IR News: 2017 MotoIR Season Starts! Yamaha-Spec V Rider Dominates Opening Race in Carmona

The wait is over! The 2017 Shell Advance MotoIR Championship Presented by Yamaha kicked off its opening round last June 18 at the Carmona Race Track. The new season of the prestigious championship was well received by race fans who witnessed the top riders in the country battle for the MotoIR and MotoIR2 titles on board the new Yamaha YZF-R15.

L-R : InsideRACING’s Mr. Al Camba, USRA’s Mr. Duds Lumague and Yamaha Motor Philippines’ Mr. Jude Camus, Mr. Jordan Cornista, Mr. Toni Boi Acuesta, Mr. Jonathan Refugio, Mr. Emerson Mendoza and Mr. Jariel Aytona

Shell Advance MotoIR Championship Presented by Yamaha Round 1 grid at the Carmona Race Track

Masato Fernando was stellar as he got the pole position and went on to bag the victory in Round 1 with a total time of 10.09.185s. “The Chairman” was in front the entire race and won with a 4.839s margin of victory. Fernando was also the fastest as he was the one to register the 50.612s best lap time of the 12-lap race.

Masato Fernando dominates and wins the first round!

Also impressive was McKinley Kyle Paz of the Phoenix-Yamaha-KOSO-Faito racing team. Paz finished second in the race after starting at eighth place. Third placer was Tracy Soyangco of EGV Racing Team who was in second position until Paz managed to overtake him. Fourth to finish the race was Paul Mark Doblada followed by 4S1M rider Herbert Lopez who is the 2014 MotoIR champ. Vrei-ar Suba of Phoenix-Yamaha-KOSO-Faito finished sixth while Yamaha-Spec V riders James Mendez and Romer Corbe placed seventh and eighth. 2012 and 2013 MotoIR champion Rizaldy Canare of EGV Racing Team did not finish the race and was out by Lap 5.

McKinley Kyle Paz (23) and Tracy Soyangco (29)

MotoIR Round 1 winners McKinley Kyle Paz (2), Masato Fernando (1) and Tracy Soyangco (3) with Mr. Jonathan Refugio of Yamaha Motor Philippines, Ms. Recca Menchavez of Shell Advance, Mr. Mark Malabanan of Shell V-Power, Mr. Jong Uy of The Racing Line and Mr. Al Camba of InsideRACING

Veteran road and drag racer Jeff Teopengco of 4S1M-Yamaha won the MotoIR2 class. Teopengco also had the 51.219s fastest lap time among MotoIR2 riders in Round 1. Defending champion RR Espiritu of Spec V placed second while MacDon Dave Sande of Yamaha-Spec V finished third. Lady rider Jacq Buncio of TOTAL-YRS-Kojie San crossed the finished line fourth while another female racer, Justinne Bethany Tolentino of Phoenix-Yamaha-KOSO-Faito finished fifth. Tolentino’s teammate Nie Jan Centeno ended up at sixth place.

Jeff Teopengco

MotoIR2 Round 1 winners RR Espiritu (2), Jeff Teopengco (1) and MacDon Dave Sande (3)

The MotoIR Championship is now on its sixth season and since its conception in 2012, the series continues to help the country’s motorcycle racing industry by providing grand prix style race events that improves professionalism of teams and racers while at the same time treating race fans into exciting races. Some former MotoIR riders have now stepped up and have become champions in superbike racing.

For 2017, the series is presented by Yamaha and the new YZF-R15 is the motorcycle being used in the competition. The new YZF-R15 has sleeker design that embodies the purity of racing. It combines style and performance by reinventing overall efficiency through innovative technology.

Yamaha YZF-R15 race bikes used in the 2017 Shell Advance MotoIR Championship Presented by Yamaha

The 2017 Shell Advance MotoIR Championship Presented by Yamaha is sanctioned by the Unified Sports and Racing Association for Motorcycles, Inc. (USRA). Round 2 was also held on June 18. Rounds 3 and 4 are on August 6 at the Clark International Speedway.