Bautista back-to-back champ in TRS retro race

MANILA, Philippines - Defending champion Bryan Bautista scored another sweep to emerge overall back-to-back champion in the second leg of the 2013 TRS-Bridgestone Retro Race recently at the Clark International Speedway.

Bautista, who copped the Open race crown in the kickoff race, displayed the same intensity, determination and driving consistency to hack out another sweep – this time in the 1601 and above division of this event organized by Tuason Racing School.

The event is part of the TRS Raceday powered by Bridgestone, Standard Insurance, PUMA, Coke Zero, Acer, OMP, C!Magazine, Oakley, Aguila Auto Glass, Go Pro, Lifeline Ambulance, Wurth, Karate Kid, Toptul, Elig, Bellevue, Rota, Brembo, Has Travel, Haima Dau , Haima Pampanga, RW95.1 FM, CLTV36, Sunstar Pampanga.

Bautista established a big lead over the rest aboard his classic Volkswagen before winding up Race 1 in 15 minutes, 44.434 seconds or nearly 14 seconds ahead of Ferdie Sia who copped the runner-up finish aboard his Toyota Corolla. Reuven Loscon was third in his Volkswagen.

 Bautista controlled the tempo coast-to-coast in Race 2, completing his sweep with a wider 50-second lead over Sia and Loscon who again ended runner-up and third.

Dindo de Jesus also captured the premier Open Race crown with a sweep, clocking a fast time of 15:59.898 in Race 1 to improve his time to 15:18.813 in Race 2.

The event restored Mini, Volkswagen, Datsun, Toyota, Ford and the likes in a circuit race that turned the event into a sort of moving classic car motor show.

Benjie Villafranca, driving a 1979 Volkswagen, topped Race 1 of the 1600 Stock class with a time of 18:11.041 or just 1.665 seconds ahead of runner-up Japs Javier and his Volkswagen with Dodo Bautista and his Mitsubishi Celeste checking in third.

But Javier prevailed in Race 2 nearly two minutes ahead of Angel Santiago.