FOR the first time, a team of Filipinos have completed the longest race in North America, the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by the U.S. Air Force.

Gaby Dela Merced, Robbie Montinola and Angelo Barretto co-drove the Team Castrol-STR BMW M3 to a 6th place finish in class and a 12th place finish overall, out of 68 racecars.

After qualifying 3rd place in class, the team started the race off strong and developed a solid pace to keep the car intact for the 25-hour race.

Driver changes went flawless, pit stops were excellent and the Team Castrol-STR strategy was working well. Only one unscheduled pit stop was made during the first half of the race and all the drivers drove great stints. As the race reached darkness, thick fog began to roll in and the race was stopped due to the dangerous conditions. The race resumed around 5 a.m. and it became an all out sprint to the finish.

“The fog was unfortunate, we had a strong car at night with very capable drivers and I felt we would pull away during the dark,” said Montinola. “Overall, the car was great and the Team Castrol-STR crew did an amazing job. It was a close race to the finish and I believe we can win next year.”

During the morning stints, a few unscheduled pit stops had to be made due to a flat tire and a change of brake pads. After that, the drivers were given the go-ahead to run flat out until the finish. Running a very fast pace, the Team Castrol-STR M3 was making up time and gaining positions but fell short of time and crossed the line in 6th place.

“Just finishing is an amazing feat and a Top 10 finish is a great place to build off of for next year,” said Montinola. “We know what we need to do for 2009 and have a whole year to prepare for this race. We’ll go for the win.”

Dela Merced, who not only was participating in her first long-distance race, but also racing at Thunderhill for the first time, added, “…things were so different from what I am used to. I have a new respect for the challenges of endurance racing.”

She also stressed teamwork was involved, adding, “…Robbie coached me over the radio and Angelo helped me to prepare mentally for driver changes and passing slower traffic.”

Barretto assessed the race as a success in terms of the Team Philippines Racing program saying, “…the first race that we’ve run together has demonstrated that the talent is there and that it is worth developing.”

He also complimented them adding that, “Robbie used his intimate track knowledge to gain time on our rivals and push the pace after passing them, while Gaby adapted quickly to the additional elements of an endurance race such as speedy driver changes, and negotiating through traffic and drivers of different levels.”

“I was particularly impressed with the dynamic of the Team,” Barretto stressed. “They shared their knowledge and resources openly with us and gave us a great opportunity to go for a win out there.”

Officially the 2008 racing season is now over and our drivers will prepare for the 2009 season.

Dela Merced hopes to be able to do sprint events in the USA, Montinola is working on an Indy Lights or ALMS program and Barretto will return to America to race in sports cars again.

The Filipinos are making waves in international motor sports and hope to bring home many more championships.

The NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill is the longest endurance race in the United States.

Sanctioned by NASA, the National Auto Sport Association, The 25 Hours of Thunderhill features a large field nonstop action and prestige of the event attract top teams and drivers from across the country to compete in this race. It takes place at Thunderhill Raceway Park, a few hours north of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Castrol Philippines, Speed Trapp Racing, Edge Motorworks, Sennheiser, Skip Barber Racing School, Puma, Tag Heuer Sportvision, TPR Magazine and Xenon Bulbs supported the Castrol Team STR.