MANILA, Philippines - Superbikes champion Maico Buncio bagged the Golden Wheel Driver of the Year plum during the eighth Annual Awards Night at the Pagcor Grand Theater in Parañaque City recently.
The 22-year-old Buncio, who recently signed up with Suzuki Philippines, earned the nod of the GW Awards Committee on the strength of his four-peat feat in the Philippine Superbikes Championship Series where he humbled 12-time motocross champion Glenn Aguilar and the 15-year-old Dashi Watanabe in the six-leg series.
He also beat karter Stefano Marcelo and drag racer Jonathan Tiu for the title.
Marcelo, 18, equaled the feats of Edgen Dy-Liacco and Pepon Marave in clinching his third career Karter of the Year crown that marked his comeback in the local scene after competing abroad with the TonyKart factory squad.
Tiu, eyeing his third consecutive Golden National Driver of the Year award, also emerged a strong contender following his unprecedented eighth straight drag racing crown.
But Buncio’s consistency in a near-perfect season campaign won him the coveted Golden Wheel crown.
Johnny Tan, the man behind the Golden Wheel awards, expressed his gratitude to all the drivers, riders, sponsors and supporters for the huge success of the event even as he expressed hopes that the Golden Wheel would inspire more potential champions.
“It’s not a far-fetched dream. Racing is a sport where Filipinos can excel at par with the world’s best. Filipino drivers have improved a lot since the inception of the Golden Wheel awards in 2006 and with adequate support, we would soon realize that dream,” said Tan.
Buncio bagged his first overall Superbikes crown in his rookie year in 2007, ending Jolet Jao’s long reign that started in 1997.