Two-wheel, four-wheel drivers brace for showdown in Petronas racing

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s top two-wheel and four-wheel drivers gear up for a battle royale in the Petronas Philippine Motorsports Championships Season set tomorrow at the Batangas Racing Circuit.

Kicking off the racing season is the Yokohama Philippine Grand Touring Car Championships that has lured the best circuit racing drivers vying in a six-leg series for the coveted GT Driver of the Year Award.

Other events on tap in the season are the Petronas National Drag Racing Championships, the Bridgestone Philippine Superbikes Series, the FDR Philippine Scooter Racing Championships and the Philippine Underbone King Championships.

Reigning champion Vincent Floirendo will be gunning for a three-peat in the Yokohama Philippine GT Championship Series against 16 other rivals in the event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by official oil Petronas Lubricants, official tires Yokohama, and Racing Beat@Wave 89.1.

Also up for grabs are the premier GT300, GT200, GT130 and GT100 titles to be disputed in a 10-lap sprint race and a 15-lap GT main race in the afternoon.

Floirendo and multi-titled Jody Coseteng slugged it out for top honors last year. Coseteng ruled the final race but ended up just fourth in the sprint event, enabling Floirendo to snatch the crown, 267-265.

Floirendo’s teammate and former many-time champion Jojo Silverio is also going all-out to claim the crown with his Evo7 in the GT300 division while last year’s top rookie and four-time karting champ Stefano Marcelo of Marcelo Racing is setting up a new car as he primes himself up against the three veteran racers.

Also set to see action are Jomari Yllana, Willy Torres, Dwight Kevin Carlos, Ramil Madriaga and Tuason Racing’s Peter Kim along with ace karter Milo Rivera, Arnel Carlos, Allen Macaraig, Ross Jackes, Dean Joson, Bobby Unson, Jojo Lavina, Ace San Agustin and Bayani Vargas.

Meanwhile, the other legs are set May 4-5 at the Clark International Speedway, June 1-2 at the BRC, Aug. 10-11 at Clark, Sept. 21-22 at BRC and the championship round on Oct. 26-27 at the Clark International Speedway.