MANILA, Philippines–Citing his decorated racing career and significant contributions to the promotion, development and growth of motorsports in the Philippines, the board of directors of the Automobile Association Philippines inducted Johnny G. Tan to its Motorsports Hall of Fame during the 20th AAP Awards Night held recently at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
Tan, more known as the present day “Godfather of Philippine Motorsports,” was aptly described by the AAP board of directors as the man who “dared to go where no man has gone before” for his unparalleled and unequaled passion and dedication that pivoted his significant contributions to local motorsports racing.
And his achievements were the convincing factors that merited the prestigious distinction as the fifth motorsports icon to be elevated to the AAP Motorsports Hall of Fame.
For his part, Tan vowed to continue his plans, programs and other unfinished business for local motorsports as he expressed deep gratitude to the AAP for feting him with such exceptional honor to be among the deserving few chosen into the elite circle of motorsports pillars.
The Motorsports Hall of Fame was established in 2007 upon the suggestion of the motorsports committee to honor individuals who have contributed significantly to the promotion, development and growth of motorsports in the Philippines.
The AAP board of directors has been following strict criteria that only five motorsports icons so far were conferred with such recognition in eight years. In its first year, Conrado “Dodo” Ayuyao, Pocholo Ramirez and Eddie Marcelo were the first three motorsports greats to be inducted to the Motorsports Hall of Fame.
The fourth honoree, Dante Silverio, was added four years later in 2011, and it took another four years for the AAP board of directors to name Tan as the fifth member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame.
Silverio and Tan are the only living motorsports pillars in the Hall of Fame.
Multiawarded, pioneering
Tan was a multiawarded competitor during his time. But it was his accomplishments as a pioneering organizer of domestic and international motorsport events, and as a visionary and intrepid builder of infrastructures providing venues for motorsport events across the Philippines that earned the unanimous approval of the AAP board of directors in granting such prestigious award.
His motorsports career began in 1986 when he first sat in a racing kart in the old Libis karting track. The following year, he emerged the 1987 Rookie Karter of the Year and only after three years in active competition, Tan achieved the pinnacle of his karting career as the overall champion of the 1988 national karting championship with the coveted distinction as Karter of the Year.
He won again in 1991 as Karter of the Year and in that same year, he organized the first Shell Super Karting Series. However, it was also the time when the only karting track in the country, the ramrod JRC Kartway, closed down and left young budding karters without a venue to learn and compete.
Only then did he realized and understood that the reason behind his involvement and passion in this field was to fulfill his predestined role in the development and growth of local racing that would soon make him one of the greatest and respectable figures in Philippine motorsports history.
Giving back to the sport that gave him glory and fame, Tan filled that void by building a world-class karting track in Carmona, Cavite, called the Carmona Circuit Philippines in 1992, which had been the home of the annual national karting championship series for the past 23 years and to this day remains the premier venue for local and international karting events in the country.
Passion and dedication
Tan’s passion and dedication didn’t end there as he continued to construct racetracks that had been the spawning grounds of talented future champion drivers and organized more racing events that pivoted the growth in population and popularity of Philippine motorsports.
In 1996, he built the Batangas Racing Circuit in answer to the clamor of circuit racing enthusiasts for a proper closed racing circuit. To provide events for his new racetrack, he also organized the Philippine National Touring Car Championships, the Formula Toyota Series, as well as two-wheeler events such as the Shell Superbike Series
After his retirement from active competition in 1997, Tan concentrated on organizing racing events and building racetracks.
In 2002, he co-organized the Asian Formula 3 Championships that, to this day, remains the highest level international motorsport event ever held in the country. To meet the requirements of FIA for Formula 3, the Batangas track was upgraded to an International Grade 4 status.
In 2003, Johnny organized his first international karting series—the Asian Karting Open Championship Series, or Akoc, and has since organized it annually, bringing karting to such countries as Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
Today, Akoc is the premier international karting series in Southeast Asia.
Also in 2003, Johnny built Kart Track Boomland in Pasay City, followed by Kart Track Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
In 2006, he began construction of the jewel in his crown—the Clark International Speedway, which today hosts a myriad of local and international events. The Clark track holds an International Grade 4 license from the FIA.
Last year, Johnny constructed Kart Track Puerto Princesa in Palawan and will host the next race in May 2-3 as part of the annual national karting series.
Presently, Johnny’s working on building another racetrack in Davao City.
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