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Honda Media Challenge
Utter domination
Photography by Chino Acosta
Legendary tennis player Arthur Ashe once said, "Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner. Even if you are behind, a sustained look of control and confidence can give you a mental edge that results in victory."
Aside from Ferman Lao, the members of the Top Gear team were rookies— Andrew Asuncion, Joel Paz and myself. We were quite thankful for that, though. After seeing the veterans run during practice for the first leg of the 8th Honda Media Challenge, I honestly thought of backing out.
It is a fact that the motoring industry is composed of mostly angst-driven men, and there are hardly any gutsy women who are willing to rub elbows with them. During this event, there were only a handful of women and a truckload of men. The question that hung over my head was, "Would I allow these testosterone-filled creatures to beat me, or should I jump on the bandwagon, enjoy the race and show them what I've got?" I chose the latter.
During the first leg, our team stood out by showing the crowd that we drove like maniacs, our mouths frothing while behind the wheel of a spiffed Honda Jazz. They were race-ready and equipped with wonderful seats that made me want to scout for similar ones.
When the race began, I was surprised that a human being could actually finish the Carmona circuit in 1 minute and 00.81 seconds! From that point, all three of us rookies harassed Ferman for tips. We actually hoped he had brought gizmos to make the cars go faster.
The second leg was held a month later on a new track layout. We almost failed to score a podium finish. It was a complicated, challenging, brain-wracking, "makes-you-wish-you-called-in-sick" kind of track. Pylons were flying everywhere and you could feel the tension in everybody. We were all frustrated and just wanted to call it a day, but Top Gear never backs down from a challenge. We conquered this new track with our heads held high and were pleased with the end result: another victory.
The third leg was crucial because this was when we had the opportunity to already nail the championship. We wanted to let everyone know we were going to finish first again. The most unforgettable part of this leg were the pylon boxes that we struggled to avoid, but after chitchatting with officials and veteran drivers, we discovered that you would never hit a single pylon if you followed the racing lines. That's the good thing about this event—it was not all about trying to kill each other for first place. It was also a good venue for new information, driving tips, even camaraderie.
The experienced drivers were never mum with regard to tips when asked questions by us rookies. All the veterans shared their knowledge on how to take a certain turn, when to brake, and when to shift. This was good because, for a change, Filipino competitors were united and didn't display crab mentality. There were people who eager to learn, and there were those willing to teach and share their skills.
The track for the last leg was difficult for some, but the same trick—follow the racing lines—applied. Do it and you wouldn't skip a heartbeat. Honda came up with this event not only to promote their brand, but also to bring together the motoring press by educating us on proper driving skills. Even though most of us claim that we've driven almost every type of vehicle in the country, conquered traffic, and reached our destinations without a scratch, as I always say, "There will always be room for improvement and even more room for new knowledge."
I just have to brag that Top Gear finished with a perfect score in all four rounds. ALL four rounds, baby! During some interviews, we were asked what our secret was. We all gave vague answers, but I guess the key to our victory was having a piece of The Stig in all of us.
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Top Gear Philippines - April 2007
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