Team NCR’s Corro tops first leg of Castrol autocross series

CEBU, Philippines - Filled with much fun and excitement, the first leg of the Castrol Edge Regional Autocross Championship Series 2013 recently at the Sugbu grounds of South Road Properties was a huge success.

A lot of new faces and new winners stole the show in the kick-off of a three-leg series presented by The Racing Line of Jonathan George 'Jong' Uy and Neil Labrador.

Team NCR (No Care Racing)/Dewfoam Motorsports emerged as the biggest winner of the one-day race after its ace driver Dennis Ian Corro clocked in the fastest time of the day at 1.00.45. Corro was crowned the overall champion, making him the top contender for the coveted Driver of the Year award. 

Robert Enting (1.02.08) of TACC (Toyota Auto Club Cebu) and Corro’s teammate Robert Pangilinan (1.02.63), who was breaking each other’s time all throughout the race, finished second and third, respectively.

In the beginners class, it was a very close and exciting race between Team Club Fit Cebu/Mackyworx, DSM (Davaoeñong Sugbuanong Motorista), Mitsugbo, and Team W.12. 

The top drivers of each team in Jun Jun Autor (CFC/Mackyworx), Adrian Icalina (DSM), Tommy Tan (Mitsugbo), and Clint Salig (W.12/Getspark) were exchanging best times. 

When the dust settled, it was Tommy Tan of Team Mitsugbo who over ran everybody with a 1.05.57 clean run. For being the champion in the said category, Tan puts himself as the top contender for the Rookie of the Year accolade.

Adrian Icalina (DSM) and Jun Jun Autor (CFC/Mackyworx) occupied the next two spots.

On the other hand, Jeff Lim (Textar Racing), Dodot Paradillo (W.12/Getspark), Adrian Icalina and Ralph Luche (DSM), Arvin Cornea (W.12/Getspark) and Lindly Ocio figured in a neck-to-neck battle in the novice class. They swapped places in the different categories for novice.

In the intermediate category, it was an exciting showdownbetween Dennis Ian Corro, Robert Pangilinan, Philip Khan Lim (all from Team NCR/Dewfoam Motorsports), Kenneth Migriño (Mitsugbo), and Robert Enting of TACC. 

“It was truly a fun weekend”  said race chairman Jong Uy. “It was a lot better than what we expected.  Despite the absence of the other teams, the new teams stepped up and took over.”

Uy added that it will be more exciting come the next leg scheduled to be held on July 21.

Neil Labrador, the race director, thanked all teams who have thrown their all-out support to what had been a wonderful race. “I'm also glad that other teams like Dub City and all the privateers were also there to give their support,” he said. (FREEMAN)