Golden Wheel Awards fetes ex-champion

BIENVENIDO G. Manalo, a Philippine motorsports pioneer, will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame when the 2013 Golden Wheel Awards honors the best in the sport on March 16 at Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Manalo, a local racing champion in the 1960s and ’70s, will be one of the night’s top honorees as the event celebrates its 10th year.

“Racing is not just about the machines that dice it out on the track, it’s mainly about the people who prepare and drive them,” said Manalo, who captured the top eliminator and overall championship in the 1969 Mid-year Drag Jamboree of the Cam Wreckers Association and High Performance Racing Association.

Manalo, who copped the coveted Presidential Trophy driving his 1957 Chevy, also shone in circuit racing as a member of the winning Opel Manta Team in the 1972 Enduro Championship aside from bagging the 1973 ARCP (Auto Rallye Club of the Philippines) Rookie of the Year and winning the 1973 Group I Bosch Championship Series.

Sharing the limelight with Manalo are Vencer John Suba (karting), Alex Perez (drifting), Peewee Mendiola (Slalom), Vincent Floirendo (grand touring), Red Diwa (4×4 Offroad), Jonathan Tiu (drag racing), Rodney Caballero (Classic Cars), Glenn Aguilar (motocross), Raniel Resuello (Superbikes) Anthony Roman (underbone racing), Miko Montano (scooters) and the Indonesian duo of Dharma Mangkuluhur (Asian Karting Junior champion) and Senna Sulaiman Noor (Asian Karting Senior champion).

The awardees, one of whom will be declared as Driver of the Year, will also receive a Golden Wheel trophy as recognition for their outstanding achievements for 2012 in their respective motorsports disciplines.

Bong Castro (Print Media), Edwin Go (Broadcast Media for Radio) and Sports Pilipinas (Broadcast Media for TV) will also be honored for their contribution to the sport.

For inquiries on the awards night, call 729-7241 to 42 or 729-5365. Jasmine W. Payo