Coseteng vows comeback after DQ in grand touring

MANILA, Philippines - The third leg of the Yokohama Philippine Grand Touring Car Championships gets going tomorrow with the country’s top drivers clashing for top honors at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga.

Multi-titled racing champ Jody Coseteng of Eagle Cement Racing Team was stripped of his win in the last race after failing the Dyno Test, enabling Team S-Oil Racing’s Peter Kim to wrest the solo lead.

Coseteng’s infraction likewise kept the other drivers’ bid alive in the event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by official oil Petronas Lubricants, official tires Yokohama, and media partners Racing Beat@Wave 89.1 and Inside Motoring on DZRJ 810khz.

Meanwhile, the “Sparco Bracket Circuit Racing” will serve as the event’s highlight where prospective drivers will have the chance to have a taste of circuit racing.

It is open to newcomers and amateur drivers with no AAP circuit racing license.  No registration fee is required as participants only need to bring their own car and safety gears like helmet, seat belt, long sleeves, jeans and closed shoes.

With Coseteng’s run nullified, Dwight Kevin Carlos and South Korean Peter Kim were awarded the outright victories in the GT300 Sprint race and the GT300 main races, respectively, while all other drivers earned additional points after moving up a notch higher in the revised results.

Kim took over the top spot in the GT300 class with 100 points, 40 points ahead of Coseteng, now hard-pressed to come up with a perfect game plan to overhaul such huge margin.

“It’s still a very long series and we still have a long way to go. I am confident that we would be able to catch up and I will make sure my car and myself will be 110 percent ready for this coming Clark races this weekend,” said Coseteng.

Joining them in the battle for the GT300 honors are Willy Torres, Dwight Kevin Carlos, Mato Tan and JP Tuason aboard a race-engineered BMW.

Favored in the other classes are Arnel Carlos in the GT200, Allen Macaraig for the GT 130 crown, and newcomer Walter Zamora for the GT100 title.

Other events on tap are the Formula Winds Cup, the Philmiracers Classic Mini Racing 2013 and the VW KaFER Cup Pilipinas 2013.

For details, call up the Batangas Racing Circuit c/o Nelson Gayola or Rodini Rivera at (632) 729-72 41-42, 729-5365 or fax 844-7766, or 0922-8858410.