MANILA, Philippines - Two-wheel racing highlights the 2014 Motorsports Championship Season with the much-awaited launching of three events – 2014 Pirelli Superbikes Championship Series, 2014 FDR Philippine Scooter Racing Championship Series and 2014 FDR Underbone King Championship Series – with the kick off stage today and tomorrow at the Batangas Racing Circuit.
Defending champion Dashi Watanabe of Aprilia is eyeing his back-to-back crowns as his looming rivalry with Ducati franchise rider Raniel Resuello levels up in the 2014 Pirelli Superbikes Championship Series sanctioned by the Superbikes Racing Association (SBRA) and sponsored by Petronas, and media partners Racing Beat @ Wave 89.1, Inside Motoring @ dzRJ 810khz and Motorsiklo Xklusibo @ dzME 1530.
The long drawn-out rivalry between Aprilia and Ducati gave the prestigious FIM Superbike World Championships worldwide popularity. The entry of Pirelli Ultra High Performance tires which had been at the forefront of the World Superbikes Championships since 2004 is set to open a new chapter of this epic rivalry in the local scene.
Pirelli’s years of involvement, credibility and clout in the World Superbikes Championships could open opportunities for Filipino Superbike riders to compete at the highest level, in the international racing scene, and prove that their talents are at par with the world’s best.
John Defensor is also set to defend the Master crown in the Pirelli Superbikes Championship Series where competing riders also dispute the superbikes intermediate and superbikes novice titles.
Also hoping to retain their crowns are Johnlery Enriquez in the 2014 FDR Philippine Scooter Racing Championship Series and Niño Fabian in the 2014 FDR Underbone King Championship Series which are both sanctioned by the Underbone and Scooters Racing Association (USRA).
Enriquez hopes to keep the 180 Automatic Scooters crown against a talented batch that includes Ivan Santiago, Cassey Ng, James Barcial, Herbert Lopez, JE Inguito and RR Suba in the 2014 FDR Philippine Scooter Racing Championship Series where riders also gun for the titles in the 160cc Automatic Scooters and the 130cc Automatic Scooters divisions.
Fabian will go up against former champion and Castrol-Dudshop teammate Anthony Roman, Tracy Soyangco, Marvin Mangulabnan, Rizaldy Canare, and Paul Mark Doblada for the premiere 150cc Underbone Open.