Marvin Mangulabnan: The Promising Greenhorn

A dominant force in the Inter Bike Club Championships, Mangulabnan has proven that he’s no fluke by bringing his circuit racing skills to the SK Invitational in Antipolo where he topped the 110-125 Mixed Beginner and to the EK leg of the UBK where he went toe-to-toe with ace riders Maico Buncio and Anthony Roman in the 130cc Open.\

InsideRACING: How old were you when you learned how to ride and what made you get into racing?

Marvin Mangulabnan: I started to race when I was 18. Yung daddy ko po ang nag-influence sa akin. Nakita niya kasi akong umiikot sa isang vacant na subdivision before. Pinagbawalan niya akong umikot dun dahil hindi safe kaya dinala niya ako sa Boomland at dun niya ako pinag-practice. Hindi niya agad ako sinali sa race until makuha ko yung maayos na takbo.

IR: Which racer, local and foreign, do you most look up to?

MM: Maico Buncio and Valentino Rossi.

IR: What do you consider as your most memorable riding/racing experience?

MM: The most memorable race that I had was my first national race. It’s because of the fact that I’m new to this kind of sport. Beginner lang po ako kaya nung nakita ko yung mga factory teams and riders, na-amaze ako lalo na nung nakasabayan ko sila sa track. Yung IRGP last November pati yung UBK sa Enchanted Kingdom, those are the races that I’m talking about.

IR: Any advice you want to give aspiring racers?

MM: My advice to those who want to race is to follow your heart and live your dream. Practice lang ng practice, I’m sure mag-pay off din yun at gagaling din kayo. Of course, yung pagiging sport at yung respect sa ibang riders, dapat hindi mawala yun. And don’t forget to look back kung saan ka nanggaling, ‘wag kalimutan yung mga taong tumulong sa ‘yo at tumutulong pa din until now. I will not be who I am now kung hindi dahil sa family ko, sa mga friends ko, at kay Loui Mendoza from Cambaog, Bustos, Bulacan. Siya po kasi ang nag-set ng mga makina ko.

IR: Last words for our readers?

MM: Thank you for choosing and supporting InsideRACING magazine. Ride safely. I would like to thank my sponsors, Motul, Bob’s Scooters, Tres Racing Project, MTRT, SSS Racing Sprockets, Racing
Boy, All Trade Manufacturing and especially to HGM Performance for
giving me 100% support in this racing career.

*This article was published in InsideRACING’s  Volume 7 Number 9  2009 issue.