MANILA, Philippines - The National Drag Racing Championship Southern Series fires off with the country’s top drivers gearing up for a fierce battle at the Batangas Racing Circuit Drag Strip in Rosario.
Jonathan Tiu sets out for a second straight victory in the event, sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored M&H, Aguila Auto Glass and Sparco, with local ace Martin Manalo still unsure of his comeback in the race he ruled in 2015.
Tiu swept the Quick 8 races in both the Northern and Southern Series of the 2016 Philippine Drag Racing Championships Series.
He is also the defending M&H Pro class champion of the Southern Series and still holds the existing Philippine drag racing all-time fastest record of 8.806 seconds he established aboard his fast Nissan R35 in 2014.
But out to foil Tiu are a host of rivals, including Northern Series kickoff runner-up Ricardo Fallorina, Vanni Garcia of Vannitec, Danes Sarmiento, young sensation Arvin Jay Millet of TEMZ, who are all going all out in winning the crown in the premier Pro class.