Hailing from the Queen City of the South, Toyota Team Cebu (TTC) is making a grand comeback to the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Vios Cup in 2022. This officially ends their 2-year hiatus brought about the pandemic and they’re ready to fight with a refreshed 4-car lineup.
The ’18 Team Champions will again be headed by Lord Seno. The veteran driver will be starting on his 6th season in Toyota’s one-make-series and now make an attempt at the top-tier Super Sporting Class. Aside from the tight competition, TTC’s team captain also has to contend with the new Super Sporting-spec Vios Cup OMR Gen 2 introduced last year. The updated machinery is fitted with several modifications that makes it lighter and much quicker than the standard Vios OMR.
Ian Rosales is also making a comeback after an impressive debut in 2019. The driver from Iloilo started racing in 2018 with the AAP Motorsport Development Program then finished runner up in the First Step Racing Cup (FSRC) a year later. He was chosen as the team’s wildcard entry during the Vios Cup season ender where he managed to take a 4th and 3rd place finish for TTC.
Joining him in the Promotional Class are new recruits Alan Palacios and Felvin Gurrea who also both hail from Iloilo. Palacios has been involved in motorsports for over 20 years, competing in multiple disciplines that include drag racing, autocross, gymkhana, and most recently circuit racing. He was a strong contender in the the FSRC and concluded the season 3rd in the championship behind Rosales. Gurrea, on the other hand, is another graduate of the AAP MSDP and collected several podium finishes in the gymkhana events. He has since been involved autocross and is now stepping up to circuit racing in the TGR Vios Cup.
Despite the refreshed driver lineup, Toyota Team Cebu is still mostly comprised of the same members working behind the scenes. Familiar faces in the team garage include Team Manager John Velasco, his son and former TTC driver Sean Velasco now serving as a coach, and Jun Cabera as the Team Engineer.
The 2022 TGR Vios Cup kicks off this July 1/2 at the Clark International Speedway. Round 2 then follows suit on August 19/20 before the season concludes on November 18/19 all at the same venue.
Lord Seno, Team Captain: “Toyota Team Cebu has a refreshed driver lineup in 2022. I’m sure Ian will do well in the Promotional Class. He finished on the podium back in 2019 and we hope to see him at the front again. Alan will surely be up there as well as the two were close rivals in Autocross in Iloilo. I’d like to welcome another newcomer to the team, Felvin. He’s gradually improving on his pace and with enough track time, we expect him to catch up with Ian and Felvin. As for me, I’ll be pushing for a podium as the Super Sporting Class grid is very competitive.”
Toyota Team Cebu is sponsored by Toyota Mandaue South, Standard Insurance, BCR Construction, Bethel Insurance, Daily Driven Transport Taxi, Solid Construction, BG Injector Cleaner, LG Farms, Staging Lines Cebu, Blueflame LPG Refilling, LTS Luminex, Suarez and Sons Inc., MMF Glass Factory, Bully Concepts, and MRA Performance Shop.
