Exciting race expected as Vios Cup Season 3 kicks off at Clark
W ho will follow in the footsteps of Team Toyota Alabang Andres Calma and Team Toyota North Edsa Luis Gono?
In this year’s race, 45 individuals and nine celebrity racers will start their bid on March 19 as the Vios Cup Season 3 kicks off at the Clark International Speedway.
“This March 19, we are all set to kick-off the first race this year; the fun shall continue at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga. With new celebrities and some familiar faces that will make up the third season, to a possible new venue outside Luzon, and more competitive drivers, I am confident that this racing program will further boost the popularity of local motorsports,” said Satoru Suzuki, president of Toyota Motor Philippines.
For the third season, organizer Toyota Motor Philippines is adding the Super Sporting Class to the existing Sporting and Promotional Classes. The Super Sporting Class is reserved for the Top 20 racers from all categories based on overall scores from previous races.
This class is intended not only to even out the playing field, but highlight the continuously improving skills of racers, which must all be B-License holders.
Making the Super Sporting Class more interesting is the entry of DJ and Club/Bar/Restorant owner Keith Bryan Haw. Haw, who is a B-Licensed racer joins the roster as a first-time Vios Cup participant.
Celebrities
Making up a good portion of the Promotional Class are celebrities including Arci Munoz, Megan Young, and Jericho Rosales. They will be joined by “veterans” Derek Ramsey, Fabio Ide, Jinno Rufino, Joyce Pring, Sam YG, and Phoemela Baranda.
A new prize structure will be implemented for this season. Apart from trophies for the three podium finishers in each category, the top three in the Sporting and Super Sporting Class get cash prizes as well: for the Sporting Class (per heat) 1st placer, P25,000; second placer, P15,000; and third placer, P10,000; for the Super Sporting Class (per heat), first Placer, P50,000; second placer, P35,000; and third placer, P15,000.
The overall champion for the Sporting Class is set to receive P150,000 with the second and third placers are set to receive P100,000 and P50,000 respectively. Meanwhile, the Super Sporting Class champion gets a brand-new manual Vios 1.5 G while the second and third get P200,000 and P100,000 respectively.
The biggest one-make race in the country is done in partnership with Bridgestone and Rota and is supported by Motul, TRD, Brembo, Denso, AVT, OMP, and Tuason Racing.
The “Vios Cup Concept” is not only the biggest official grid race sanctioned by Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) in the country but also served as the biggest leap for the racing community in the Philippines.
May 24, 2014
The Vios Cup was first held in May 24, 2014 after an exhibition race held in January with media and celebrity racers. Initially scheduled for Oct. 12, 2013, the event was unfortunately cancelled when tropical typhoon Santi hit Central Luzon, where the race venue, Clark International Speedway, is also located.
According to then TMP president Michinobu Sugata, the Vios Cup is a program aimed at rekindling the Filipinos’ love for Toyota cars through the years via its new motorsports champion vehicle, the Vios.
Through this annual race, Sugata explained he wanted the event to be a fullblast Waku-Doki (Japanese term for the feeling of anticipation and that adrenaline rush one gets when about to do some exciting) to bring back the fun and excitement of driving a Toyota. This is the reason why TMP dealers were instructed to form their own team: To instill within themselves the pride and the tradition of that distinct Toyota championship heritage and pass it on to their respective outlet clientele.
JP Tuason of Tuason Racing School (helped organize the Vios Cup racing pro- gram) also explained that being a one-make race means the cars have to be in a stock condition, thus eliminating the need for expert technicians and highly-paid tuners for modified engines.