MANILA, Philippines — Local drag racing giant Jonathan Tiu picked up where he left off less than a fortnight ago in Clark by topping the premier Quick 8 class in the third leg of the Southern Series in the 2018 National Drag Racing Championships at Batangas Racing Circuit in Rosario, Batangas, recently.
Already the winner of the only three races he joined in five Southern and Northern Series competitions, the stocky Tiu, driving a 1,318-horsepower Nissan GTR, clinched his fourth victory of the season at the expense of Allan Ararao with a time of 7.082 seconds over an eighth-mile strip.
More important, the multititled Tiu firmed up his lead in the combined National Series with 61 points, a hefty 19 points clear of Ararao, whose runner-up windup at BRC in a Mitsubishi Evo (7.381 seconds) boosted him to the top of the Southern races with 35. Tiu inched closer with 30 points.
On the way to the final face-off with Ararao, Tiu eliminated Carlo Latayan (6.742-8.10) and then Jonathan Young (6.683-7.951) in the semifinals while Ararao ousted Neil Malko Macatangay and Ryan Quimpo.
Jannery Millet timed 8.143 seconds in a souped-up Honda to upend Neil Malko Macatangay in another Honda (8.269) and rule the Pro class. Ararao, who bowed to Millet in the semifinals after coming from a loser’s bye, finished third.
Jefferson de Castro Cruz (13.505) bested Anthony Sanchez (13.628) by breakout over a longer quarter-mile track and clinched the Expert class title in the races sponsored by Aguila Auto Glass, Sparco, M&H race tire and with Driven2rideph and Backstage as media partners. Millet settled for third place.