Batangas drivers out to dominate drag racing

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s fastest drivers bring their battle for speed and supremacy to the highly technical Batangas Racing Circuit Drag Strip, kickoff of the 2015 National Drag Racing Championship Southern Series, tomorrow in Rosario, Batangas.

After the successful kickoff of the Northern Series, which lured a new record field of 170 drivers, the number of entries is expected to increase as more drag racing enthusiasts from Batangas, Laguna, Quezon and the Bicol region join the hunt for the titles at stake against the North-based competitors in this event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by Clark International Motor Show (CIMS), M&H, Sparco, Aguila Auto Glass and GT Radials.

Defending M&H Pro champion Martin Manalo and brother Marc Manalo of RSL Motorsports are the Southerners’ hopes for a dominant finish on their own turf along with BRC pioneers Autokeeps, Just Racing, Sherwin Esguerra’s SE Racing, Jywell Comet, Team Batangas, Lowtoys, Ger&Friends and Montavita, among others.

They will dispute the titles in the Quick 8, M&H Pro, Expert, Sportsman and Hotstreet classes.

Drag racing director Fil Gulfin encourages all drivers to come early so they could make necessary adjustment and finishing touches on their car setup.

Martin Manalo sees another colorful season in the continuing saga of his hot rivalry against multi-titled defending national champion Jonathan Tiu of JCT-Blanche Racing who remains the biggest thorn to Southern domination.

Last year, Tiu reset the BRC drag strip quarter-mile record to 9.091 seconds aboard his fast Nissan R35 and later reset the Philippine drag racing record to an all-time fastest of 8.806 seconds. 

 Getting in the way of the Tiu-Manalo rivalry in the Quick 8 and M&H Pro classes are Teofilo Edwin and Edison Cayco together with H3 Autoworks teammates Pepi Santos and John Kalaw and the Vannitec squad of Vanni Garcia and Allan Ararao.

Young sensation Arvin Jay Millet of TEMZ will join the fray in the premiere Pro class as he also guns for his Expert class victory this year.