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WHILE
Filipinos are following the exploits of its current
sports hero Manny Pacquiao, perhaps only a handful are
aware that another one of their countrymen is rocking
the sports world in the US.
In the
rapidly evolving discipline of Drifting or, as the
Americans call it—Formula D, Filipino Lance Feliciano is
creating more than tire squeals and smoke.
In 2006
Feliciano, who is supported by Whiz Oil, made history by
becoming the only Filipino to be issued a competition
license that made him eligible to be one of only 38
professional Formula D drivers in America. At 19, he was
also the youngest to join their exclusive ranks.
Feliciano and his parents, Larry Feliciano and Christina
Gutierrez, moved to the US when he was only two years
old. Although Larry and Christina are now separated,
they continue to support their son’s pursuits.
Larry,
who hails from Antipolo and is a former rally driver who
drove a Mitsubishi in the 1980s, still gives him advice,
while his mother is present at all of Lance’s events.
Lance
shares: “I’m very close to my dad. Although he now
lives in the Philippines, we always talk and he always
gives me pointers. He teaches me what kind of mental
attitude I should have behind the wheel. He tells me
that before I go out there, I should close my eyes and
relax. And once I’m ready to commit myself at the wheel,
once I’m ready to make a perfect run, then go! But if
I’m not ready, then I shouldn’t even leave that starting
line.”
So, how
did it all start for this Pinoy drifter? “When I was
younger I really liked the popular ‘drifting’ videos
from Japan. And my dad used to teach me in the mountains
in Antipolo, in the Philippines. I started joining
amateur events in 2005. In October 2006 I entered a
Pro-Am event, which had the best drivers from the whole
West Coast. We all battled at the Irwindale Speedway, 55
to 60 drivers, and I won first. They then sent me to
Laughlin in Las Vegas to represent the West Coast and I
won second overall in the Nationals. There, only four
drivers were able to get their professional license and
I was one of them,” Feliciano recalled.
In 2007
Feliciano participated in several exhibitions around the
US. He is currently doing a stint in New York.
“Drifting involves precision. You need to have a
well-tuned, perfectly conditioned, rear-wheel-drive car
with a good suspension. It’s a very expensive sport
because you can go through a full set of tires in less
than a day of competition. It’s very important that the
driver be very confident because there’s not much time
to react and be scared when you’re on the track. One
should think very fast and be fully committed,” explains
Feliciano, who will make an appearance at the Philippine
Race Wars 2008 on April 26 at the Clark Expo.
Visit
lancefeliciano.com and racewars-philippines.com or call
Ferdie at 0917-5441503 for more information. |
