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THE 2008 Castrol Magnatec Hill Climb Series wound up
with a roaring finish—literally—on a two-kilometer course in
Talisay, Batangas, where the world’s first nighttime hill climb
was organized by the Hill Climb Club of the Philippines on May 25 to
26.
Defying the great chances of
rain, the hotly-contested fifth and sixth rounds saw 2007 National
Hill Climb champion Carlos Anton in his Honda CRX close out the 2008
season with an unprecedented sweep of the final two rounds (with
times of 1:29.41 and 1:29.52, respectively) and the series, earning
him his second national title.
Putting up a gallant fight in the
premier Group 4 were Jan de la Merced in a Subaru Impreza WRX, Danby
Yaptinchay in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo II and Anton’s year-long
adversary Carlo Garcia in a Subaru WRX Sti, who had to content
themselves with podium positions in both rounds.
Group 3 action saw Alfie
Concepcion and Dennis Aoyong in Honda Civics swap the top two places
in both rounds, while Dindo de Jesus in a Toyota Corolla and Tris
Magbanua in a Mitsubishi Lancer picked up the spoils.
In Group 2, Lance Binamira and
former rally co-driver Steve Acayan, both driving Toyota Corollas,
engaged in a similar duel with the former taking round five and the
latter taking round six, while Harvey Robles and Russell Rivera,
both in Toyota Corollas, took turns in third place.
Peter Binamira in his Toyota
Corolla topped round five of Group 1 despite completing only one
heat, while Frankie Domingo in a Honda Jazz edged out BJ Abadilla in
a Corolla for second place.
In round six, Domingo drove away
to first followed by Abadilla and Binamira.
After six rounds of fast-paced
ascents all over Luzon, this year’s champions were Peter Binamira
(Group 1 with 163 points), Lance Binamira (Group 2, 180), Dennis
Aoyong (Group 3, 141.5) and Carlos Anton, who took Group 4 and
overall honors.
The event was sponsored by
Castrol Magnatec and supported by Speedlab, Eibach Springs, Hotwire
at Studio 23, San Miguel by the Bay, Wave 89.1 and Laeuna de Taal—a
lakeside residential estate on a mountain ridge. For detailed
results, visit www.hillclimbclub.com.
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