MANILA, Philippines - Team Pastor, a family of top-class drivers, achieved its own Triple Crown last year with the achievements of brothers Ferdinand “Enzo” and Don and their dad Tom in various fronts of motorsports.
Enzo stood on the podium in the 2009 Macau GP Asian Touring Car CTM Cup, showing his class among 36 entries, including the top riders from every participating country.
Enzo had shown tremendous driving skills and racing class in the Macau GP, taking home the laurel and bringing back once again a Filipino to the Macau Hall of Fame.
The last Filipino champion to achieve the feat was Dodgie Laurel over 40 years ago.
The youngest driver in the pack, Enzo came home to receive the citation as top awardee for motorsports during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Annual Awards.
His younger brother Don Thomas won the prestigious Automotive Association of the Philippines (AAP) Driver of the Year award for his conquest in the AAP Touring Car Championship 10-leg series.
Despite competing on a low budget, both brothers defied the odds on their way to tantalizing wins in motorsports.
“They mesmerized crowds with their tremendous competitiveness and tested their racing skills against all comers, including more experienced competitors. So who would dare say that Filipinos had not made a mark to earn an international recognition,” said their father Tom.
One of the country’s great pioneer drivers, Tom spearheads and manages his two sons’ racing team, Team Filipinas Racing. He is the key figure responsible for making these two young guns win their racers all throughout their racing career. His support and guidance made both brothers and the Philippines known all over Asia.
“My two sons represented the Philippines with pride and glory. In behalf of all who have in one way or another helped in making these endeavors of our Filipino athletes possible, a heartfelt gratitude is extended to all, most especially to the prestigious PSA, AAP, PSC and the Macau GP, whose continuous service and support made the Filipino sports heroes’ efforts possible in the motor sports arena.”
The Pastors’ sponsors include Bench and the PCSO/Pagcor, which had supported them since the beginning of their racing stint, when Enzo won the Asian Formula Renault championship in 2002 and Don took the first scholarship from the prestigious school of racing and training – the Formula BMW in Valencia.