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| (Image Source: Toyota Motor Philippines) |
Thrill and excitement dominated the racetracks as Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) kicked off the 2022 season of the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Vios Cup. The Clark International Speedway (CIS) in Pampanga roared with heart-pounding cheer as veteran racers, celebrities and influencers, and members of media welcome motorsport enthusiasts back in the grandstands. TMP President Mr. Atsuhiro Okamoto shared the excitement as he welcomed racers and fans at CIS. “The TGR Vios Cup is our way of celebrating our ever-growing racing community. We are thankful to our races and racing teams for showing the Gazoo Racing spirit, especially in this challenging times. We hope this year’s season will continue to give the drive to race your ambition," Mr. Okamoto said.
Vios Cup celebrity veterans Troy Montero, Daniel Matsunaga, and Fabio Ide were back in the Circuit Championship using their One Make Race (OMR) Toyota Vios, perfect for the thrill and excitement of wheel-to-wheel racing. Young and fresh faces joined them in driving full-throttle in their respective classes..The Circuit Championship was classified into three categories – the Super Sporting, Sporting and Promotional class – with a total of 27 racers participated across all three categories. The winners for the Super Sporting class were John Dizon of Obengers Team, Inigo Anton of Toyota North Edsa-Obengers Team, and Darryl de Leon of Toyota Marilao Obengers Team; meanwhile, Celebrity Troy Montero, from Toyota Gazoo Racing PH, won the Sporting class followed by Royce Sarmiento of RMS Cars Racing Team and Joaquin Garrido of Toyota Otis – Obengers Racing Team. Meanwhile, in the promotional class, Alain Alzona of Alzona Racing Team-Toyota Team General Santos grabbed the first place, followed by Alan Placios and Ian Robles from Toyota Cebu.
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| Toyota Motor Philippines President Mr. Atsuhiro Okamoto witnessing the festivities during the opening round of the 2022 Toyota GAZOO Racing Vios Cup. (Image Source: Toyota Motor Philippines) |
Meanwhile, the Autocross Challenge made enthusiasts hearts thump with excitement when celebrities, influencers, and members of the media showcased their speed and racing skills by navigating the specially designed obstacle course. First timer Benedict Cua became an instant favorite, and even claimed the top spot in the podium for the Influencer Promotional Class. He was joined by Gino Quillamor as the champion in the Influencer Sporting Class. For the media class, Autoindustriya’s Jan Lacuna won the Sporting Class as Pablo Salapantan of YugaAuto took the trophy for the Promotional Class. This year, the excitement was not limited to veteran and skilled racers. Toyota Gazoo Racing Gran Turismo (GR GT) Cup champions were also there to take their e-racing skills from the screen to the tracks. After joining the Toyota Gazoo Racing Academy, these champions participated in the Autocross event. “I’ve always loved racing and it’s such a thrilling experience for me to finally feel the rush of racing first-hand. And it’s an even more thrilling experience to win! This is definitely one of my best moments. Hoping to get another shot at real life racing again in the future," Russel Reyes, winner of the GT Cup Autocross Challenge, said. Here’s the complete list of winners in the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Vios Cup 2022 for the Autocross Challenge and Circuit Championship:
CIRCUIT CHAMPIONSHIP
Promotional Class
• 1st Place : Alain Alzona, Alzona Racing Team – Toyota Team General Santos
• 2nd Place: Alan Palacios, Toyota Team Cebu
• 3rd Place: Ian Rosales, Toyota Team Cebu
Sporting Class
• 1st Place: Troy Montero, Toyota Gazoo Racing Team PH
• 2nd Place: Royce Sarmiento, RMS Cars Racing Team
• 3rd Place: Joaquin Garrido, Toyota Otis-Obengers Racing Team
Super Sporting Class
• 1st Place: John Dizon, Obengers Racing Team
• 2nd Place: Inigo Anton, Toyota North Edsa – Obengers Racing Team
• 3rd Place: Daryl Deleon, Toyota Marilao – Obengers Team
AUTOCROSS CHALLENGE
Media – Promotional Class
• 1st Place: Pablo Salapantan, YugaTech/YugaAuto
• 2nd Place: Siegwald Go, C! Magazine
• 3rd Place: Mica Delos Reyes, Philippine Star
Media – Sporting Class
• 1st Place: Jan Lacuna, Autoindustriya.com
• 2nd Place: Roy Robles, Zigwheels.com
• 3rd Place: Kevin Francisco, The Modern Creatures
Influencers – Promotional Class
• 1st Place: Benedict Cua
• 2nd Place: Carla Lizardo
• 3rd Place: Miggy Romulo
Influencers – Advanced Class
• 1st Place: Gino Quillamor
• 2nd Place: Jules Aquino
• 3rd Place: Lexi Mendiola
GR GT CUP AUTOCROSS CHALLENGE
• 1st Place: Russel Reyes
• 2nd Place: Luis Moreno
• 3rd Place: Mark Elmar
Over the years, TMP has strived to elevate the motorsport industry in the country by providing a more inclusive and accessible platform to everyone. So, don’t miss Leg 2 and 3 of the TGR Vios Cup, happening on August and November respectively. The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Vios Cup is organized in cooperation with Bridgestone and Petron, and is supported by Brembo, Denso, OMP, Tuason Racing, AVT, 3M, ROTA, myTOYOTA Wallet, and Kinto One. Tune in for the latest updates on Toyota events. Follow Toyota Motor Philippines and Toyota Gazoo Racing PH on Facebook and Instagram, visit the official website at toyota.com.ph, and join us on Twitter (@ToyotaMotorPH) and Viber (Toyota PH).
