Vios Cup season winds up at SM MOA street circuit

Celebrities featured in the Vios Cup are shown with Toyota Motor PH president Michinobu Sugata during a recent meet-and-greet activity at SM Cebu.

The 16-week wait is almost over as the third and final leg of the Toyota Vios Cup Season 2 kicks off this Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015.

This time, all roads head to the northern Bayside Road of the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City (where One Esplanade and Viking Luxury Buffet are located) where a 1.7 kilometer-long portion of the street was converted into a circuit.

The street circuit was especially prepared to challenge the 48 participants’ (40 dealer/privateer drivers and eight celebrity drivers) skills, ability to concentrate and driving precision as they complete 14 laps.

“The MOA street course is wide—three to four lanes—so there will be lots of opportunities for overtaking. The track is also fast as the surface course is made of asphalt, meaning grip is expected to be excellent,” said JP Tuason of Tuason Racing School, the Vios Cup event partner.

Push all the time

He added that for this particular leg, the drivers must push themselves to the limit at all times because of the presence of multiple passing points. “There is no time to relax as one mistake will definitely be costly. Driver’s concentration must be 100 percent at all times because it would be very hard, especially if you’re the frontrunner, to defend your position,” suggested Tuason.

Team principal Rene So who owns Team Toyota La Union and Team Toyota Dagupan added that the MOA street course should be very interesting as well as challenging for their drivers. “What is certain is that the venue will attract more spectators, not only enthusiasts. The Toyota Vios Cup 2nd Season at SM MOA will be an excellent opportunity to bring in more Filipinos to the race and make motorsport one of the major sporting events in the Philippines.”

So have four cars participating in the race with Charlie Cojuanco and Michael Bryan Co, as their lead drivers.

“We are also proud of our latest driver, Dimple Napat, who became the first female racer coming from privateers. Toyota Dagupan/Team Biskeg is proud to have her,” So said.

All eyes will be on Toyota Alabang’s bet Andres Calma, who emerged on top of the Sporting Class during the previous second leg held in Cebu.
The only son of PBA great Hector Calma, is joined by podium finishers Daniel Miranda and Allan Uy who were currently ranked second and third, respectively.

Cosco Oben, team owner of Toyota Balintawak and North Edsa, believes that the chase for the overall plum will be very tight.

“Points are doubled for this race so everyone still has a chance. We’re looking forward to the final leg,” said Oben.

“I am very delighted to say that the whole experience has been extra pleasant since one of Toyota Alabang’s racers (Calma) grabbed the pole position of both heats of the Cebu leg last May. It made us the race’s current overall leader, which we intend to keep this weekend,” said Toyota Alabang Motorsports team manager Mike Lee.

Lee, who is also the vice chair of Toyota Alabang, added that he is excited to see how the other drivers will fare.

“These past few months, our drivers have been rigorously practicing with coach Edgen Dy-Liacco as well as with the rest of the people behind Toyota Alabang Motorsports so I expect nothing but smooth qualifying round and flawless race.”

On-site entertainment

Aside from the electrifying wheel-to-wheel battle on the street track, bands and artists will take care of on-site entertainment, promised the organizers of the Toyota Vios Cup Season 2. It will also be a gustatory feast as food trucks will be stationed at the venue.

“Last year, we brought the season-ending race to McKinley West (in Taguig City), where thousands of spectators witnessed how we staged waku-doki,” said TMP president Michinobu Sugata in a statement.

“This weekend, it is only fitting that we bring back the biggest local racing event here in Metro Manila after a successful leg in the Queen City of the Philippines, Cebu.”

This year’s Toyota Vios Cup is made possible by Bridgestone Philippines, the official tire sponsor, providing each team with Potenza Adrenalin RE002 for the series, and Rota, the official wheels sponsor. The event is supported by Motul, TRD, Denso, Brembo, AVT, OMP and Tuason Racing.