Photo taken from Toyota Vios Cup Philippines’ Facebook page
MABALACAT, Pampanga—Rising hotshot Andres Calma of GM Motorsport sure got speed running in his veins.
Amid the burning rubber, steamy tracks and scorching heat, the second-generation athlete zoomed past his rivals and out of the shadows of his basketball great father Hector Calma.
The 20-year-old Calma sized up a formidable field in the first few laps before making a move in the third en route to winning Race 1 of the elite Super Sporting Class of the 3rd Vios Cup Saturday at Clark International Speedway here.
The favorite on account of winning the overall title last year, Calma overcame the challenge of what he described as his least favorite track.
“The race was great. It’s everything I had wanted it to be,” said the La Salle student who started racing as a nine-year-old karter. “My car handled well and I did the best I could.”
In clocking his best time of two minutes and 25.12 seconds in 12 laps, the 6-foot-2 Calma totaled 29:22.73 besting Toyota Alabang’s Estefano Rivera (29:30.47) and Daniel Miranda of Obengers (29:30.75) who placed second and third, respectively.
Allan Uy of Toyota Quezon Avenue topped Race 2 later in the night with a 36:11.512 clocking.
Calma settled for second in 36:11.772 while Miranda was third in 36:12.500.
The elder Calma, who watched from the paddock, said his son took extra time to practice on the 4.2-kilometer track. He also won a street circuit race last year in Cebu.
“It feels great to win the first race of the season,” said Calma. “I think my chances for the season is high after winning the first race, but the competition is tough and we’ll never know what happens next.”
More at ease with narrow tracks, Calma took extra hours practicing at Clark which has 18 turns.
“It’s not my favorite track but I’m happy I had enough practice,” Calma said.
Paolo Rodriguez of Toyota San Fernando topped race 1 of the Bridgestone Sporting Class in 30:03.89, beating Miko Maristela of TQA (30:08.05) and Sean Velasco of Toyota Cebu (30:06.27).
Celebrity DJ Sam YG of TMP, who graduated from Promotional/Celebrity Class to the Sporting Class, held forth most of the race but spun out in the seventth to land at eighth place.
Sen. JV Ejercito also saw action in the category and finished 12th.