Toyota Team Cebu driven by lofty goal in Vios Cup 5

CEBU, Philippines — Score a sweep and win the overall championship.

That is the lofty goal set by Toyota Team Cebu as they gear up for the kick-off leg of the Toyota Vios Cup Season 5 on April 26-28 at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga.

"We've been in the racing scene for the past four years. Our confidence level has never been this high," said team manager John Velasco during a press conference yesterday at Toyota Cebu North.

"The team has matured already, hinog na. We made a few mistakes that made us lose the team championships last year but we succeeded in our goal which was a podium finish. Nevertheless, we are in top of time sheets in the practice sessions and we now know what it takes to win. We will get that sweep and get that overall award. That is my fearless forecast," Velasco added.

The only team outside of Luzon, Toyota Team Cebu fields in seven drivers in the biggest racing event in the country with over 70 speed demons competing in the three-day tiff. It is a one-make racing series, which means all entries must use same spec equipment.

The seven-man squad will vie for top honors in different classes.

Sean Velasco, who had a strong showing in 2017, will move up a class. He will partner with Cebuano top gun Jette Calderon in the Super Sporting class, the top category with 15 drivers testing each other's mettle.

"The competition is going to be a tougher but I think I can give a good fight for Team Cebu," said Velasco. And with Jette around, out winning chances are brigher."

Team captain Lord Seno will try to motivate his comrades by winning in the Sporting class. Seno will team up with Oscar Suarez, the driver who gave Totoya Team Cebu its first taste of victory, placing second in the Promotional class in the Season 2 Cebu leg three years ago.

Robert 'Bobby' Pangilinan will represent the Promotional class, the category for the executives and an entry level category for the Vios Cup. He will try to recover from a dismal performance last year and is expected to regain his 2016 season form.

Pangilinan will be racing together with Clive Fermin, who is a promising new entry for the team after a stellar showing in the 2017 season.

Brian Currie, a Canadian based in Palawan, will be also racing under the team in the Promotional class.

"We had good runs last year and sweet victories. We even had a 1-2-3 finish in Velasco, Seno and Suarez in the Sporting category. Not bad for a team from the South, with no racing facility to practive on. They have the formula to win, they just have to do it consistently," said team princial Jose Manuel Cuenco. (FREEMAN)