TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Vios Cup kicks off 2022 Season
As Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) launched the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Vios Cup 2022 season, thrills and adrenaline ruled the racetracks. Veteran racers, famous people, and media personnel greeted fans returning to the stands at the Clark International Speedway (CIS) in Pampanga with a heart-pounding cheer.
The joy was echoed by TMP President Mr. Atsuhiro Okamoto as he greeted racers and spectators at CIS.
“The TGR Vios Cup is how we honor our rapidly expanding racing community. We appreciate the Gazoo Racing spirit that our races and racing teams demonstrated, especially in these trying circumstances. stated Mr. Okamoto. “We hope that this year’s racing season will keep inspiring you to pursue your goals.”
Troy Montero, Daniel Matsunaga, and Fabio Ide, three Vios Cup legends, competed in the Circuit Championship once more in their One Make Race (OMR) Toyota Vios, which was ideal for the thrill and adrenaline of wheel-to-wheel racing. They were joined by young and fresh faces who accelerated in their respective classes.
The Super Sporting, Sporting, and Promotional classes were divided into three divisions for the Circuit Championship, and a total of 27 racers competed in all three classes. Celebrity Troy Montero from Toyota Gazoo Racing PH won the Sporting class, followed by Royce Sarmiento of RMS Cars Racing Team and Joaquin Garrido of Toyota Otis – Obengers Racing Team. The winners for the Super Sporting class were John Dizon of Obengers Team, Inigo Anton of Toyota North Edsa-Obengers Team, and Darryl de Leon of Toyota Marilao Obengers Team. Alain Alzona of Alzona Racing Team-Toyota Team General Santos took the top position in the promotional class, followed by Alan Placios and Ian Robles from Toyota Cebu.
The Autocross Challenge, meantime, sent racing lovers into a frenzy as celebrities, influencers, and media personnel displayed their speed and racing prowess by negotiating the uniquely constructed obstacle course. Newcomer Benedict Cua quickly gained popularity and even took first place on the podium for the Influencer Promotional Class. Gino Quillamor joined him as the winner of the Influencer Sporting Class. Jan Lacuna of Autoindustriya took home the prize for the Sporting Class in the media category, while Pablo Salapantan of YugaAuto won the Promotional Class.
This year, experienced and competent racers weren’t the only ones experiencing exhilaration. The champions of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Gran Turismo (GR GT) Cup were also present to put their virtual racing prowess to use on the circuits. These winners took part in the Autocross competition after enrolling in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Academy.
“I’ve always loved racing and it’s such a thrilling experience for me to finally feel the rush of racing first-hand.” Russel Reyes, winner of the GT Cup Autocross Challenge, said. “And it’s an even more thrilling experience to win! This is definitely one of my best moments. Hoping to get another shot at real life racing again in the future.”
Here’s the complete list of winners in the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Vios Cup 2022 for the Autocross Challenge and Circuit Championship:
| PROMOTIONAL CLASS | ||
| Rank | Name | Team |
| 1 | Alain Alzona | Alzona Racing Team – Toyota Team General Santos |
| 2 | Alan Palacios | Toyota Team Cebu |
| 3 | Ian Rosales | Toyota Team Cebu |
| SPORTING CLASS | ||
| Rank | Name | Team |
| 1 | Troy Montero | Toyota Gazoo Racing Team PH |
| 2 | Royce Sarmiento | RMS Cars Racing Team |
| 3 | Joaquin Garrido | Toyota Otis-Obengers Racing Team |
| SUPER SPORTING CLASS | ||
| Rank | Name | Team |
| 1 | John Dizon | Obengers Racing Team |
| 2 | Inigo Anton | Toyota North Edsa – Obengers Racing Team |
| 3 | Daryl Deleon | Toyota Marilao – Obengers Team |
| MEDIA – PROMOTIONAL CLASS | ||
| Rank | Name | Team |
| 1 | Pablo Salapantan | YugaTech/YugaAuto |
| 2 | Siegwald Go | C! Magazine |
| 3 | Mica Delos Reyes | Philippine Star |
| MEDIA – PROMOTIONAL CLASS | ||
| Rank | Name | Team |
| 1 | Jan Lacuna | Autoindustriya |
| 2 | Roy Robles | Zigwheels |
| 3 | Kevin Francisco | The Modern Creatures |
| INFLUENCERS – PROMOTIONAL CLASS | |
| Rank | Name |
| 1 | Benedict Cua |
| 2 | Carla Lizardo |
| 3 | Miggy Romulo |
| INFLUENCERS – ADVANCED CLASS | ||
| Rank | Name | |
| 1 | Gino Quillamor | |
| 2 | Jules Aquino | |
| 3 | Lexi Mendiola | |
GR GT CUP
| PROMOTIONAL CLASS | |
| Rank | Name |
| 1 | Christopher Tejada |
| 2 | Matthew Ang |
| 3 | Chino Asence |
GR GT CUP
| SPORTING CLASS | |
| Rank | Name |
| 1 | Estefano Rivera |
| 2 | Russel Reyes |
| 3 | Jether Miole |
GR GT CUP AUTOCROSS CHALLEGE
| Rank | Name |
| 1 | Russel Reyes |
| 2 | Luis Moreno |
| 3 | Mark Elmar |
TMP has worked to improve the nation’s motorsports sector throughout the years by giving everyone access to a more open and welcoming platform. So, if you plan to attend Legs 2 and 3 of the TGR Vios Cup in August and November, respectively, do not miss them.
The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Vios Cup is sponsored by Brembo, Denso, OMP, Tuason Racing, AVT, 3M, ROTA, myTOYOTA Wallet, and Kinto One. It is conducted in collaboration with Bridgestone and Petron.
