Two famous ‘JDM’ legends are all set to grace TSS The Super Series by B-Quik, both cars competing in Super Car GTC, when Round 1 of the 2023 season gets underway at Buriram’s Chang International Circuit next weekend – with two exciting new Filipino drivers behind the wheel.
Those legends are namely Nissan’s GT-R R35 and Toyota’s Supra Mk4 with the two cars arriving in the North East in a few days’ time thanks to an exciting new collaboration between C&C Motorsports of The Philippines and Thailand’s KS Racing.
They are sure to be in the focus of the Thai motorsport fans who follow JDM brands like no other racecar breed!
While Chiang Mai-based KS Racing, owned by Narin Yensuk, is a very well-known proposition to Thai fans, having previously campaigned cars such as Nissan’s GT-R R32 in Super Car GTC, C&C Racing is however a completely new name to pitch up on the entry list.
C&C Motorsports’ driver roster comprises of Manasseh Manuel Caceres, known as “Jun”, and his 18-year-old son, Manuel Rafael Caceres, known as “Rafa”. The former will drive the Supra while the latter will get behind the wheel of the GT-R.
So, what’s their background and how come they have popped up on the Super Car grid? Is a new wave of Filipino drivers descending on TSS, after all Vincete Floriendo who arrived last year enjoyed an outstanding rookie season?
“I am a car enthusiast,” says Jun, “and before the pandemic I competed in some amateur drifting competitions in The Philippines but I stopped racing because of the pandemic.
“I love cars, especially JDM,” he continues. “During the past three years I have been working on projects with KS Racing.”
At the same time the racing ‘bug’ was running through the family. “Rafa started his interest in racing in 2020 during the pandemic,” says Jun. “Since there was nothing much to do at that time, we set up a PlayStation at home and played GT racing. For almost a year he was stuck playing it and begun to love it. At the end of 2021 when pandemic restrictions started to loosen up, we went karting one time and from there he got interested and started racing. He then participated in national karting for the whole of the 2022.”
Jun adds, “last year, we decided we would compete in TSS with the help of Narin of KS Racing, entering under our team name, C&C Motorsports.
Late last year the pair took part in an endurance race in Thailand and following that successful foray here they were able to consider a serious crack at Super Car. With KS Racing having the GT-R and Supra available in its racecar portfolio the dots quickly joined up.
“At first, we thought about racing in Super Car GTM as a father and son team, but we decided on the GTC class for experience,” Jun explains.
Next stop was the Official Hankook Test Day last month where Jun and Rafa got behind the wheel of their new cars. “Chang Circuit is very nice track,” reckons Jun. “We don’t have this kind of track in the Philippines, so driving here is very, very nice.”
And how did they divide the cars up? “My son is my priority,” says Jun. “I just drive for the fun and experience. I have driven a 2JZ engine before but not in a Supra. The Supra plus a 2JZ is awesome and KS Racing have done a good job preparing this car.”
A big challenge lies ahead for this new driver pairing as they prepare to enter the highly competitive Super Car category and there is clearly a weight of expectation. “We are excited and proud to race here in TSS for The Philippines, together with our fellow Filipino, Vincente Florendo,” says Jun.
“It’s our hope that by racing in TSS we will encourage other Filipinos as well because TSS is the premier racing championship in Southeast Asia,” he continues. “We are promoting TSS in The Philippines and there are already more potential drivers we will have for next year.”
Rafa, who will mix racing this year with his studies back home, is also looking forward to getting into the action. “It’s an honour representing my country here in TSS and I will be looking forward to gaining experience so that I will be competitive in the coming years,” he says.
As the countdown to the opening round of TSS 2023 next week gets underway Jun adds, “I would like to thank Narin for helping us to be able to compete at the level of TSS. I am looking forward to racing in the coming races in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.”
This new lineup of a GT-R R35 and Supra Mk4 should prove to be of huge interest to the JDM focused Thai fans, while all eyes in The Philippines will be on Jun and Rafa to see how their season unfolds.
The opening round of TSS The Super Series by B-Quik 2023 kicks off next week at Chang International Circuit, Buriram, 21-23 April.
Source. FastTrack Media
Comments
