Kaikkonen coasts to Yokohama grand touring victory

MANILA, Philippines – Finnish expat Velli-Matti Kaikkonen cashed in on the absence of defending champion Richmon dela Rosa and dominated the kickoff leg of the Yokohama Philippine Grand Touring Car Championships Series at the Batangas Racing Circuit recently.

Dela Rosa begged off at the last minute, enabling the Hafele-Tuason Racing bet to sweep the GT300 crowns in the morning Sprint race and the GT Main race of the event which served as part of the Eneos Philippine Motorsports Championship season sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) and sponsored by Yokohama, the official tires and Sparco.

Kaikkonen ruled the Sprint in 18 minutes, 18/055 seconds, 54.326 seconds ahead of Richmon’s younger brother Patrick dela Rosa. He later re-stamped his class in the GT Main Race, checking in 1:27.285 seconds ahead of Dela Rosa.

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa swept the GT200 crowns in the morning’s Sprint and the GT Main races, beating Bong Perez while Ivan Diaz also did the same feat in the GT150 over Singaporean Joginder King Sin.

Newcomer Mark Sy pulled off surprise and won the Sprint Race in the GT100 over Raffy Latorre and Edwin Rodriguez but Latorre dazzled the crowd after finishing third overall in the GT Main Race to claim the GT100 plum over Rodriguez and Sy.

In other races, Joma Montaner emerged the overall champion in the Classic Aspirated Cup, upstaging veteran Fil Gulfin and Arvir Gervacio. He also captured the Toyota 1600 crown over Robert Macapagal and BJ Ocampo.