Calvin Ming was made to work for every point, but the experienced driver still emerged from the latest round of the Need for Speed Karting Championship as the early leader in two competitive categories.
Racing at the 555 Speedway in Georgetown last weekend, Ming took control of both the Briggs Senior Heavy and Briggs Senior Light standings after a strong all-round performance that featured important wins, consistent pace and composed driving under pressure.
In the Briggs Senior Heavy class, Ming, driving kart number 4, moved to the top of the championship table with 55 points. His round included pole position in qualifying, victory in the heat, second place in the pre-final and a dominant win in the final, where he secured the maximum 25 points.
However, the category was far from one-sided. Mikhail Persaud, in kart number 34, kept himself firmly in the championship race with 41 points after a steady performance across the day. Persaud finished second in the heat and final, and third in the pre-final, leaving him 14 points behind Ming.
Jeremy Tenpow also remains within striking distance on 38 points. Tenpow won the pre-final and followed up with a third-place finish in the final to stay among the early contenders.
Ming said the win was satisfying because of the quality of the opposition, noting that Persaud pushed him throughout the day while Tenpow also produced a strong performance. He said the racing was close, competitive and fair, adding that the standard of driving in the Briggs Senior Heavy class continues to rise.
Steven Nobrega and Salim Azeez are tied on 24 points in the same division, with Nobrega holding fourth position. Nobrega finished fourth in the final, while Azeez continued to show progress as the championship develops. John Mohamed sits sixth on 13 points, followed by Leonardo Jienarine on 12 and Alfred Madray on four.
Ming’s weekend was even stronger in the Briggs Senior Light category, where he leads the standings with 58 points after completing a clean sweep. He secured pole position, won the heat, pre-final and final, and used that performance to build an early advantage over the chasing pack.
The final, however, required precision from start to finish. Ming said an early gap of about half a second proved crucial, as the drivers behind him applied constant pressure for the remainder of the race. He said he had to stay focused and avoid mistakes, especially as the pace among the front-runners was extremely close.
Ming also praised the work of Ming Performance Group (MPG), saying every member of the team played an important role in the result. He also highlighted the continued development of Khalil Rickford, one of the early drivers to join MPG, who is now consistently competing near the front.
Behind Ming in the Briggs Senior Light standings, Steven Nobrega is second with 40 points, while Justin Tenpow holds third on 35. Zachary Persaud is fourth with 31 points, followed by Rickford on 24 and Matthew Phang on 18.
The next round of the Need for Speed Karting Championship is scheduled for September 13 at the Leonora Stadium.
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