Manalo to be feted in Golden Wheel Awards

MANILA, Philippines - Bienvenido Manalo, whose passion for racing and contributions to the sport helped pave the way for the growth of Philippine Motorsports, will the recipient of the 2013 Golden Wheel Hall of Fame Award for Motorsports during the Golden Wheel Awards Night set March 16 at CCP’s Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino.

Manalo will be feted along with a number of racing champions, who will all receive a Golden Wheel trophy for their feats in their respective motorsports disciplines from where the winner of the coveted Golden Wheel Driver of the Year plum will be named.

These year’s nominees are Vencer John Suba (karting), Alex Perez (drifting), Peewee Mendiola (slalom), Vincent Floirendo (grand touring), Red Diwa (4x4 offroad), Jonathan Tiu (drag racing), Rodney Caballero (classic cars), Glenn Aguilar (motocross), Raniel Resuello (superbikes) Anthony Roman (underbone racing), Miko Montano (scooters) and two Indonesians Dharma Mangkuluhur (Asian Karting Junior champion) and Senna Sulaiman Noor (Asian Karting Senior champion).

Manalo came at the time when races were still disorganized and sponsors and public support were very few. But he was an enthusiastic spectator at the Sunday Races in Ortigas in the late 1960s and as fate would have it, he eventually found himself cueing on the makeshift tracks with a race-prepped WIllis Jeep. This got him noticed and earned him a bit of a reputation with the regulars.

The rest is history

He considered his victory in the 1969 Mid-year Drag Jamboree of the Cam Wreckers Association and the High Performance Racing Association as the highlights of his career where he received the highly coveted Presidential Trophy. 

Manalo also competed in circuit racing as a member of the victorious Opel Manta Team in 1972 Enduro Championship; ARAP “Rookie of the Year” 1973; Winner of Group I Bosch Championship Series, 1973.

“Racing is not just about the machines that dice it out on the track, it’s mainly about the people who prepare and drive them,” said Manalo.

For details on the Golden Wheel Awards, call Golden Wheel Foundation c/o Nelson Gayola, Rose Feria or Meann Daliva at (632) 729-72 41-42, 729-5365 or fax 844-7766.