Anton draws first blood in 2008 Hill Climb Series
DEFENDING National Hill Climb Champion Carlos Anton threw down the proverbial gauntlet when he set the best time of the day and took victory in the premier Group 4 category in the first round of the 2008 Hill Climb Series sponsored by Hotwire, Wave 89.1, San Miguel by the Bay, Speedlab and Eibach Springs, held at the picturesque Pico de Loro in Nasugbu, Batangas.
Barangay Papaya Captain Carpo Gonzales and Major Benito Peralta of Manila Southeast Development Corp. graced the event and performed the ceremonial flag-off.
Anton, who bannered a strong lineup from Baguio City that included Alfie Concepcion, Dennis Aoyong and Imay Datu, piloted his Honda CRX to an aggregate time of two minutes 21.67 seconds (2:21.67) from two stages to stamp his class on the event, which saw 27 drivers and their machines out of a registered 37, race against the clock, first on a 2.3-km ascent and then on a 1.82-km climb. Pressing him hard all the way was Carlo Garcia in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV, who posted a 2:21.94—just .27 of a second behind. The effort placed the rally driver in second place overall and second in Group 4. Third in class went to Danby Yaptinchay in a Lancer Evo III with a time of 2:37.67.
Group 3 top honors, meanwhile, went to Vin Santos, who shared Anton’s vehicle to post a 2:24.92. Concepcion and his Honda Civic survived a harrowing off-course excursion to cop second with a 2:32.37, while Aoyong made it a Baguio City two-three with a 2:34.87.
The ever-improving Lance Binamira in his Toyota Corolla carded a 2:34.87 to annex his first ever first place finish in Group 2. Baguio’s Datu took second with 2:35.94 in his Honda Civic, while former rally driver Steve Acayan, who merely took his Toyota Corolla on a shakedown at the event, snatched third with 2:46.23.
The Group 1 category saw rookie Martin Aguirre triumph in his Toyota Vios with a 3:01.31. Second place, meanwhile, went to Peter Binamira, who completed both stages in 3:04.83. Despite finishing in third place with a 3:16.35, former national dirt trial champ Jun Magno drew the most attention from fellow drivers and spectators with his Autotech-Debest Hyundai Getz, the first LPG-powered vehicle to compete in Philippine motorsports.
The Pico de Loro leg is the first of six rounds in the 2008 National Hill Climb Series, which is organized by the Hill Climb Club of the Philippines and sanctioned by the Automobile Association of the Philippines. The next round will be held on March 29 and 30 in Benguet.
