MANILA, Philippines - Little-known Kenneth Alonte of RSL Motorsports finally got his chance to shine as he stood tall up against the top favorites in clinching his very first career victory recently in the 2013 Petronas Philippine Drag Racing Championship Northern Series at the Clark International Speedway
He consistently displayed fast times to get past his favored and more-experienced rivals including defending Expert champion Arvin Jay Millet and equally talented cousin Jannery Millet in the tough journey to the final and capture the Yokohama Expert plum of this event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) and sponsored by Petronas, Yokohama, GT Radials, M&H Tires and media partner Racing Beat at Wave 89.1.
Beating Tyron Sason to claim a finals seat, Alonte clocked 13.784 seconds to score the big upset over Jannery Millet for the Expert crown.
Sason prevailed in the battle for third to claim the second runner-up honors, leaving the reigning titlist Arvin Jay Millet settling for fourth place.
Sharing the limelight with Alonte are Carl Reyes and Terenz Horminosa of HP.
Reyes did a near-impossible feat going through a tough ordeal to emerge champion in the Sportsman class that accounted for almost half of the 150 competitors in the event.
He was booted out early but showed unrelenting determination going through several showdowns to rise from the losers’ circle and get back into the mainstream battle for the title.
He survived another series of duels including talented Michael Villena of J-Tech whom he beat in the semifinals to forge a title faceoff against Jannery Millet.
And luck stayed by his side to the very end as Millet succumbed to a breakout, paving the way for Reyes to complete his amazing journey to capture the Sportsman crown with a time of 13.854 seconds.
Horminosa, on the other hand, pulled through the close battle against Dominic Meris of Genix in clinching the GT Radial Hotstreet title.
The two went neck and neck at the halfway mark before a redlight violation on Meris was confirmed, sealing the victory for Horminosa who completed his run in 16.751 seconds.
Mikee Gendaña of Speedmode took third place.
The National Series moves to Batangas for the kickoff of the 2013 Petronas Philippine Drag Racing Championship Southern Series on February 23.
For further details, interested parties may contact the Batangas Racing Circuit c/o Nelson Gayola or Rodini Rivera at (632) 729-72 41-42, 729-5365 or fax 844-7766, Mobile # 0922 8858410 or like us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/Batangas Racing Circuit.