Toyota Vios cup revs up on Subic track

With the mountains and the sea as an enchanting backdrop, 47 amateur racers battled it out for podium honors in the fourth and final leg of the 2015 Toyota Vios Cup at the tarmac of the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) here on Sunday.

The much-awaited showdown brought the racers and winners in the previous three legs for deciding matches in the promotional, sporting and celebrity classes.

Thousands of racing fans crowded the makeshift galleries set up in front of the SBIA terminal, as the drivers gunned for official practice and qualifiers on Saturday, and for the official races the next day.

The action on the tarmac revved up on Sunday when Race 7 of the sporting class fired off at half past noon. It was immediately followed by Race 7 of the promotional/celebrity class at 1:50 p.m., with fans rooting for celebrity drivers like actors Derek Ramsay and Jasmine Smith-Curtis, DJ and TV personality Sam YG and model-actress-news caster Phoemela Baranda.

In the final race for the sporting class, actor-racer Dominic Ochoa (No. 25) took the lead in the first few laps until a detached rear bumper snagged a wheel, sending him weaving crazily at the track during a crucial turn. That cost Ochoa precious seconds, and Toyota Avenue teammate Allan Uy (No. 26), who was waiting on the wings, immediately capitalized to take the first spot.

The finals for the promotional/celebrity class saw Sam YG (No. 6) taking off at a fast clip and not looking back until the last lap.

The awarding rites began at nightfall after the celebrity drivers gave some time for fans—signing autographs and posing for group selfies. The provisional results had Sam YG on top of the celebrity class by taking both Race 7 and Race 8. He was also named the Best Male Celebrity Driver.

Baranda and sports-show host Jinno Rufino, meanwhile, took turns at the second and third places: Rufino placing second and Baranda third in Race 7 and exchanging positions in Race 8.

Baranda also snagged the Best Female Celebrity Driver title, while Ramsay received the Most Improved Celebrity Driver award.

In the sporting class, Allay Uy was declared champion and won P75,000. He was named Driver of the Day.

Toyota Motors Philippines head Michinobo Sugata, who also joined the races, was on hand to award the prizes, along with representatives of sponsors Bridgestone and Rota and supporters Motul, TRD, Brembo, Denso, AVT, OMP and Tuason Racing. (Henry Empeño, BusinessMirror)

PHOTOS:

[1] Racers burn rubber at the SBIA tarmac.

[2]After the exciting action at the tarmac of the Subic Bay International Airport, the participants whoop it up during the awards ceremony.

Image Credits: Henry Empeño

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