4-way battle looms in Angeles dragfest

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s top drag racers battle it out for top honors in the third leg of the Philippine Drag Racing Championships Northern Series this Saturday at the Clark International Speedway in Angeles City, Pampanga.

Multi-titled Jonathan Tiu of JCT Blanche Racing, William Hand of of the Angeles Hot Rod Associaton (AHRA), Edwin Cayco of H3 Autoworks and defending champion Martin Manalo of RSL Motorsports are expected to dispute the title in the penultimate leg as they firm up their respective bids for the overall crown.

Tiu, winner of the kickoff leg, guns for his 11^th title and seventh Drag Racing Driver of the Year plum. He, however, failed to see action in the second leg following the death of his teammate and long-time buddy Anthony Go.

Hand currently leads the overall race after finishing second in the Quick 8 class and winning the M&H Super Pro title in the kickoff leg of the event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by GT Radial, HKS Motor Oil, M&H Race Master, Yokohama and powered by Racing Beat@Wave 89.1.

Cayco finished second behind Hand but later topped the M&H Super Pro class in another faceoff against Hand who succumbed to a breakout.

Manalo remains in search of a victory in the Northern Series as he tries to bounce back in the next two legs to bolster his bid for a second Drag Racing Driver of the Year plum.

Out to crowd the favorites are Pepi Santos, Edison Cayco, John Kalaw and Bong Hilario of H3 Autoworks, and Vannitec drivers Vanni Garcia, lady driver When When Dagondon and Norman de la Peña.

Also on tap is the showdown between the modern four-cyclinders and the American V8 muscle cars driven by former US servicemen Christopher Sheaves, John Ryzia and Steve Caldwell.

The other titles to be disputed are the M&H Pro, the Yokohama Expert, HKS Sportsman, and the GT Radial Hotstreet classes.

For details, interested parties may log on at www.batangasracingcircuit.com or contact the Batangas Racing Circuit c/o Nelson Gayola or Rodini Rivera at (632) 817-2241, 729-5365 or fax 844-7766 or like us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/Batangas Racing Circuit.