Mazda Philippines is reiterating their commitment towards cultivating Philippine motorsports as they pledge to support Philippine GT and Philippine Touring Car Championship division titlist Edwin Rodriguez for the 2015 national circuit racing season.
Berjaya Auto Philippines (BAP), the exclusive distributor of Mazda vehicles in the country, will be providing a race-dedicated 2015 SkyActiv Mazda2 M/T hatchback to Rodriguez as he competes in Division 3 (100hp class) of the 2015 Philippine GT and PTCC series.
“Mazda has always been about the thrill of driving and our support of Philippine motorsports allows us to communicate our passion more effectively,” says Steven Tan, president and CEO of BAP and Mazda Philippines. He adds, “We found in Edwin that pure desire to compete even when the odds are stacked against him as we saw last year when he drove the outgoing Mazda2 to the championship. This year, timed with the release of the all-new SkyActiv Mazda2, we believe Edwin can challenge with more confidence and consistency for the overall touring car championship title.”
“I really feel blessed to have such good people behind me,” shares Rodriguez. “Finally after so many years a car manufacturer is again supporting a local racer. It was just my wish that someday a car manufacturer would be backing my racing career. With the support of Mazda Philippines and with a great new racecar for the 2015 season, my wish has come true. A big, big thanks to Steven and Mazda Philippines for the trust and confidence in me and my team.”
“I still consider us the underdog with the limited aftermarket parts for the all-new SkyActiv Mazda2 race car,” adds Rodriguez. “But now with a more powerful engine, we will surely give everyone in the division a great battle.” Given his knack for clutch victories, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Mazda-backed racer goes on to win it all during the season.