The second leg of the 2021 Toyota Gazoo Racing Vios Cup exhilarated motorsport contenders and followers alike as seasoned and rookie racers provided real-life action at the tracks.
Held last weekend, the premier motorsports program of leading local automotive distributor Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) had pushed through this month after postponing it last August. The races were livestreamed at the official TMP Facebook page last Saturday.
“Thousands of motorsports fans like you joined us online last July, making the return of the Vios Cup a safe and successful one. With more than 48 racers, we challenged the roadblocks of this pandemic. And now we are back, ready for more thrilling track action,” TMP President Atsuhiro Okamoto said during the opening ceremonies.
“We are so glad to race again at the Clark International Speedway with the reliable Filipino-made Vios,” he continued.
Julia Delos Angeles was the victor at Races 4 and 5 of the Promotional Class but Royce Sarmiento snatched the lead from her in Race 6.
“This leg, I really focused and did everything I can to be more competitive. I allotted more time to practice, and whenever I can’t physically be at the track, I’d still try to imagine and practice remotely through my onboard videos. In comparison to the previous leg, I think the main difference was that I stopped pushing myself too hard and just had fun,” Delos Angeles said.
Actor Fabio Ide finished second place in Race 4. However, Maila Alivia got his position in Races 5 and 6. Jiro Garbes finished third in all three races.
Iñigo Anton and Julian Tang consistently made the podium in the three races. Jacob Ang was in their company in the first two races that day, but Joaquin Garrido overtook him in Race 6.
Vios Cup veterans Estefano Rivera, Bryan Co, Gerard Loy, Red Diwa, and Pauland Dumlao took turns at the top three spots, with Rivera being a consistent podium placer.
“I feel my performance was very good, not just for me but for our entire team. Our winning strategy was to make sure our car was 100-percent ready for the whole race week in order for us to be competitive,” Rivera said.
“I am looking for the same results in the next leg in order for us to secure the overall championship and the team championship as well,” he added.
Jules Aquino topped the Celebrities and Influencers Class, with Enzo Pineda and Gino Quillamor taking second and third place, respectively.
For the recently concluded leg, a total of 49 racers vied to be the best in their respective categories — 25 in Circuit Championship and 24 in the Autocross Challenge.
In addition, 2021 GR GT Cup Promotional Class Winner Jether Miole took part in the Autocross Challenge. “That feeling of getting (behind) the wheel, on the track for the first time after being used to sim racing is very exciting. And at the end of the event, you'll suddenly crave for more,” he said.
Further, the same event also paved for the sneak preview of the Gazoo-fied versions of the Hilux and the Fortuner that will be offered to the country starting October 23.
Photos from Toyota Motor Philippines
Also read:
New and seasoned racers dominate season kicker of 2021 TGR Vios Cup
Real race, online viewing: The Toyota GR Vios Cup begins this weekend
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