Holding onto a 39-point lead heading into the season finale, Timothy Joseph “TJ” Alberto is en route to a 4th consecutive Philippine Superbike Championship (PSBK) title. He only needs to win one more race this weekend at the Clark International Speedway (CIS) to secure the 2024 crown for Access Plus Racing.
With official partner Shell Advance and its fully synthetic range of oils, TJ began the season on a high note by winning both races at the Batangas Racing Circuit (BRC). His younger brother Troy further added to the team’s trophy haul with a pair of podiums. However, they hit a low point during the second event of the year.
Troy crashed out in Race 1 and left his older brother to race the team’s colors solo. TJ had to pull out all the stops just to salvage two 2nd place finishes and keep his championship hopes alive. Although expected to make a full recovery, Troy’s injuries would later force him to be sidelined for the rest of the season.
After the troubled race weekend, the team came back stronger for Round 3. TJ was a man on a mission and completed a clean sweep at Clark. He rode his #77 Ducati Panigale V4 to pole position and 2 race victories to stretch his points lead. The succeeding round saw another masterclass performance from TJ with a very memorable win in the wet during Race 2.
With 1.5x points up for grabs during the penultimate round, TJ made sure not to put a foot wrong when the series returned to BRC. The track is also not the team’s strongest suit so Access Plus Racing worked overtime in testing to close the performance gap. All their hard work eventually paid off as TJ rode to back-to-back wins to extend his championship lead.
Given his current track record, TJ Alberto has so far won 80% of all his race starts in 2024. Mathematically, he only needs to win one more race to claim the title. The showdown is set on October 12/13 at the Clark International Speedway (CIS) for the 2024 season finale.
TJ Alberto, #77: “I’m looking forward to finishing the season on a good note. It’s been a great season so far. We’re coming into the last race of the season with a good points advantage. If we can keep it upright we should be able to take the championship title. Praying that everything goes well.”
Toti Alberto, Team Principal: “We’ve already done all the hard work and TJ can now just cruise to take the championship. But as always, it’s not over ’til it’s over. With God’s will, we ask for good health and no mechanical problems or unforeseen events. We pray for a safe weekend for Access Plus Racing and we’ll all be waiting for TJ at the finish line.”
Access Plus Racing is sponsored by Ducati Philippines, Shell Advance, DID, Aella, Macbeth, ArmyNavy Burger + Burrito, Extreme Components, Motoworld, Sprint Filter, Bremo, STM, and Öhlins Racing.
