Defending champion Jonathan Tiu takes on 2015 winner Martin Manalo and a host of other challengers today in the kickoff leg of the 2017 National Drag Racing Championship’s Southern Series at Batangas Racing Circuit in Rosario town.
Tiu holds the Philippine drag racing record of 8.806 seconds in his Nissan R35. He swept all eight Quick 8 races in both the Northern and Southern Series last season and is also the reigning champion in the M&H Pro class of the Southern Series.
Apart from Manalo, the other main contenders in the races sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines are Northern Series kickoff runner-up Ricardo Fallorina, Vanni Garcia of Vannitec, Danes Sarmiento and Arvin Jay Millet of TEMZ. —STEVE SILVA, RACING CONTRIBUTOR