Lynx Racing

After a season’s worth of fun events, intense competition and scorching racetrack action, the Tuason Racing School (TRS) Ford Lynx Cup is back as this one-make race series gears up for its 2004 season, suitably launched last week with a night of fun events, intense partying and bits racetrack action.

During the launch, which was held at what is arguably the Metro’s hottest hub of motorsport theme activities — the Manila Speedzone at The Fort — TRS’s top guy JP Tuason also outlined several activities the Tuason Racing Project (TRP) is involved in for this year which include forming teams that will compete in karting and Formula 3, organizing a motorcycle race series, as well as staging various corporate and consumer motorsport programs. (The TRS is a component of TRP).

Tuason, a two-time karter of the year and Formula 3 driver, detailed the assorted courses offered by TRS as well. First of these is the basic kart course which will be conducted at the Speedzone, while an advanced class will be offered at the Carmona Racing Circuit. The basic and advanced circuit car racing lessons, meanwhile, are scheduled to be held at the Batangas Racing Circuit, which is also the home of the Lynx Cup.

For its part, Ford, through sales and marketing VP Louie Dy-Buncio, said the Lynx Cup is proof of the company’s commitment to motorsport activities. The race series is apparently a superb means by which Ford could showcase to customers (and the public in general) the outstanding handling, reliability and high performance potential of the carmaker’s bet in the competitive sedan segment, which is of course, the Lynx. Win races on Sunday, sell on Monday, the American automotive giant has always believed.

Meanwhile, the Ford-Tuason association has been a long-standing one, spanning decades and generations. In the late 70s, Tuason’s father, the legendary race driver Arthur, used to campaign Fords in various rally and other racing events. The elder Tuason also brought to the country — to the utter delight of auto enthusiasts — the acclaimed Ford Escort RS2000, a car that took the racing scene worldwide by storm, successfully taking titles wherever it competed. It’s gratifying then that the tradition is carried out by the younger Tuason — or more precisely, younger Tuasons. You see, also involved with the TRP and TRS is JP’s kid brother Mike, also a karter and Formula driver in his own right.

Regarded as an excellent race series, the Lynx Cup is seen by many as an exemplary way to hone or attract fresh talents to the sport. Co-sponsoring TRS and Ford in this exciting endeavor are Addict Mobile, Standard Insurance, Goodyear Tires, Petron, Ambi Pur, Oakley, Octane Racewear, Red Horse Beer, Options Unlimited, Racegear Pitshop, K&N, H&R, Brother’s Burger and Adidas, with media partners C! Magazine, Trapik.com and Motorista.com.ph. Call 531-2962 or log on to www.tuasonracing.com for more details. Go.