Yamaha Asean Cup race fires off

STA. ROSA, LAGUNA , Philippines– Ten crack Filipino riders seek to make the most of the homecourt edge as the Philippines hosts the ninth Yamaha Asean Cup Race which fires off today and tomorrow at the SM City Sta. Rosa here.

Youthful Ernie Daguio Jr. and fellow 20-year-old Vingie Coloma lead the local bets aiming to hit paydirt in the 43-man field against the best riders from Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, as well as India and guest team Japan.

Daguio, who topped the 2012 Yamaha GP One-make (1155 cc Ss/Sp) legs in Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, and Danao, competes in the MT Class (manual transmission) along with John Lloyd Pilapil, Anacleto Flores, Paulo Labrador and Tracy Gaddi.

Coloma, first placer in the YGP in Davao and RUGP Carmona Racing Circuit race, vies for honor in the AT Class (automatic transmission), a new category. Other local bets are Gregorio, Roel Rubin, Ricardo Candia and Clifford Bacus.

Organizers, led by Yamaha Motor Philippines’ sales and marketing director Kaoru Ogura and Ryan Jude Camus and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd execs Masayoshi Ono and Koji Kobayashi, welcomed participants before they hit the 926-meter specially-prepared course inside the mall’s complex.

This will be the first time for Phl to host the prestigious event.

“In recent years, racing has become increasingly popular here in the Phl and in 2010 the country’s ‘Yamaha GP’ one-make race series was launched. This series is attracting more and more participants and spectators each year, and I’m sure the holding of the Yamaha Asean Cup Race in Phl will not only give their riders the experience of competing with riders from other countries but also give spectators the chance to watch highly competitive international racing,” said Yukihiro Ozaki, general manager of marketing and sales division, 1st business unit, motorcycle operations, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.

According to Ogura, the event is part of Yamaha Motor Philippines’ thrust towards grassroots racing.”We nurture and sharpen the skills and abilities of our local riders and promote the motorcycle racing sports in the country through these one-of-a-kind racing events.”

The ninth Yamaha Asean Cup Race will be a one-make race, meaning competitors will use the same make and model.

In the MT Class, riders will use the SNIPER MX premium sports moped machine, Yamaha’s flagship moped model which boasts of exclusive Yamaha technologies in its liquid-cooled 4-stroke 135cc engine with DiAsil cylinderand lightweight forged aluminum piston.

For the new AT Class, it will be the MI0125 MX, a lightweight, compact, easy-to-ride automatic transmission model with ease of leg reach to the ground.