Toyota wraps up Vios Cup Season 3

Confettis rain on winners at the closing ceremonies of the Vios Cup Season 3 races held at the Clark International Speedway.

Photos by Bong Boado

It looks like Toyota Quezon Avenue’s Allan Uy’s prayers were answered when he was crowned this year’s Toyota Vios Cup (Season 3) over-all champion for the Super Sporting Class division.

Just before the final round, Uy blew his engine on Round 3 at the Clark International Speedway so he didn’t get any points for Race 5 and 6.

However, this veteran race driver’s determination and strategies paid off after staging a comeback in the season’s finale which was also held at the Clark International Speedway when he won in Race 7 and finishing seventh in Race 8.

Aside from racing, Uy is a creative talent when it comes to custom painting racing helmets. He always puts “To God be the Glory” on his helmet. He said he always asks his friends to pray not only for him but for the safety of all race participants at the start of each race.

Earning a total of 48 points in the final leg, he ended the season with a total of 111 points to bag the elusive Super Sporting Class title.

“It has been a rough but fruitful journey this season.  Being part of the Vios Cup ever since it started two years ago has been a humbling experience. Going through tough struggles made me stronger and rewarded me with nothing but the best this year,” said Uy.

The jubilant champion made sure he thanked God on stage for his triumphant comeback and intimated that this has been a really tough journey for him.

Toyota Alabang’s Estefano Rivera was awarded the overall first runner-up with 103 points while Basti Escalante of the Obengers team bagged the second runner-up title with 90 points.  This was Escalante’s best season so far.

Actor and veteran race driver Dominic Ochoa of Toyota Quezon Avenue took home fourth overall with 83 points, and Daniel Miranda from Obengers got fifth overall with 82 points.

Allan Uy receives his award from Toyota executives.

In the Bridgestone Sporting Class division, foreigner Steve Bicknell of Toyota San Fernando took the crown with 112 points over Gerard Loy of Toyota Dagupan with 108.5 points and Miko Maristela  of Toyota Quezon Avenue with 105 points. Sean Velasco of Toyota Cebu had 90 points and emerged fourth while Sam YG got fifth place with 79 points.

In the Rota Promotional Class, Kiko Dysico of Toyota Cabanatuan took the title with 109 points over Marc Martinez of Marcars with 98.5 points who emerged as the runner-up while Aira Medrano of Toyota Alabang took the third spot. Medrano was awarded third even if she and Oliver Matias of Toyota San Fernando both got 98 points.

Medrano had more podium finishes for the season so she was awarded third over Matias who took fourth place.

Oscar Suarez of Toyota Cebu landed fifth place with 80 points.

It was also a jubilant evening for TV celebrity Jinno Rufino who bagged the Rota Celebrity Class division over Fabio Ide who awarded runner-up and Jericho Rosales who was placed third overall.

This season also saw other celebrity drivers Joyce Pring, Jasmine Curtis Smith, Derek Ramsay, and Arci Muñoz rise up to the challenge on the track, which promises an even more exciting season next year for this division.

From left, Steve Bicknell, Allan Uy, Jinno Rufino, and Kiko Dysico

Toyota Motor Philippines’ (TMP) president Satoru Suzuki who also drove in this season said he was elated about the outcome as “the Vios Cup Season 3 proved to be nothing short of the first two seasons and success is starting to be a tradition for TMP’s flagship program.”

The Toyota Vios Cup organizers also acknowledged the support of its various sponsors that made this epic one-make race possible through the years, namely Bridgestone, ROTA, Motul, Toyota Racing Development Denso, AVT, Brembo, OMP, and TuasonRacing.com.