Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) recently held the Toyota Gazoo Racing Academy Philippines at the Clark International Speedway, where aspiring racers got to experience the thrill of the racetracks for themselves. During the first half of the program, participants were oriented on the basics of racing, proper racing etiquette, car control techniques, and braking points on the track.

In the second half of the program, students got to apply what they had learned during the orientation through guided track activities. The slalom activity tested the participants’ agility, while the ‘follow the leader’ activity allowed them to get a feel of the racetrack’s straights and corners by following the racing line.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing Academy was met with enthusiasm by first-timers, who composed a majority of the participants:

“I race go-karts, so I wanted to try driving a car – to see kung anong pinagkaiba. It’s almost the same, but also different because the car is bigger. For me, I feel like mas masaya ito,” shared Karis Alexandra Santos.

“Since bata pa ako mahilig ako sa kotse and manood ng racing. I’m also fascinated by the mechanical aspects of cars. Kaya I took the opportunity to sign up nung nakita ko na may slot sa TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Academy,” shared Nemuel Obas.

“The TGRA makes it more accessible to get into this sport. It was beyond my expectations. Akala ko yung first few exercises lang gagawin namin – yung avoiding the cones and braking. Yun pala we also get to go around the track a few times and at a good speed,” shared Miguel Corrales.

“Pangarap ko makapag-drive sa speedway, sa track – yung ma-experience yung ganitong driving environment at ma-enhance yung skills ko, so inencourage ako ng mga anak ko mag enroll [sa TGRA]” shared Javi Rios.

“As a woman in motorsports, I’m excited to promote diversity and break down barriers in a traditionally male-dominated sport. I think the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Academy is the perfect place to bring this passion of mine to life,” shared Ella Nicole Bornilla.

“The TGRA is our way of making motorsports more accessible to racing fans,” TMP Assistant Vice President for Marketing Services Andy Ty said. “We’ll have more batches of the TGRA this year, so we invite those who missed this first batch to join us in the next ones.”

The TGRA was launched in 2014 as a training ground for hopefuls looking to kick-start their racing career. Some graduates of the program have gone on to pursue professional racing careers, with some participating in the TGR Philippine Cup, TMP’s premier racing series.

Racing fans can continue to join in the fun at Race Weekend 1 of the TGR Philippine Cup, which will be happening this Saturday, March 22 at the Clark International Speedway. Admission is free.