Manalo thumps Tiu for dragfest overall plum

MANILA, Philippines - Martin Manalo of RSL Motorsports beat multi-titled Jonathan Tiu of JCT-Blanche Racing in their faceoff to bag the overall championship in the Philippine Drag Racing Championships Southern Series at the Batangas Racing Circuit Drag Strip in Rosario, Batangas recently.

Manalo won the last two duels in his best-of-three showdown with Tiu to capture the premiere M&H Pro crown. Tiu prevailed in their first encounter, clocking a fast time of 11.596 seconds but Manalo bounced back with a 12.419-second clocking to force the decider.

But Tiu pushed his car beyond his dial slip time, resulting to a breakout violation, enabling Manalo to post the outright victory and seal the crown with a total of 55 points against Tiu’s 45. 

Tiu, however, went on to sweep the Quick 8 crown after clinching his fourth straight triumph against Jefferson Cruz of Linkage, who ousted Manalo to get into the finals of the event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by GT Radial, HKS Motor Oil, M&H Race Master, Yokohama and powered by Racing Beat@Wave 89.1.

Tiu zoomed to 11.442 seconds to pull ahead early from Cruz who timed 12.334 seconds. Manalo took the second runner-up honors after beating teammate Wilson Castillo.

Tiu wrapped up the title with a perfect 60-point total while Manalo took the Quick 8 overall runner-up with 21 points. Jefferson Cruz ended up third with 12 points.

Sherwin Berania of Team Batangas won the Yokohama Expert class for the day after submitting a time of 13.846 seconds to turn back Jackson Go of H3 Motorsports. 

But the 19-year-old Arvin Jay Millet of TEMZ, though booted out early in the second round, still went home with the overall Yokohama Expert championship trophy.

He ended his campaign with 32 points over Ace San Agustin of H3 Motorsports and Jeremie Cabreros who share second place with 16 points apiece.

His brother Jannery Millet ruled the HKS Sportsman class against Christian Soriano of High Rev and Boy Francisco of Team Ready to clinch the overall runner-up crown with 18 points behind overall HKS Sportsman champion Angelo Miguel Mendoza of R. Performance who tallied 22 points.

Dennis Pernes also bagged the GT Radial Hotstreet crown with 31 points even as Christopher Corpuz of SE Racing ruled the day over Jan Erik Racelis of Tek One and comebacking Jeannette Go of JCT-Blanche Racing.

The championship leg of the 2012 Philippine Drag Racing Championships Northern Series is set June 23 at the Clark International Speedway.

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