Social media has come a long way since its inception, and this technology has dragged with it the everyday lives of people, especially the things that we experience. Last week, most of us in the motoring world saw the publicized illegal drag race between two Honda Civics. This event was sensationalized in Facebook because of the 1.6 million pesos pot money involved. What is funny is that illegal drag racing used to be something done secretly in the early morning hours right after midnight when everybody is asleep (including the authorities).
More recently, illegal racing has become a social media "sport" where "enthusiasts" call out each other to race. This aside from a pot money, is all about EGO and bragging rights-who is the better driver and who has the better machine. It has become a never ending re-run of a Holywood movie. Some like the fame and reaction that they are getting from the online world, and thus, continue to do it even though they know it to be illegal and dangerous. This type of attention has attracted not just the gearheads that like speed but also #coolkids that want the attention and "street cred" that illegal drag racing has to offer. You can easily spot them as they are usually the first to post online about their participation in an illegal race for all to see, even if they are just sideline spectators. This is exactly what happened to the illegal race in Manila, where the race got blown out of proportion and almost every car nut in social media was talking about it and sharing it online. If only they could do the same with legal racing events, then, we would have tons of legal events due to the media exposure and sponsors… However, for some reason, the forbidden fruit always seems "tastier".
One of the drivers who participated in the 1.6M illegal race also happens to have an AAP Competition License for drag racing. After the AAP found out, his license was revoked and he was banned from getting a competition license for life. Now, I was able to talk with Ivan Isada, an AAP Motorsports Instructor and also a professor in UP Diliman teaching physical education motorsports. His stand on the issue is much like mine. I also think that banning him from legal racing would leave him nowhere to go but to join illegal races. Maybe a suspension of his competition license plus a fine would be okay. Much like how they do it in basketball. But on the other hand, I know AAP wanted to make a statement and it just so happens that the driver became the sacrificial lamb. But from where I'm standing it might be a bit on the harsh side.
However, we have yet to hear word about legal sanctions on the illegal race from the LTO. This is another example of how a National Organization moves faster than a Government Entity.
Legal motorsports in Cebu has been running a dry spell, primarily, because of the lack of exposure and lack of interested participants. Legal races don't seem to offer the same appeal as illegal races. Add that to a lack of a proper race track that can handle cars and superbikes... and we have a bit of a problem. The only really "safe" place here where you can explore the limits of your car is at Kartzone which is a go-kart track and still doesn't offer that much allowance for cars when you commit an error. There have been numerous kart races, motorcycle races and car races that have been held at Kartzone, but these have failed to catch on (except for the motorcycle races). The lack of a proper car track for drag and circuit racing has time and again doused the efforts of local motorsport groups in reviving legal racing. I think it is high time that Cebu built itself a racetrack. We can't take everybody out of the illegal scene, but I'm sure the real serious ones will start competing in the track once it is built. The best of the best will be there. If you don't pit yourself against the best in the industry, you won't get to experience a loss and grow from it.Trust me, even if you lose, you will learn a lot just by being there and competing with them.That is why it is very important to compete legally. Now, this will be the time that racing legally will start to sound "cooler". Then maybe… just maybe, everybody will then start to promote legal racing as much as they are promoting the illegal ones now.