Vannie Garcia triumphs on borrowed car in record time

MANILA, Philippines — Veteran Vannie Garcia used a borrowed car to post a new track record, upend the heavily favored Jonathan Tiu in the final duel, and seize the Quick 8 third-leg title in the 2019 National Drag Racing Championships Series at the Batangas Racing Circuit recently.

A race car builder by profession, Garcia squeezed every ounce of power from the 800 wheel horses of the Mitsubishi Evo 3 lent to him by his good friend and teammate Allan Ararao to shatter the latter’s own 1/8-mile record of 6.5 seconds at BRC. He clocked 6.31 seconds in eliminating Erbil John Janolino right on his first spin on the track.

Although that made for Garcia’s mouth-watering Quick 8 final faceoff with the multi-titled Tiu, the duel died on the start as Tiu’s brute 1,318-whp 4-liter Nissan GT-R red-lighted. Garcia took the win in 7.039 seconds despite Tiu flashing home with a quicker 6.393 clip.

“Allan (Ararao) had to be at his son’s graduation, that’s why he couldn’t make it to the races. He insisted that I drive his car, but I kidded him that If I did I might break his own record at BRC,” said Garcia of W. Autosport Vannitec Racing who races a 900-whp Honda EK.

Alvin Abrigo, in a Honda Civic, timed 7.308 seconds and bested Melvin Pamplona (7.737) for third place. But he more than made up for his semifinal loss to Tiu in the elite class with his victory in the Super Pro races over Pamplona and third-placer Tiu.