Drag racing features muscle cars

The country’s top speed demons return to action with the kickoff of the 2008 PAGCOR Drag Racing Championships-Northern Series this weekend at the newly built Clark International Speedway Drag Strip in Clark Ecozone, Pampanga.

The series, sanctioned by the Automobile Association of the Philippines and sponsored by Pagcor Sports, San Miguel Corp., Shell Helix, Yokohama and the Clark Dev. Corp., features American V8 muscle cars against the modern four-cyclinder racing monsters.

It’s also the eighth and final leg of the 2008 San Mig Coffee National Drag Racing Championships and the challenge of the FIA-approved 1 km Drag Race Strip will further add color to the quest for the titles in the Pro, Expert, Sportsman, Hotstreet and the premier Quick 8 divisions.

Racing fans will get the chance to witness these muscle cars for the first time in years – among them John Rizya’s Slingshot and Ken Kepners’s Classic Chevy.

Another highlight is how these muscle cars will fare against the modern four-cylinders with 500 hp engines, led by back-to-back Drag Racing Driver of the Year Jonathan Tiu aboard his Mitsubishi Evo 5 and Felix Perez, GT Driver of the Year.  

Among the highly favored entries is Cebuano ace DavidLim, whose Honda Chop Top recently set a new national speed record of 244.23 kph on a quarter mile track in a Bacolod race.

Drag racers from the Batangas Racing Circuit are also coming to join the title hunt as Drag Racing Director Fil Gulfin expect a huge field of 150 drivers which could extend the competition the following day..

“It’s a first of its kind since we haven’t seen American Muscle Cars in years.  And it will be a very interesting event as we expect an intense showdown between American Muscle Cars and the modern four-cylinders,” said Gulfin.

A colorful inaugural blessing of the newly-built Clark International Speedway Drag Strip will commence the festive activities, which will be highlighted by the Brownman Revival concert at 5:30 p.m.

For details, interested parties may log on at www.batangasracingcircuit.com or contact the Batangas Racing Circuit c/o BRC Operations Manager Rodini Rivera or Nelson Gayola at (632) 817-2241, 729-5365 or fax 815-1241 for further details.