THE first Bridgestone Cup may have recently come to a close but organizers assured that the event would continue to bring countless thrilling episodes for those who would join the competition in the future.

In its final leg held at the Batangas Race Circuit, participants still had to pick up the pace but were challenged to be more fuel-efficient in their driving. That’s because Philippine Allied Enterprises Corp. (PAEC), the exclusive distributor of Bridgestone in the Philippines, designed an eco-themed race for the event, which was joined by members of various car clubs and representatives from the media.

The contest sought to prove the claim of Bridgestone regarding its eco-friendly Bridgestone Ecopia tires.

Philip Gan, PAEC vice president for marketing, said that the final leg of the event was a tribute to the environment.

“We thought that a tribute to the environment highlighting Ecopia for a while now,” Gan said, noting that PAEC has adopted a hectare in La Mesa Dam and has donated to Bantay Kalikasan earlier this year—activities that are in line with Bridgestone’s environmental practices.

According to Gan, Bridgestone has been employing ecological means in developing its tires through the use of natural rubber, as well as ensuring that its factories comply with environmental standards.

Challenging
PAEC General Manager Marc Tagle described the last leg of the Bridgestone Cup as the “most challenging” of the three legs because it tested participants on “how they can contribute to the environment and at the same time test their driving skills.”

“Bridgestone is moving towards more environment-friendly causes, and we would like everyone to know that they can contribute to this without sacrificing their passion for driving. As we always say, your journey is our passion, and this includes everyone’s journey to help the Earth,” Tagle said.

“We can assure everyone that Ecopia tires will perform with maximum efficiency and safety in today’s challenges, just the way all Bridgestone products give assurance to all our customers,” he stressed.

In the event, participants drove cars that have been fitted with Ecopia tires, which are engineered to reduce rolling resistance. This leads to better fuel efficiency and less CO2 emissions. And because Ecopia tires maintain top-quality performance in dry and wet road conditions, it becomes ideal for everyday city driving.

Gan noted that “Ecopia tires represent a breakthrough in tire technology, and we figured that the Bridgestone Cup is the perfect opportunity to showcase this to everyone.

“Where else can you find a tire that is suitable and beneficial for both the environment and city driving?” he asked. “I think that after the Bridgestone Cup, we were able to express the idea that with Bridgestone, customers are guaranteed top-quality tires for every road condition while keeping the environment in mind. We learned to incorporate the right technology to

provide solutions for today’s environmental crisis,” Gan said.

The first leg of the Bridgestone Cup, held in August, featured a sports driving competition that used Toyota 86 cars fitted with Bridgestone Potenza tires. The second leg that followed a month later was an off-road race that saw Isuzu D-Max pickups shod with Bridgestone Dueler tires.