Drag racing goes full blast in Clark

MANILA, Philippines - The Petronas Philippine Drag Racing Championship Northern Series returns to Pampanga this weekend with some 150 drivers set to dispute the crown in various divisions in the second leg of the circuit at the Clark International Speedway.

The event, which serves as part of the 2014 Petronas Motorsports Championship season, will feature top modified six-cyclinders and eye candy American V8 muscle cars of Angeles City Hot Rod Association (AHRA)-Garage Power.

Fans are also in for a treat with as vintage cars, four-wheel luxury vehicles as well as innovative car parts, accessories and car care products will be on display in the first Clark International Motorshow (CIMS) slated Feb. 20-23 at the Clark Development Corporation Parade Grounds.

The back-to-back motorsports event is sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by Petronas, M&H Tires and media partner Racing Beat at Wave 89.1. It is also held in cooperation with the Drag Racing organizers Batangas Racing Circuit Inc. (BRCI) and CIMS Production outfit LNA Management Group Inc.

Defending champion Jonathan Tiu of JCT-Blanche Racing leads the cast in drag racing with titles to be dispute in the Quick 8, Super Pro Class, Pro, Thunder, Yokohama Expert, Sportsman, and the Hotstreet divisions.

Tiu is eyeing his third straight win in the Quick 8 class after dominating the Northern and Southern Series. He clocked a new record of 9.091 seconds at the Batangas Racing Circuit Drag Strip even as he set the day’s fastest time of 8.957 seconds.

Tiu also hopes to make it another double-title feat as he likewise guns for the Super Pro title against Allan Ararao and Danes Sarmiento of H3 Autoworks.

Southern Series champion Marc Manalo of RSL Motorsports also eyes his second straight victory in the Pro Class for the early overall lead against TJ Pangilinan and Arvin Millet of TEMZ.

Millet, from Tarlac, will be aiming for his second consecutive win in the Expert class against Mike Daulog and Alvin Dungo.

Other fancied bets are Henry Dizon in the Thunder class against Genemar Santos and Manchester Uy; Jeff Licudine in the Sportsman division against Mark Joshua Cruz and Rhayan Alivia; and Cer Olliris Alcala in the Hotstreet division against Ariel Batungbacal and Rafael Evangelista

For details, 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/ <http://www.facebook.com/> Batangas Racing Circuit or check out our website www.batangasracingcircuit.org.