Text and photos by Ramon D. Boado
MEDIA production executive Arbie Jacinto is a living proof that many racing champions are made, not born.
Look. Not one in his family is into racing. And the most “racing” he has done for a better part of his life was simply enjoying the Batangas Racing Circuit or the Clark International Speedway during many lazy weekends.
But right in his first official race (Round 7) at last year’s Vios Cup in November, Arbie crushed the 21-car competition in the Promotional Class.
Was it just a case of good luck for first-timers?
Hardly.
He placed fifth in Race 8, before pulling through with back-to-back podium finishes at the start of this year’s Vios Cup—not bad considering many of his rivals were veterans of the one-make race, with some already boasting of valuable experience racing in slalom, karting and circuit events.
“The most memorable was last year’s Vios Cup because I became the champion of race 7. I was on cloud nine, considering I came out of nowhere. I felt like a victorious underdog,” said Arbie. “My previous races were informal; I just went to BRC or CIS and enjoyed the track. The story behind Vios Cup: in September 2016 I had one of my cars fixed at Bridgestone Alabang and I met Edward Dela Rosa and he joked that with the money I spend on my car, I might as well race. He asked me to join Team Biskeg and drive for the Vios Cup so Edward ended up training me. The decision to join them didn’t take long. I finished some commitments in the US for a month and returned in October to begin my two-week training. So I could say the Vios Cup was the first discipline I joined.”
At right, Arbie during his winning run in Race 7 of the Vios Cup.
After November’s Vios Cup, Arbie decided to stop due to time constraints at work, but opportunity presented itself when Pauland Dumlao, a known driver of Toyota San Fernando, invited him to join them as a driver under the promotional class.
“We’re five in the team: two of us are in the promotional class, two in the sporting class and one in the super sporting class. Couldn’t say no to that,” he said. “Unlike other races where you just amp up your car’s power, participating in the Vios Cup taught me to be patient. It’s a one-make race and it’s tightly regulated—we drive cars with the same horsepower, same suspension. Everything is the same except for the car decals. There’s no room for error so we rely on our skills because we all drive the same car. During the race you have to keep your patience, mind your brakes, control breathing, and execute precise turns along the track. You could lose your position in the race, when you commit the smallest mistake.
Of course, like many racers worth his salt would say, Arbie wants to improve his driving skills and better his time on the track.
“I’m with a new set of mentors since joining Toyota San Fernando. My first mentor was Edward with Team Biskeg. With TSF, I’m now trained by Tetsuya, a retired Japanese racecar driver, and Jeff de Leon of ForcedSpeed, a motorsport garage. They are the team’s training coaches and they’re responsible for teaching me new racing techniques,” said Arbie, whose family is now embracing his new calling.
“I have a wife and an eight-year-old son who loves cars, which should be a good thing. He got it from me because I’m a car enthusiast—I’m an active member of various car clubs of the Philippines including the Manila GTR Owners’ Club. Motorsports is close to my heart so I’m glad my son likes it. I’m the first racer in the family. When I was young, I’d always ask my dad whenever we’re in his car if he thinks he would win if he could race. Turns out I’m now the one who’s into racing,” he said.
If you’d ask Arbie when he was younger, what would be his plans in the future, he would probably laugh if you’d suggest he’d be racing competitively. He had his own business to tend to, and when we has in high school, he was even involved in gang fights. He even took dentistry in college.
“I’m 35 and I’ve run my own business —a media agency—since 2009. I had my fair share of notoriety during my younger years. Grade school was great, I was a good student but secondary school was a different story. I had my high school education at St. James College in Paranaque where I took part in gang fights a lot. Then I went to college and took dentistry at Centro Escolar University. Who would have thought? I tried things my generation went through —BPO’s and sales agencies. Then my child was born in 2008 and I decided to set my life straight,” Arbie said.
Racing in the Vios Cup would turn out to be a huge help in setting his life straight.
“I previously thought racing was just about power and ego. When I started training, it proved me wrong. I learned to be patient and I believe I’ve become a better person because of it. In the racetrack, it’s a game of precision. I learned to be organized, to have control and to react quickly to the situation. We race at midday—it’s hot and the AC’s off, windows up, race suit on—and you should take control despite the harsh conditions. Racing is like chess: know your moves but don’t overthink them.
To aspiring drivers, find a mentor and train properly. Your mentor will teach you how to stay safe on the racetrack. Since we’re dealing with cars and maintenance, it will get costly. But you’ll know the sport is for you when you start practicing. In a way, racing has the best of both worlds—you get the strategic aspects of chess and the adrenaline rush of basketball,” said Arbie.