Toyota Vios Cup Season 3 goes south of Metro for races 3 and 4

CELEBRITY racers ham it up before the camera.

After 16 years, Toyotas once again lined up on the streets of Filinvest City, Alabang, for the second leg of Toyota Vios Cup Season 3. This time, though, there were no plastic tapes that defined the track during the races in the ’90s.

Instead, the streets of Filinvest were lined up with catch fencing and Armco barriers similar to those used in F1 street races. The 1.2-kilometer street racetrack is now called “Manila South Circuit.”

This was the third offering of one of the biggest events in Philippine motorsports in Metro Manila.

Season 1 was at McKinley West Circuit, Taguig, while Season 2 was held at Manila Bay Circuit, SM Mall of Asia.

At Manila South Circuit, about 60 cars lined up on the grid in front of more than 25,000 spectators.

Being on a street track, the drivers were given a chance to level the playing field because they would all be racing there for the first time.

Unlike in a racetrack where competitors can practice all they want, racing on a street track brings out the innate talent of the driver, specifically on how quickly he can adapt to the track and how he uses its shortcomings and shortcuts to advantage.

Twenty-year-old and 2015 champion Andres Calma, celebrity host Jinno Rufino, and Cebu’s Sean Velasco dominated their respective classes while 19-year-old Aira Medrano gave a stellar performance, playing musical chairs with Bobby Pangilinan and Marc Martinez.

Crowd favorite Sam YG did not have luck on his side this race weekend; the Sporting class pole sitter had a technical problem during the first race, and had to start from last in race 4.

He was able to climb up to 10th place until contact with another competitor brought him back to last once again.

He tried to climb up once again until the wall got the better of him which saw him walking back to the pits.

On the grid was actress Arci Muñoz, with her baptism of fire on a street race. She joined other celebrity racers Jinno Rufino, Jericho Rosales, Joyce Pring, Fabio Ide and Phoemela Baranda.

Drift king Keiichi Tsuchiya also graced the occasion by going sideways and smoking tires as a special treat to all spectators.

Here’s how the races ended:

Race 3 winners

Rota Celebrity Race

1. Jinno Rufino
2. Jericho Rosales
3. Fabio Ide

Rota Promotional Class

1. Marc Martinez (Marc Cars)
2. Bobby Pangilinan (Toyota Cebu)
3. Aira Medrano (Toyota Alabang)

Bridgestone Sporting Class

1. Sean Velasco (Toyota Cebu)
2. Miko Maristela (Toyota Quezon Avenue)
3. JV Ejercito (Obengers)

Super Sporting Class

1. Andres Calma (GM Motorsports)
2. Dominic Ochoa (Toyota Quezon Avenue)
3. Raymond Ronquillo (Obengers)

Race 4 winners

Rota Celebrity Race

1. Jinno Rufino
2. Jericho Rosales
3. Fabio Ide

Rota Promotional Class

1. Aira Medrano (Toyota Alabang)
2. Marc Martinez ( Marc Cars)
3. Bobby Pangilinan (Toyota Cebu)

Bridgestone Sporting Class

1. Sean Velasco (Toyota Cebu)
2. Miko Maristela (Toyota Quezon Avenue)
3. JV Ejercito (Obengers)

Super Sporting Class

1. Andres Calma (GM Motorsports)
2. Dominic Ochoa and

3. Allan Uy (both Toyota Quezon Avenue)

AT THE starting grid

TOYOTA president Satoru Suzuki with Bam Gotianum of Filinvest

GREENS, buildings and race cars