Coseteng fails dyno test; Kim declared GT champ

MANILA, Philippines - S-Oil Racer Peter Kim was declared champion of the GT main race following the disqualification of Jody Coseteng recently in the second leg of the 2013 Philippine Grand Touring Car Championship at the Batangas Racing Circuit.

The race stewards nullified Coseteng’s sweep of both the sprint and GT main races after he failed the dyno test conducted after the race.

Stewards Dennis Ayuyao, chairman of the race and members Popong Andolong and Jun Espino, declared his victory in both races null and void.

With the decision, a violation of Art. 16 (k) of the Philippine Grand Touring Championship 2013 sporting and technical regulations, Kim also finished second in the sprint race.

Kim, racing with the support of S-Oil, Eurostandard and Bridgestone under the management of Tuason Racing, now holds solo leadership in the series with 100 points.

It was a breakthrough victory for the S-Oil rider who drew louder cheers and more supporters for providing the kind of intense action spectators came for. Despite the tough ordeals including a costly spin-out, Kim showed his big fighting heart and determination aboard his Hyundai Genesis to put up a gallant fight in the GT300 class.

He was three seconds off Coseteng in the time trials and started third in the morning 10-lap sprint race. The scenario went bleaker as Kim spun out hitting the tire barriers at the back on the first lap.

Suffering minor damages, the S-Oil racer quickly got back in the race with a blazing rally that got him from the tailend to a fourth place finish that eventually earned him the GT300 runner-up honors behind Arnel Carlos.

In the reversed-grid GT main race, the S-Oil racer used his earlier third place finish to his advantage to pull away from Coseteng.

He quickly moved up front as the crowd cheered and continued egging him on to push harder while he controlled the tempo during the first seven laps.

But Coseteng soon caught up with him at the first corner of the eighth lap and Kim ended second in the 17-lap actual race, just 1.587 seconds behind Coseteng.