championship with 189 points.
The 2016/2017 Standard Autocross National Championship was won for the third consecutive time by Deane Farrugia on his Citroen AX.
Farrugia was one of the first competitors who began to participate in this class since the birth of this class and have since managed to win three consecutive titles. Farrugia won this 2016 2017 title with 59 points followed by Johann Vella on his Opel Nova with 47 points.