Vios Cup rules the SRP

Cebu leg of one-make race thrills participants, crowd

Text by Ray Charlie Diaz and Julius Ivan Carpio, CNU Communication Interns
Photos by Allan Cuizon

IT WAS a weekend of speed in the Queen City of the South as the Vios Cup Season 2 was successfully held at the South Road Properties last weekend, the first time the one-make race was held in Cebu City.

Motorsports fans and enthusiasts came in hordes to witness the Cebu leg of the event that featured two race categories: Sporting and Promotional. Regular and top tier racers competed in the Sporting category, while celebrities and public figures, among other participants, joined the Promotional category.

More than 40 modified Toyota Vios cars – each costing more than a million pesos – were provided for the racers.

After the dust settled, the Sporting category saw top finishers Andres Calma of Alabang Motorsports, Daniel Miranda of Team Toyota Balintawak, and Allan Uy of Team TQA on the podium for the awarding. The 19-year-old Calma bested the competition after finishing the race in 19 minutes and 24.764 seconds in Race 4, while Miranda clocked in at 19:28.790 for second, and Uy at 19:34.748 for third.

The event started last May 16, Saturday, with official practice and time trials. Things really heated up the next day with the actual competitions. In between races, Japan’s drift king Keiichi Tsuchiya showcased his skills to the delight of the crowd. Some lucky spectators, including actress Kylie Padilla, got a chance to ride with Tsuchiya for the “Hot Lap,” a dizzying yet exhilarating exhibition that clearly left its mark in Cebu’s car scene.

Aside from Padilla, other celebrities invited to compete included Derek Ramsey, Jasmine Curtis Smith, Sam Yg, and Phoemela Baranda. Yg (15:31.470), Ramsey (15:40.790) and Baranda (15:44.558) topped the Promotional category, while Smith had to sit-out because of engine failure.

During race day, the venue was filled to the rafters that organizers had to provide tents and big viewing screens for the huge crowd.

Amid the tight security, motorsports and food stalls, as well as inflatable playgrounds, made for a festive scene. The event capped off with a party with Mars Miranda as DJ. And for those who trooped to the SRP last weekend, the Cebu Leg of the Vios Cup Season 2 turned out to be more than just a race.