Iwatsuki, Pastor dominate Asian V8 races

MANILA, Philippines - Japanese Kunihiro Iwatsuki flashed top form to rule the Open class while Enzo Pastor stamped his class in the Pro division as they dominated Round One First Race of the inaugural Asian V8 Championship at the Clark International Speedway in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines recently.

Iwatsuki, a top driver of Tokyo GT3, bounced back strong from a mediocre stint in Race 1 as he topped Race 2 in scorching heat, finishing with 15 points and winding up with a 26-point total. He beat Italian Stefano Marrini, a top 8 overall (N) in the World Rally Championship, and Jo Merszei of Macau, who both finished with 23 points.

Don Pastor of the US wound up fourth with 20 points.

Merzei, a top 8 overall in 2012 ERNTS, ruled Race 1 and took 15 points but struggled in the next race and finished last for eight points while Stefano placed second in the first race but struggled to finish third in the next.

Enzo Pastor, who finished sixth overall in the Euro NASCAR 2013 Series, topped Race 1 and turned in a runner-up effort in the next to beat Australian Josh Burdon in a tight finish. Burdon, runner-up in last year’s Euro NASCAR Series, placed second in the first race and ruled Race 2 for 25 points.

Stefano wound up with 18 points for third while Iwatsuki and Don Pastor came in fourth and fifth with 14 and 13 points, respectively, in the event presented by D.O.T./TIEZA/TPB – “It’s more fun in the Philippines” with Resorts World Manila as major sponsor and Foxsport International TV & C Mag! as media partners. The event is aired on Foxsport every Wednesday and Friday at 4:30 p.m.

Iwatsuki also copped the rookie honors with 30 points after besting Don Pastor, a Formula BMW/ AF3/Global Attack overall champion in the US, who had 24 points, to sweep the two races of the event organized by the Philippine Formula Autosport Foundtion (PFAFI), headed by Tom Pastor.

The CIS 4-km track has been certified as a Grade 4 FIA International racetrack, thanks to the Tom Pastor Ceo-Philippine Formula Autosport Foundation, Inc., which helped fund the project, making the venue ready for various international motorsport tourism events this year.

Meanwhile, top-notch racing action resumes on June 5-6 with the staging of second round at the Batangas Racing Circuit.