I was always fascinated by cars since preschool when I was collecting matchbox toys.
My real passion for cars started when I was in high school. Maybe it’s the same feeling as how an engineer loves math or how an IT professional is interested in computers.
My uncle runs a small auto shop in our garage that has been there since I was a kid. I started spending most of my afternoons in the garage watching my uncle work on the car while chatting with his customers. Soon after that, I was helping him out with simple tasks like changing spark plugs, handing out tools, replacing air filters, etc. I guess this is where it all started.
I joined local and international forums and started to read and learn from people who have the same interest. Internet was my primary exposure to racing until I watched a couple of PDRF drag racing events in Macapagal.
After graduating from college, I was then very much frustrated and at the same time, excited to work. I was very frustrated because I was begging my dad for him to lend me money because I badly wanted a Honda. But only in fairy tales where all wishes are being granted - Now I am stuck with a Toyota.
After roughly 3 months of working, I was able to come up with my own money to spend on the car. I then rushed to Banawe and get myself a generic strutbar and a Simota intake. And wow, I felt like it gained a lot! Haha! Yeah right… Thanks to my first job, I was able to religiously make maintenance checks and repairs with the car - Suspension, tires, engine, A/C, battery, etc.
Five months after all the maintenance stuff and some bolt-on upgrades, I decided to take it to the next level. I met a guy in a forum and he is a PTCC driver. He invited me to join their club’s trackday at BRC and offered a free lesson, so I went. It was quite humiliating to see that most of the people there were really into racing and I can tell that they are hardcore racers. Not to mention that they were driving Imprezas, Silvias, an S2000 and a Porsche (dunno the model, but it was turbocharged).
During the same year, I also had my first taste of autocross and damn it was difficult! I couldn’t get the same thrill that I had in a circuit where I get to enjoy the speed in the corners and the straights right after exiting a corner. It is definitely not my type of racing.
Now that I have discovered that circuit racing appeals to me more, I took another level up by joining “Run What You Brung”. It is a time attack race held at SIR. I placed 5th in the slowest bracket. I was really sluggish maybe because I spun out 180 degrees in turn 1 with just a car away from hitting the concrete barriers and that got me scared big time! It could also be because my racing line is aweful and SIR is a technical track unlike BRC.
I joined another trackday at SIR and the RWYB event will be held the following day. I was prepared this time. New grippy tires were installed; I slapped in a set of lowering springs and changed the stock header. I was eyeing to shave off 2 seconds from my time and guess what, I was 5 seconds faster! Woohooo! Before the trackday ends, I was able to ride shotgun to the same owner of the Subie that I rode shotgun at BRC, but now he was driving a Tiburon. He showed me his racing line and I keep remembering it because it will be the same line that I will use for the competition the next day. Too bad I wasn’t able to shakedown my car using the line because it was already late in the afternoon.
In the RWYB event, I wasn’t able to get a place in my bracket but I was really happy because after my last run, I saw the timesheet and it showed that my best time was 4 seconds faster than my best time the day before! Another wooohooo moment! I was able to cut 9 seconds from the first RWYB event and up to now, it kept me thinking: Where the hell am I losing 9 seconds when I was going flatout when given the chance?! LOL!
I hope that I will have a faster time the next time I race. I hope that the 15-year old car will last and will still be competitive. My experience makes me very eager to race again. I want to go faster. I want to feel the fear everytime I take a corner. Let’s support the local motorsports scene!
