Mazda BT50 goes for repeat in drifting

MANILA, Philippines - The Mazda BT50-TRS Drift Team hopes to surpass its feat as it vies for the titles at stake in Round 3 of the Castrol Edge Drift Underground Series today at the Alabang Town Center Open Parking.

JP Tuason spearheads the title quests for the Mazda BT50-TRS Drift Team backed up by Mazda Philippines, Goodyear, Aguila Autoglass, SpeedLab, Unichip, Fremuff, K&N, H&R, Starbright Bodykits, Rota, OMP, Dupont, Philippine Auto Club, C! Magazine and Business World.

The Mazda BT-50 was quite a spectacle as the world’s first diesel-powered, current model Production Pickup modified for drifting, and further earned the respect of the competition when JP Tuason steered it to the Top Four.

JP will be joined by younger brother Mike Tuason, Francisco Blanco, James Deakin, and John Tyrel Esguerra as they gun for the top spot this time.

In the last leg, both JP and Francisco Blanco qualified into the Top 16.

 but JP, on his very first attempt, got into the Top 4 aboard the Mazda BT-50 that upstaged heavily modified vehicles with more than 350 horsepower engines including the Sylvia s15, one of the most established drift car of choice.

 “We were very impressed with the team and the vehicle performance. It was the first time that a pick-up competed in drifting and the feat was a big testament to the passion of the team and the performance of the Mazda BT-50,” said JP. “We’re still continuing to learn more on the power and play of the truck and hopefully this time, we’ll make it No.1.”

“Bringing in a vehicle that was never manufactured for drift racing makes winning a far-fetched idea but we ourselves were surprised that the Mazda BT-50 made it to the top four only in our first official competition,” said Prudz Castillo of Mazda Philippines.

Practice will start at 9 a.m. while the race proper is set from 1 - 6 p.m.

For more information please visit www.tuasonracing.com.