Ducati-Philippines winningest in road racing finale

MANILA, Philippines - Team Ducati-Philippines proved the reliability, quality and racing excellence of Ducati bikes as the team emerged the winningest squad with a haul of almost 20 trophies in the Motorcycle Road Racing season finale recently at the Clark International Speedway.

Ducati-Philippines team owner Toti Alberto and Marvin Mangulabnan spearheaded the big harvest with their respective championship feats while John Marcelo, John Defensor and Vinz Merc ruled their respective division to reassert Ducati’s local and worldwide domination in two-wheel racing with the big support of Ducati, AccessPlus, Marcelo Racing, HGM and JCash.

Furthermore, Ducati paved the way for the comeback of multi-titled motocross and superbike champion Glenn Aguilar who still showed no rust despite his long hiatus from racing.

He thrilled the crowd flashing his usual top form to stamp his domination over the present crop of top guns in the Superbikes Open. Mangulabnan made it 1-2 overall finish for Team Ducati.

Alberto emerged overall Masters Class champion for the 2012 National Superbike Race Championship season using his Ducati 848 and second in the Masters Class and Overall divisions of the Ducati Cup in the final leg.

Mangulabnan, aboard the latest 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale, reigned in both the Superbikes Novice and Intermediate Final races to clinch the overall runner-up crown in both classes.

For that, he has renewed his endorsement as a Team Ducati-HGM rider for the 2013 Racing Season.  And at his young age, Alberto is confident that Mangulabnan will bring Team Ducati Philippines up in the National Superbike title chase for next year.

Marcelo marked his return after a long absence with two impressive title triumphs as the Naked Class champion of the Ducati Cup and K58 Class C titleholder. He rode a daily commute Ducati Multi 1200S against the more superior race-prepared Ducatis and Japanese bikes of his rivals.

In the Ducati Cup, he started sixth but staged an amazing rally to pass other more-experienced rivals to check in third overall behind Ducati Cup champion John Defensor and runner-up Toti Alberto to claim the Naked Class title over Rommel Ayson on a Ducati Monster 1100 Evo.

That boosted his confidence and even if he started from the back following a bad start, Marcelo managed to pass all the riders, including the faster Class B and expert 400 Class racers to win the K58 Club Race and cop the Class C title.

Defensor, aboard his 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale, captured the Ducati Cup Masters Class and Overall plums for the day both over Toti Alberto and Charles Nolasco, who also bagged the K58 Class A runner-up crown with his Ducati 1098.

Vinz Merc claimed the Ducati Cup Superbike Novice crown over Emil Banno and Dax Ayson all riding the new 2012 1199 Panigales.

Alberto was elated over the strong performance of his riders who proved the Italian racing championship heritage of their Ducati motorcycles secured from the Ducati Philippines Shop, the country’s biggest Ducati distributor outlet along P. Tuazon which Alberto manages. 

“A lot of bikes can be made fast or even set-up faster than a Ducati.  But Ducati stock bikes were engineered naturally fast already with no racing modifications and anyone can use it reliably like a regular bike,” Alberto said.

Those interested in joining the Ducati Cup and in the latest Ducati bikes: Visit Ducati Philippines Shop at 102 P. Tuazon St., Quezon City  or call Tel. No. 7250897 or Mobile 0917-5340307 for inquiries.