MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Nascar Team and multi-awarded Castrol driver Carlos Anton and his eight-year-old son Iñigo turned the event into a family affair as they set separate records recently in the Circuit Showdown Round 2 at the Clark International Speedway.
Anton, using the race as his final practice round for his Nascar Race Ex World Circuit debut in May at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina, smashed his old record at Clark Speedway with a time of one minute, 4.673 seconds using the Mark Young-Hornitex prepared-CRX.
His son Iñigo also set his own record by becoming the youngest local race car driver ever.
With his father beside him on the passenger’s seat, Iñigo set a time of 1:28.483 around the short track using a 325i 200-horsepower BMW for an impressive debut that saw him beat a couple of grownups in his class.
“I’m so proud of Iñigo. After the morning heats, he was actually beating seven guys in his class to prove he’s not just a “saling-pusa†in this event. He was able to hold his own against guys over three times his age and that was simply amazing!†Anton said of his son who received the “Youngest Driver†trophy. Anton himself was awarded the “Best Time of the Day†trophy.
Iñigo is a third generation race car driver of the Anton family. His grandfather Mike used to race alongside Pocholo Ramirez in the Renault team back in the 60’s.
Anton is gearing up for Nascar Race in the US alongside Filipino riders Stefano Marcelo, Michelle Bumgarner, Pia Boren and Gaby de la Merced.
The team is sponsored by Cebuana Luillier, Fox Sports, Goodyear, Manozca Foundation, Spirit Sports, ABS-CBN, Coral World Park, Marcelo Racing, STP, Prestone and Philippine Airlines.