TRS-Ford team makes big debut in grand touring

MANILA, Philippines - The TRS-Ford Focus racing team unveiled an impressive debut bagging a champion trophy and two third place finishes recently in the 2009 Philippine Grand Touring Car Championship at the Batangas Racing Circuit.

TRS president and multi-titled champ JP Tuason ruled the GT 200 class while Stuart MacDonald and Dominic Samson bagged GT 125 third place finishes for the TRS-Ford Focus racing team backed up by Ford, Goodyear, PTT, Yellow Cab Pizza, Toptul, Aguila Glass, Speedlab, Ultra Racing, Discovery Suites, Rota, Options Unlimited, OMP, Freemuff, Phil Auto Club and C! Magazine.

The team actually arrived on raceday with little time to prepare compared to their seasoned GT racing competitors. But talent and the reliability of both Ford TDCi and Ford Focus 1.6 Gas racing cars pulled the three drivers through, besting other beys who were competing since the start of the series.

After finishing fifth in the 11-lap sprint race, Tuason made a big comeback in the afternoon’s 16-lap main race aboard a stock engine Ford TDCi where he turned back William Tan for the GT 200 crown clocking 33 minutes and 55.840 seconds.

MacDonald’s aggressive driving put him up third overall at the start of the main race using the Ford Focus 1.6 Gas before winding up third while Samson clinched the GT 125 third place.