Portugal virtual Phl grand touring champion

MANILA, Philippines - Taysan, Batangas Mayor Dondon Portugal put a lock on the overall crown with one leg to go in the 2014 Yokohama Philippine Grand Touring (GT) Car Championships, scoring a decisive sweep in the fifth leg at the Batangas Racing Circuit in Rosario, Batangas.

Portugal ruled in the Sprint and the GT Main Races of the penultimate leg to virtually win the overall Yokohama plum and the GT300 crown.

Portugal hiked his total to 255 points to pull away from GT200 drivers Paolo Mantolino and Carlos Anton, who trailed with 179 and 147 points, respectively. 

The sweep also gave Portugal a total of 265 points as he likewise secured the GT300 diadem in the event, which is part of the 2014 BRC Motorsports Championship season presented by Petronas, sponsored by Yokohama and sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP).

He topped the time trials with 1:47.517, finishing two seconds faster than the rest.  That made him the big push to pull ahead early and build a comfortable margin midway as he wrapped up the 10-lap Sprint race in 18 minutes, 2.689 seconds or 32.735 seconds ahead of overall runner-up Joey Pery. He bagged the GT300 crown over Jomari Yllana and the comebacking Willie Torres.

Pery ruled the GT200 class over Mantolino and Anton while Richmond de la Rosa claimed the GT150 title over Joel Portugal and Walter Zamora with Joginder Sin winning the GT100 crown.

The unstoppable Portugal checked in 12.889 seconds ahead of Mantolino.

That completed a sweep of the GT300 plum, winning over Torres and third placer Yllana.  Mantolino captured the GT200 crown just 0.413 of a second ahead of Pery who checked in third overall while Anton and William Tan ended third and fourth, respectively.