Pinoy Loves Wheels ( The Filipino Motoring Lifestyle Blog): Final Leg 2012 Philippine Autocross Championship Series

The Final Leg of the 2012 Philippine Autocross Championship Series

Boodie Dabasol vs Paeng La'o

Francis Coloma's Ultimate Car Show Champion Silver Ed

Champion Drifter Boodie Dabasol

It's a Sunday morning, January 20, 2013, most car guys I know is at the 34th Ave., Fort Bonifacio Global City. My friend Francis Coloma, is getting his fully restored Old School Toyota Corona Silver Edition ready for the Ultimate Car Show, the car show organized by the Philippine Autocross Championship Series. Seeing his Silver Ed is very refreshing to the eyes, it lessened my tension for the main event of the day-- The National Championship and the 7th Luzon Leg (Final Leg) of the 2012 Philippine Autocross Champion Series (PACS). It reminded me that we autocrossers are all here just to have fun, achieving a trophy is just a bonus.

Autocross is a motorsport where you use a car to navigate tight obstacles with 180 degree and 360 degree turns and finish the course at the fastest time possible. Here in the Philippines, the Philippine Autocross Championship Series is organized by race driver, Mr. Danny Santiago of Shago Racing. This is the first legal motorsport discipline I ever joined. I started out racing on the streets last decade, but because of covering the PACS at SM Fairview one Sunday for C ool Fast Wheels, I was encouraged to join the next leg at Alabang in a Team Red Line Shifters sponsored Kia.

Korean Cars invading the Philippine Motorsport Scene

PACS Elite Club Members talking about their precious rides

Agudo (L) and Yaptinchay (R)

The event last January 20, 2013 was the most exciting leg of PACS for the 2012 Season. I realized that champions from other motorsport disciplines were there all together to race in this momentous motorsport event for the 2012 Philippine Motorsports Season. In one corner, I see my good friend, champion drifter Boodie Dabasol together with Joma Montaner, on the other end, I see Paeng La'o, a Circuit Showdown Champion, and then, there's Peewee Mendiola and Jun Camacho who are champions of the National Slalom series. We also have our PACS regulars who always go home with a trophy every leg like, Mars Delos Reyes, Matt Reyes, and members of different car clubs like Grupo Toyota, MitsulancerPh all together. My good friend, Jahan Kalam of kuhol.net who ran the race with a Hyundai Elantra, which is also a Korean car like my Kia also raced that day.

Dr. Peewee Mendiola beating up a drift car!

Philippine Autocross Championship Series also launched the PACS Elite Club, this is the official club of PACS racers where they get to have discounts on race entry fees and privileges for other car related activities. The membership costs Php2000.00 and you get a free gallon of Phoenix Accelerate Vega Motor Oil, Php300 worth of Phoenix Fuel and discounts from different car shops with the membership package. If you are interested to become a member of the PACS Elite Club, you may get in touch with them via Facebook (Philippine Autocross Championship Series).

2012 Mindanao Champion Edu Agudo and 2012 Luzon Champion Danby Yaptinchay went head to head for the National Championship. Both of them piloted a Ford Fiesta provided by Tuason Racing School. Danby Yaptinchay won the the head to head battle earning him the title as the 2012 PACS National Champion.

The best over-all time champion for the 7th Luzon and Final Leg of the Philippine Autocross Championship Series is won by Slalom Champion and Optometrist, Doc Peewee Mendiola in his 1st Generation Toyota Starlet. The best over-all was supposed to go to Champion Drifter and Ballroom Dancer, Boodie Dabasol, who clocked in at 47 seconds in his SR20DET powered Lancer I-type, but unfortunately, he hit two cones that cost him a penalty of 4 seconds. Mikko Briones took home the Open Over All Championship for the leg.

The 2012 champions of different classes were also awarded that night. Matt Reyes, Mars Delos Reyes, Lewy Manio, Andrew De Asis, et al. took home their respective trophies.

As for me, I only ended up in 4th place of my class that day, but hey, it's not bad considering I am running on full stock suspension and wheels. Just keep on reading Pinoy Loves Wheels for more news about the Philippine Autocross Championship Series. The 2013 season will begin on March. God Speed!