Escalante claims Mini-ROK crown

MANILA, Philippines - Promising young karter Antonio Sebastian “Basti” Escalante, on his debut season under the helm of Tuason Racing School (TRS) Racing Career Management Program, finally glittered following his big upset victory in the Mini-ROK Challenge recently in the second leg of the 2010 Pagcor Sports KF2-KF3 Cup at the Clark International Speedway.

Escalante grabbed the limelight from defending champion Christian Gaddi as he pulled off a heart-stopping photo finish in Race 4 with the big support of Tuason Racing School, Ready2Race, OMP, and his individual sponsors – Audi, Bridgestone, Puma, Coke Zero, Castrol, Bank of Commerce, Werdenberg International Corp., Transnational Diversified Group, Emcor, KServico, Audi, Washington Watches.

The Tuason Racing School (TRS) racing career management program was a big factor behind the marked improvement of the 11-year-old Escalante, who’s training with no less than multi-awarded race car driver Mike Tuason.

Barely eight months into the program, Basti followed a strict physical, racing and coaching regimen patterned after the training programs used by F1 drivers. His hardwork and dedication paid off when he outsmarted former champion Christian Gaddi, who has years of experience under his belt.

The program was designed by the brothers JP and Mike Tuason, both multi-discipline racing titlists with years of credible experience in training young future racing champs.

 “Our goal with this program is to be able to help young racers achieve a successful career path in motorsports. We have partnerships in Asia, US and Europe for our trainees to move on after they go through the available programs we have here in the country. We also arrange enriching race experiences in various parts of the world for them to experience the level of competition in the global arena,” said Mike Tuason, program head and TRS VP on technical operations.

Basti, a grade 5 student of the De la Salle Zobel, is the son of the famed gourmet restaurateurs, chef Tony Boy and Agnes Escalante of Antonio’s in Tagaytay.

The Clark International Speedway also proved to be Basti’s turf as he posted a new Mini-ROK fastest lap record of 1:08.490 that shattered his previous mark of 1:08.807 which he posted in the final leg of the Magnolia Pure Water Karting Super Series last December.

He displayed perseverance and determination despite the odds as he wrapped up the seven-lap race in seven minutes and 43.085 seconds or a mere 0.031 of a second ahead of Gaddi.

A bad start put him down to fourth in the final race but his fighting spirit flaunted in the ensuing laps where he passed Cebuano Tonyo Carcel and Marc Meynet and even came bumper-to-bumper with Gaddi on the fifth lap.

A quick dive on the sixth lap installed Basti in front. And even as Gaddi tried to regain his post, defensive driving pulls Escalante through in their cut-throat battle down the line for the checkered flag.

 “It was a tough struggle but I’m very happy I made it through in the end. I couldn’t have done it without the big support of my parents and the guidance of coach Mike (Tuason),” said Basti.