Tan thumps Phimos GT 200 field

Andre Tan proved his breakthrough victory the last time out was no fluke by ruling the Yokohama Grand Touring 200 race in the rain-marred third leg of the 2019 Petron Philippine Motorsports Championships (Phimos) at Clark International Speedway in Pampanga recently.

The surprise winner of the previous leg’s Race 3 at Batangas Racing Circuit last month, Tan wrested the lead in the second lap with the quickest clip of 2 minutes and 15.246 seconds in a Honda FD en route to victory in 17:22.999 over eight spins around the sleek 4.2-kilometer Clark circuit.

The 22-year-old international business graduate at Ateneo’s European Studies Program flashed home 7.475 seconds clear of runner-up Ton Ramos in another Honda FD, with Paulo Santos, last season’s winningest entry with six triumphs in 12 races, settling for third, 7.839 off the pace.

Justin Neri in a Honda EG wound up fourth in the combined race with a time of 17:37.816 and topped the Yokohama GT 150 class over Russ Agapito in a Honda SIR (fifth overall in 17:40.306) and Lewy Manio in a Honda EG (seventh in 18:15.432).

Defending champion Edwin Rodriguez ended up a lowly sixth overall in 18:07.345, but fared better than Andres Calma, the time-trial topnotcher whose Honda EK conked out due to alternator gremlins.

Drew Manio clinched the GT 100 title by coming in eighth overall, besting Oscar Suarez and Jeff Pobadora in the leg whose Race 2 was called off due to heavy rains.

Fil Gulfin swept the prefinal and final races over Bienvenido Ocampo Jr. and Michael Albana in the Classic Aspirated Cup, Jason Choachuy dominated the Open Pro class over Carlos Castaneda and Jun Mallari in the Philminiracers Classic Mini Racing, and Ferdie Raquel Santos and Arvir Gervacio topped the 1275-A and 1275-B races, respectively.

Other winners: Luis Sayson (First Step Racing Cup, Race 1); Seven Aleman (FSRC, Race 2); Carlo Alvarez (Sparco Cup, Bracket Race-1); Lorenz Rivera (Sparco Cup, Bracket Race-2).