Nguyen sees off determined Iivonen to win eBuggy at ABC Malaysia

Kyosho’s Phi-Long Nguyen has taken the eBuggy win at Round 2 of the Asian Buggy Championships in Malaysia, the American seeing off an intense challenge from Mayako’s Pekko Iivonen in the deciding third A-Main at LAP Paradise RC Raceway. With Iivonen having won yesterday’s opening A-Main ahead of the Top Qualifier, this morning Nguyen would manage to keep his MP11e out front despite the Finn being all over his rear wing in A2 and even getting a look once or twice down the inside but just never quite able to see it through. With 1 minute 20 seconds on the clock of the 8-minute encounter, Iivonen would attempt a long jump but it would go wrong and he would land off the track. Rejoining the track without the need for a marshal, Iivonen’s next lap would be the fastest of the final but as he made another push he would crash again on his final lap, allowing Nguyen to win by over 6-seconds. With the stage set for an A3 shootout, the contenders didn’t disappoint with the crowd producing many “Oohs and ahhs” over the race as Iivonen tried to put a pass on the Asian Buggy Championship debutant. Despite his rival, who again set the fastest lap of the race, getting his noise alongside a number of times it was not enough to unsettle the teenager who put in a super cool headed drive. The pressure on Nguyen would finally lift on the last lap as Iivonen, who showed incredible patients behind the leader, tried to out jump the leader but the landing didn’t work. Crossing the line with a 4-second advantage the overall win was Nguyen’s. Backing up his P3 in the days earlier encounter with another third in A3 meant it was Australian Jayden Edmunds who completed the podium ahead of 3rd place qualifier Caleb Noble.










