How Toyota allowed me to realize my track dreams
By Pablo Salapantan
I’VE BEEN a part of the Toyota Gazoo Racing family on and off for about seven years now. I was first an online contest winner who got a chance to participate in the 2019 Autocross Challenge, which was held at the MOA concert grounds in Pasay City.
That very same year, after joining the local motoring journalism beat, I participated again for the whole season of the Autocross Challenge, a role I reprised in 2022, where I won the Autocross overall championship.
Last year, Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Philippines was keen to celebrate the 10th year of the Vios Cup with a bang, and decided to expand media participation in the Novice Class. I, along with former Autocross champions and winners in the beat, joined up and chased our dreams of becoming the racers we always wanted to be.
NOVICE NO MORE
I was lucky enough to be retained for the 2025 season of the TGR Philippine Cup. With one season of circuit racing under my belt, I was expected to carry over all that I’d learned from last year to hopefully further succeed this year.
The thing about racing is that no matter how hard you practice or how deliberate you are about your race craft, you can’t really say with 100% certainty that you’ll walk away the winner after every race.
What I have come to understand about racing is that the best thing a racer can do is to stay focused, be calm and aware. Skill is obviously a huge part of success, but I find that those who possess the aforementioned values are the ones who generally have the best results, and in my own racing journey, I have found that to be true as well.
These traits I mentioned are also things I now practice on the road during everyday driving conditions. I now seldom lose focus while driving in the city, which we of course know, can be very demanding in itself.
LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE
Another aspect I think that’s evolved for me is my ability to lead people or even be led in certain cases. Being part of a team of eight drivers who are surrounded by a multitude of coaches, mechanics, and brand people forced me to know how to deal with different people, demands, and situations.
Just because my teammates and I are duking it out on track doesn’t mean that we can’t have close friendships off it. The true camaraderie formed during off-track activities is what strengthens a team and pushes each driver to perform better.
It’s a matter of trust we have in each other as a team that enables us to race so hard on track. While that sounds like a contradictory statement, I have come to realize that because my teammates and I are so close, we know how to push each other for the better on track while minimizing risk and danger.
At the same time, putting our trust in our coaches, mechanics, and team managers allows us racers to focus on the race itself — letting people get on with their jobs as opposed to micromanaging every little detail. I have accepted that those who run the Novice Team are far more knowledgeable and qualified than myself when it comes to managing the team, setting up the car, and see to the needs the team requires.
Lastly, as a team member, I also recognize and give utmost importance to the sheer effort the people behind the scenes put in. Having this mindset humbles me to perform on track properly — not to put myself, the team, or the car in compromising situations. I want to give pride to my team with every result as a thank you for all the hard work.
OUTWARD EFFECTS
Racers are often seen as heroic and are even idolized. I consider that as more of an “occupational hazard” in a good way, but my own personal belief is not to chase wins for my own glory, but to show people what happens when you dream, have determination, and passion.
Growing up, I had opportunities to race, but I was never “on track” to become a pro — a sad reality owing to the fact that racing in the Philippines can prove too costly.
Instead, I found other ways to indulge my passion, to get into the automotive world, work my way up, and get myself the right opportunities. Here I am, a “seasoned” racer with multiple wins and podium finishes — a fact I never thought was possible.
All it took was taking my dream and working to make it a reality. If I can do it, why can’t you?
