I KNOW, I know. My dearest Lexus Team emerged winless again in the just-ended Sunshine TV/Auto Rally Corporate Challenge. I take the rap—me being the team captain, forever. I should be flogged 101 times by Danny “Sir John” Isla, the kindly Lexus president and perennially supportive team manager? In public?
And next, sir John will revoke my lifetime captainship, etched in granite, finally?
“I doubt it, sir,” said Vernon B. Sarne, the former Top Gear Astig-Chief who is now the Motoring Editor of Manila Times. “Sir John’s lifetime slogan has always been, ‘Enjoy lang…’ Nothing beats that, Sir.”
Held in Subic once again, the iconic race was spared by a “wet finish,” as Rally founder Ray Butch “Elvis” Gamboa had termed it.
“The gods of motor sports would simply not allow it,” said dear buddy Elvis, waxing poetic once more.
Elvis it was who revived the STV/Sampaguita Rally in 2001.
Listen to Elvis, writing in his widely read “Motoring Today” column at Philippine Star: “It was raining last Saturday morning in Subi…. But just before we could decide where inside the Ayala Harbor Point Mall, the flag-off venue, we could at least conduct the Oath of Sportsmanship before flagging off soaking wet, the skies cleared and the rains stopped—the gods of motor sports just wouldn’t allow it and it turned out to be another perfect day for an auto rally.”
When you are good, you are lucky, Elvis.
Cheers to all the 47 competing brands, including SsangYong, Toyota, Subaru, Isuzu, Ford, Honda, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Jeep, BMW and Peugeot, among others. According to Jenny P. Bleza, huge Rally supporters were Petron Blaze, Ayala Harbor, Segara Suites, SBMA and Socio Com Foundation.
OK, as I was saying, my Team Lexus lost again but is Sir John mad?
Of course, not.
In Elvis’s flagship babe, losing has become a way of life for me and Sir John because losing makes us human again. We are different: Winning isn’t everything. Every defeat we absorb makes the winner the happiest.
Aren’t we here for others?
So, to our fellow losers, stop sulking.
Without losers, there won’t be winners.
Losers are actually the best providers of happiness.