High temperatures and unforgiving humidity could not halt Fernando “Boy” Bautista, editorial assistant of the English broadsheet Manila Standard, from competing and mingling with fellow car enthusiasts at the Clark International Speedway last weekend.
Bautista earned three mas trophies from among 235 participants in the “Shifting Gears Track Day back-to-back with Bumper to Bumper Car Show Pampanga 7” at the Clark International Speedway on Saturday.
Bautista’s (entry number 09) Blue 2000 Toyota Corolla with Toyota Sprinter Carib facelift won 1st place in the Best in Paint category and secured 1st place in the Best Compact Car category and also the top award in the Best Toyota Heavy Modification.
“Hinihintay talaga namin na masungkit ‘yung category na Best in Paint noon pa, kasi ‘yung JSK Custom na gumawa nu’ng Carib ay nagwagi ng Best of Show at nakapagtala nang magkasunod na taon ng pagkapanalo (2012-2013) sa Manila International Auto Show,” Bautista said.
The car, according to Bautista, is a combination of two different Toyota vehicles—the 8th generation Toyota Corolla and the 4th generation Toyota Sprinter Carib, which share parts and are interchangeable.
The car’s set up includes Carib front bumper with overrider, Carib hood and fenders, Carib 2-piece rear bumper, Carib headlights with LED bulbs, Carib amber corner lights and Carib fog lights with LED bulbs, Carib thick body side moldings and Carib OEM privacy glass, JDM trunk, OEM chrome inner and outer door handles, Silver’s Neomax fully adjustable coilover that has 24 levels of dampening adjustability and adjustable pillow ball upper mount.
The setup is also made up of Toyota Levin BZ-R front seats, 16” WORK Meister S1 two-piece construction wheels designed for use on the race track, rear drum brake was replaced with slotted brake rotors to increase stopping power and for excellent braking performance; OEM front brakes was upgraded to big rotors, installed straight JBL sound system including the GT-12BP subwoofer, TRD strut bar, TRD shift knob, Broadway anti-glare rear-view mirror, FGK chambered muffler and Mitsuba Arena II horn with echo function.
The car previously earned the Best Toyota Medium Modification category, 2nd Best Toyota Sedan Category and 3rd Best Sub Compact Heavy Modification in the Bumper to Bumper XVI at the Mall Of Asia Open Grounds, Pasay City last December 11 and 12, 2021.
Bautista’s Corolla/Carib also bagged 2nd Best Millennium Award in the Midori Auto Showdown at the Midori Hotel and Casino in Clark, Pampanga on Dec. 4, 2021 and the Best Compact Car Category in the 2nd Valenzuela Auto Show held at the Valenzuela City Hall grounds on February 18, 2017.
The types of vehicles that participated range from super trucks, off-road vehicles, rare and elite supercars to the always unique stanced cars with blasting sound systems.
Bautista thanked Johnson Tan and Kim Tan of JSK Custom.
“Salamat Boss Johnson and Kim sa pag-aalaga sa Carib at sa sikretong “last touch” tuwing makikipag-compete, Bautista said.
“Salamat din kay Boss Jonathan Chio,” CEO of Ladder Events Production, at kay Boss Gabriel Macapagal, marketing head of B2B Car Show,” Bautista added.