Up close and personal with racer Mike Anton

I’m not really big on interviews, but when STAR Motoring Section editor Junep Ocampo asked if I could write about one of the more consistently successful Filipino race car drivers, Mike Anton, I jumped at the chance.

Back in the early 90s, I had the chance to race with – not race against, mind you – Mike Anton in the Shell slalom series. That was the time he and his younger brother, Carlos, were dominating the series. I was but a neophyte at that time, competing in the novice classes. Needless to say, I was in awe every time I watched Mike perform 360-degree doughnuts in his super-fast Toyota Starlet as car and driver set Best Time of Day, again and again.

A little more than a decade later, Mike seems to have lost little of the spark that ignited countless championship runs. Now 35 and a self-described homebody and family man to his wife and two children, Mike keeps himself busy by tending to his successful mall-based fastfood venture, Pinoy Toppings.

Mike still confesses to an undying passion for cars, dabbles in airbrush painting for fun, while relishing his two kids’ love for go-kart racing and, hopefully soon, car racing. He enjoys watching movies and having dinner dates with his wife and entertaining friends when they drop by his Valle Verde residence. His best friends are his family and his dogs, Slim, the oversized doberman; Kobe, the basketball-playing black labrador (which actually defends and rebounds); Snow, the spitz (most reliable watchdog); Max, his wife’s spoiled shih tzu; and Mike’s personal favorite, Ralf, his big yellow lab, who happens to be the only dog who listens to him.

How did you get started in racing?

As a kid, I watched my dad and mom race go-karts. In the summer of ’87, the Marlboro Rallycross series came to Baguio – where I lived –which was very rare at that time. We never had "legal" racing in Baguio and I wanted to find out if I could drive like my dad. So I "stole" his car, raced it and won. After that, everything just fell into place. I knew I was going to race cars no matter what.

What is your favorite form of motorsports?

Circuit racing, there’s nothing like side-by-side racing.

Who is your favorite driver of all time?

Michael Schumacher. My children insist.

Among all the cars you’ve raced, which is your favorite?

I love all the cars I’ve raced because I’ve always won in them.

Among the racing events you’ve joined, where have you been most successful?

Rallycross, slalom racing and circuit racing.

In what racing series are you campaigning now?

Petron Blaze Super Saloon Series in Subic.

What car do you use?

I use a Honda SRI, maintained and tuned by Colombian race engineer Francisco Blanco of Auto Plus.

What do you do when you are not racing?

I run my fastfood business. I try to keep fit during the off-season and try to spend as much time with my beautiful wife, Tricia, and children, Camille and Pocholo. Other than that, you’ll find me at home playing with my five demanding dogs.

Do you indulge in other sports?

I enjoy running on cross trainer and treadmill. I used to play golf a lot and I had a 5 handicap. When golf got too popular, a three-hour game became six hours. That wasn’t relaxing anymore, so I stopped.

How do your sponsors, like Red Bull, help your performance in racing?

Having a corporate sponsor like Red Bull backing you up is a big boost. I’m challenged to live up to Red Bull’s winning tradition. I also like winning like Red Bull. (Mike also counts Auto Options and Alex Car Restoration as his other valued sponsors.)