The season finale of the 2023 SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines provided plenty of on-track action up and down the grid. Held last November 24/25 at the Clark International Speedway (CIS), the weekend saw a debutant gave series regulars a run for their money, a rookie that stole the runner up spot, and a reigning champion win back-to-back titles.
The race-engineered SEAOIL Extreme-97 fuel with STP additives once again provided unmatched performance for all the Radical SR1s over the race weekend. This was especially crucial as the 2023 championship was on the line. What was a surprise though was that title contender Joaquin ‘Wakkeen’ Garrido missed the finale and spared his closest rival Iñigo Anton from a difficult title fight to the end. But in his absence, it allowed Miguel Quiñones and newcomer Matthew Edmunds to challenge ‘s dominance and get a shot at a podium spot.
Pushing his #33 SR1 to its absolute limits, Iñigo immediately set the best time during Qualifying with a 1:56.177 lap and claim pole position. Miguel couldn’t quite match his pace, but his best time was still fast enough to earn the multiple-time karting champion a front row start.
With Wakkeen out for the last round, Miguel capitalized on the opportunity to gain points and move his way up the standings. The DRQ Motorsports driver gave chase to Iñigo during Race 1 on Saturday in an attempt to take the lead. But despite his best efforts, Iñigo didn’t crack under pressure and won with a 3.355 secs lead with Miguel settling for 2nd place. Making an impressive debut with team R-Gas, Matthew landed a podium finish on his very first race in 3rd place.
Race 2 later that day was another chance for Miguel to get the jump on Iñigo. Much to his dismay, Iñigo never gave him an inch and pulled away with an even bigger gap to win by a triumphant 8.234 secs lead. Miguel followed behind in 2nd with Matthew once again in 3rd to complete the podium.
Every driver on the grid wanted to close the season on a high note and fought for every gap possible on the final day of racing. Race 3 would see Matthew edge out Miguel and take the chequered flag valiantly in 2nd place. The gentleman driver also set his best lap all weekend during the 12-lap race, clearly showing how much he’s pushing. Iñigo enjoyed another dominant lights-to-flag victory, while Miguel this time finishing 3rd.
Even if Iñigo already secured more than enough points to claim the title, that didn’t stop him from putting the pedal to the metal in Race 4. He drove consistent, quick laps towards his 10th consecutive win this season to earn the title as 2023 SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines Champion in style. Miguel also never gave up until the chequered flag dropped and finished 8.487 secs behind in 2nd, earning enough points to end his debut year with Radical as Vice Champion.
“It’s good to be the back-to-back champion. Thank you to Radical Cars Philippines for a great year and a well-organized series,” commented newly-crowned 2023 champion Iñigo Anton. “I’d also like to thank Team MRD X Motul for being a top tier team with very skilled mechanics and race engineers. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without such a great team behind me. It was quite a chaotic weekend because I also had to jump in to a Formula V1 in between the races but I think it was good preparation for me for my upcoming F4 race.”
Edward Cruz, Head of B2C Segment Marketing for SEAOIL Philippines, Inc. shares his thoughts on another successful season, “On behalf of the whole SEAOIL organization, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to our partners Radical Cars Philippines and all the drivers and teams on the successful culmination of this thrilling 2023 SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines racing season. It has been a privilege to support the fastest racing series in the country, which showcased remarkable talent and passion for motorsport. We’re honored to have fueled these races and we look forward to the next season. We also wish the best to some of our outstanding racers who will also venture out onto the global stage.”
The 2023 SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines is powered by race-engineered SEAOIL Extreme-97 fuel with STP additives, sponsored by Kumu, Kooler, and Porsche Design Manila.
