It may sound cliché, but there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’ none more so than Toyota Team Cebu (TTC). Hailing from the Queen City of the South, they successful claimed the overall team award in the 2023 Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Vios Cup. Not only that, but their ‘B Team’ was also this year’s runner up – proof that their 6-driver lineup was able to consistently deliver results at every event. And to sweeten the deal, Russel Cabrera secured the Sporting Class championship on only his first full season.
Super Sporting Class
Ian Rosales gave it one last hurrah during the finale last November 10/11 and delivered back-to-back 3rd place finishes in Races 1 and 2. This certainly helped his championship hopes, especially with double points up for grabs in the Grand Prix. It was truly a battle for attrition with only 12 secs splitting the Top 5 drivers at the chequered flag after 1.5 hrs of non-stop driving. TTC’s quickest driver eventually crossed the line in 4th place, bumping him up the Super Sporting Class standings to 3rd overall tied with Gerard Loy of R Racing Team.
While the TTC Team Captain couldn’t match the outright pace, he made up for it in consistency. Lord Seno and his #43 crossed the line in 8th, 7th, and 6th to contribute to TTC’s points haul that would see them take the team championship.
Sporting Class
Coming into the weekend with a 15 point lead, Russel Cabrera had to play the long game and make sure he finishes in front of his closest title rival Maila Alivia of JBT Racing x Toyota Isabela. He sided with caution in Race 1 and only finished 4th, but more importantly ahead of Maila. Although he had the pace to take the lead, he settled for 2nd in Race 2 to ensure he made it to the chequered flag. This meant that he only had to finish 4th or higher in the Grand Prix to secure the title, which was exactly what the 18-year-old did during the 1.5 hr race at the Clark International Speedway (CIS).
Alan Palacios started on the back foot after suffering an engine issue during Free Practice. This forced the team to swap an old spare unit into his #44 Vios OMR and take a grid penalty in Race 1. Although down on power, Alan’s sheer determination got him from the back of the grid onto an impressive 3rd place on Friday. He then continued his strong momentum into Race 8 to deliver 4th. Things were looking good for Alan during the Grand Prix where he maintained P4 for majority of the race. However, with only 2 laps to go he lost a tire and crawled to the finish in 9th.
Promotional Class
Although he was the Promotional Class points leader, Jarond Mesina knew that any small error could cost him the championship. He would Qualify in P3, which he then converted into a 4th place finish in Race 1. Although it closed up the gap to title rival Alain Alonza of Toyota Gen San, he still had the upper hand. But as luck would have it, Jarond saw his championship slip away after a DNF in Race 2. A hard fought 2nd place finish at the 1.5 hr enduro was sadly not enough, yet still allowed him to be crowned Vice Champion.
Paolo Ayo in the #31 orange-and-blue TTC x Edgesport Vios OMR also had shot at the title. Pole position in Qualifying gave him a clear run in Race 7 where he enjoyed a lights-to-flag victory. He followed this up with another strong performance in Race 8, fighting his way to secure 2nd. Carrying the maximum success ballast and dealing with a radio issue, unfortunately did not help him during the Grand Prix. His best efforts yielded him 4th at the finish to end the season 3rd amongst the Promotional Class runners.
The collective efforts of Team Captain Lord Seno, Sporting Class Champion Russel Cabrera, and Promotional Class Vice Champion Jarond Mesina would allow Toyota Team Cebu to be crowned as the 2023 TGR Vios Cup Team Champions, capping off a colorful team from the South. Impressively, their ‘B Team’ comprised of Ian Rosales, Alan Palacios, and Paolo Ayo came 2nd in the Team’s Overall points tally with both TTC teams beating series heavyweights Obengers Racing, JBT Racing, and OTR Racing.
Lord Seno, Team Captain: “I just want to say that I have not seen a team with such passion and resilience as Toyota Team Cebu. With all the challenges we faced, we could have just raised our hands and surrendered. From the crew to the staff, to the drivers, all gave their best. If not for the extra challenges, it would have been a walk in the park. This is coming from a guy who witnessed the struggles, the ups and downs for 8 years. Congratulations to TTC for bagging the championship and to Russel for taking the Sporting Class title. Thank you again.”
Toyota Team Cebu is done in collaboration with MRA Auto Parts and Edgesport, sponsored by Toyota Mandaue South, Standard Insurance, Bethel Insurance, BG Injector Cleaner, Vian-Son Automotive Services Inc., Solane LPG, Suarez and Sons Inc., 3M Philippines, Marina Foods, Bully Concepts, S&N Builders, Staging Lanes, and Cebu Protrade Industrial Corporation.
[Photos by James Morales Jr]
