MANILA—Maico Greg Buncio the country’s premier motorcycle racer, was laid to rest yesterday even as his handlers vowed to continue his dream of putting the Philippines in the international racing map.
“His dreams will never die,” said Suzuki Philippines president Satoshi Uchida during the eulogy for the 22-year-old Buncio Friday night at the Loyola Chapels in Guadalupe.
Buncio, who was killed when he crashed and got impaled by a misplaced steel bar last Saturday during a practice round for the Underbone King race at the Clark Speedway, was the 600cc SuperSports rider for Team Suzuki Philippines, which debuted in the Asia Road Racing Championships early this month in Sepang, Malaysia.
Uchida attended the ARRC first leg where, incidentally, Buncio spun out of contention in both morning and afternoon races.
He didn’t say how the fledgling team will move on after being left with just one rider, 115cc Underbone rider John Lery Enriquez.
Enriquez also bade goodbye to his childhood friend and one-time racing rival. They were supposed to compete in Sentul, Indonesia, on June 9 to 12 for the second leg of the Asian Moto GP.
A long motorcade composed of members of different clubs escorted Buncio to his final resting place at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina.
With Buncio’s No. 129 emblazoned on their shirts in black and yellow, the wheeled mourners merged from four stations between Guadalupe and Marikina.
“There will be no Suzuki, no Yamaha, no Honda, no Kawasaki, no Kymco and no China brands,” said Team Suzuki Pilipinas manager and former champion racer Mel Aquino. “Everybody will be one team for Maico. We will ride together for our great rider.”
Buncio was brought to a hospital in Pampanga after the accident and was transferred to the University of Santo Tomas hospital Sunday where he was found to have liver and kidney damage.
He died Sunday, May 15, due to loss of blood while undergoing surgery, according to friends.
His father, businessman and longtime motorcyle racing patron, Yoyong Buncio, didn’t say it but people close to the family said they will press charges against Clark Speedway because of the tragedy.
Clark’s operator Johnny Tan already said they will conduct an investigation of the incident, but initially told the Inquirer that the protruding steel bar wasn’t included in the incident report submitted to him.