Jason Magro wins ASMK Demolition Derby 2017
The ‘Assocjazzjoni Sport Muturi u Karozzi’ organised the preChristmas special programme last Sunday. This day’s event now is well established in the calendar of event of the Association.
This 24th edition special event was held to raise funds for the Istrina. Despite the various kinds of weather encountered throughout the day, the management of the Association still held this important event with the participation of 80 competitors.
The day’s activities started with the Motocross riders taking part in a special Fun Race.
This consisted of a one hour long race with 9 teams of two riders each obviously with two motorcycles. During this relay race the leading team was composed by Carmelo Borg (a veteran) on a Honda and young Mark Mamo on a Yamaha motorcycle. The other best overall team which finished in 2nd overall comprised Kyle Camilleri Falzon on a KTM and the Husqvarna of Krist Falzon who managed to cover 40 laps while Borg and Mamo crossed the finish line first to dominate the day’s event.
Third place finishing team consisted of Clayton Camilleri and Ismael Briffa both on KTM motorcycles. Fourth place finishers were James Zahra and Brandon Galea riding a Sherco and Honda motorcycles.
The day continued with the fourth event of the national Autocross championship where after the night rains of Saturday evening the Autocross competitors made spectacular races on ideal track conditions.
Twenty two competitors, divided into three classes, mainly those for the Autocross Modified and the Standard classes together with a special Gozo Drivers race, took part.
The Autocross Modified final line up of Class A was formed by Vince Farrugia on Volkswagen Polo, Noel Zammit on a Fiat Punto, Jean Paul Grech on a Peugeot 106, Andrew Pisani on Vauxhall Nova, Karl Micallef on a Ford Fiesta and Brandon Lee Vassallo on a Peugeot 205 .
During this final race Pisani took the lead and was followed by Farrugia and Micallef but by the end of the first lap, Farrugia managed to take the lead as he took advantage of making use of the Joker Lap early in the race while Micallef and Pisani followed.
Later Pisani managed to advance on Micallef. It was noted too that during the race start referee had to issue a Warning Flag to Grech because of making contact with Zammit who consequently lost his placing in the race. The final result showed Farrugia winning ahead of Pisani and Grech respectively. Fourth place finisher was Zammit and Vassallo came in fifth.
In the final of Class B, Ryan Scicluna on his Ford Fiesta was the winner followed by Keith Borg on a Vauxhall Nova and third placed Matthew Saliba on a Volkswagen Polo.
The final of the Standard Class was won by Johann Vella driving his Opel Nova. Second was Nicovich Chircop on a Peugoet 106. Third place went to Kyle Agius on his Renault 5 while fourth place finisher was Jerome Peplow on a Kia Avella.
Christian Mercieca, on a Daewoo Racer, won the race for the Gozo Autocross drivers. He was followed by Larkin Scerri on Citroen AX. Third place was won by Marvic Sultana on a Toyota Starlet while fourth place was Mario Attard on a Ford Fiesta.
The Demolition Derby followed with 38 drivers making it to the starting line of the event.
The competitors were Jonathan Cassar on Hyundai Stellar, Kevin Barbara on Hyundai Stellar, Michael Delia on a Lada, Charles Mallia on a Ford Escort, Brian Grech on a Lada, Justin Grima on a Lada, Francis Bugeja on a Volvo, Deneckmar Fenech on a Daewoo , Clint Farrugia on a Hyundai, Leo Butler on a Toyota, Stefen Farrugia on a Volvo, Edward Zammit on a Lada, Brian Lawrence Mascari on a Volvo, Jonathan Abela on a Volvo, Mauro Cassar on a Lada, Chris Cremona on a Volvo, Marlon Caruana on a Datsun, Wayne Mallia on a Kia Clarus, Dayan Aquilian on a Lada, Frans Butler on a Mercedes, Mario Butler on a Volvo, Jason Magro on a Volvo, Carl Mizzi on a Volvo, Larkin Butler on a Volvo, Philip Mangion on a Lada, Axel Grech on a BMW, Fabian Buhagiar on a BMW, Charles Falzon on a Hyundai Pony, Aldo Galdes on a Hyundai Stellar, Glenn Borg on a Marina, Horatiu Cremona on a Lada, Jurgen Camilleri on a Datsun, Nigel Mercieca on a Volvo, Oliver Camilleri on a Marina, the Marina of Brandon Gilford, Daniel Licari on a Hyundai Stellar, Kurt Scicluna on a Standard Ensign and Clive Butler on a Toyota Crown.
Hundreds of spectators in the paddocks were present to watch the 24th edition of this Derby that was more crowded by the number of cars than last year.
The two exhibition laps on the wet track provided a spectacular moment and soon these cars offered collisions before they were to be discarded as scrap metal.
Among them stood a modern Volvo car driven by Jason Magro who besides the beautiful sound of the engine, also made beautiful maneouvres to receive the bumps and bruises by other cars on the track. It was a spectacular display.
After a little less than 50 minutes the race ended between two cars: the Volvo driven by Magro and another Volvo driven by Mascari. They both made 8 minutes and had to struggle for the punishment of the final blow which would decide the winner and the runner-up.
A few seconds before the end of this Demolition, Brian Mascari stepped on Jason Magro who was declared as the winner of this 24th edition on his Volvo race car. Brian Lawrence Mascari, on another Volvo, ended as the runnerup.
The ASMK championships will resume on Sunday 14 January 2018 and ASMK also announced that the next Demolition will be that of small cars and will take place on Sunday 18 March 2018.
The administration thanked all participants and helpers who were somehow involved in this event.