Fans of sports-car racing got no shortage of excitement at the fourth and final race weekend of the 2022 Manila Sports Car Club (MSCC) Miata Spec Series.
Veteran racer and Toyota Gazoo Racing Vios Cup champion Allan Uy emerged victorious at Clark International Speedway last Nov. 27, 2022 to clinch the overall title in the Shell Pro Class.
Renowned car builder and international grand-touring car racer Angie King, despite her best efforts to snatch the top spot from Uy, finished second overall. Paul Perez rounded out the Shell Pro Class overall podium.
2022 Miata Spec Series overall winners. PHOTO FROM MAZDA PHILIPPINES
Meanwhile, racing legend Windy Imperial was named overall champion in the Rota Masters Class. Joining him was veteran driver Lito Almario in second and endurance-race champion Joey Almeda as third overall.
Rota Masters Class Race 7 winners led by Joey Almeda in 1st, Toti Turalba in 2nd and eventual Class Champion Lito Ignacio in 3rd. PHOTO FROM MAZDA PHILIPPINES
Finally, Jamal Almario took home the top title in the series’ GT Radial Novice Class. Second overall went to Kirk Baltazar, with Diego Dela Cruz taking the third spot in the overall stakes.
In the final race of the season, Aaron Guevara won, with Diego Dela Cruz finishing second and Javier Toledo in third in the GT Radial Novice Class. PHOTO FROM MAZDA PHILIPPINES
This year’s MSCC Miata Spec Series had eight races that were held over four race weekends.
Mazda Philippines president and CEO Steven Tan thanked everyone who helped make the series’ inaugural season successful and exciting.
“The MSCC Miata Spec Series isn’t just Mazda Philippines’ success. It is everyone’s success,” the former rally driver said.
“This includes the drivers, mechanics, marshalls, race directors, team members, and everyone involved,” Tan added. “We could not have done it without your support and passion. We can’t wait for yet another season of racing.”
Coolest taxi ride ever
Mazda Philippines said in a press statement that the MSCC event was also a chance for them to give back.
Ten children from Duyan Ni Maria Children’s Home in Mabalacat, Pampanga were given “taxi” rides aboard the MSCC Miata Spec Series race cars with the MSCC drivers.
Mazda Philippines president and CEO, Steven Tan, joins the kids from Duyan ni Maria Children's Home as they await their taxi rides around the track with the MSCC Spec Miata drivers. PHOTO FROM MAZDA PHILIPPINES
The orphanage provides a safe refuge for children who have been abandoned, abused, or neglected.
Mazda Japan executives Hidetoshi Kudo and Hironori Tanaka, who flew in from the brand's headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan to watch the final round, also drove around the Clark International Speedway with a child passenger.
Meanwhile, Mazda Philippines and MSCC Miata Spec Series partner Pilipinas Shell donated school supplies and toys to the 40-year-old foundation.
First-ever one-make sports car series
The MSCC Miata Spec Cup Series is the country’s sole one-make sports car racing event.
The series is the result of a collaboration between Mazda Philippines and MSCC, which is the country’s premier sports car enthusiast organization.
All 20 MSCC Miata Spec Series Mazda MX-5 use a showroom-stock 2.0-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 Skyactiv-G gasoline engine pumping out 184 PS and 205 Nm of torque. This is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.
The suspension components have also been upgraded and reinforced with CUSCO sports coilovers and chassis braces.
The cars also use a custom stainless-steel exhaust system developed by local company Drift Xaust, along with customer 17-inch Rota alloy wheels wrapped with GTRadial Champiro SX2 high-performance tires.
Motorsport safety equipment includes a Sparco competition steering wheel, racing seat, harness, and safety net, along with a new CUSCO racing roll cage.
Are you ready for the MSCC Miata Spec Cup Series’ next season?
An award-winning multimedia journalist, editor, and host for online and TV who has written in-depth stories on road safety and the Philippine elections. Outside of the media, VJ is an accomplished motorsports champion, English teacher, and dancer.
