Right Love at the Wrong Time (Repost from Facebook)

"We had the right love at the wrong time..." so the old song goes.

I've been joining track days for about a year now. And every time we try to organize a track day, i would always recommend the Batangas Racing Circuit over Subic International Raceway. Truth be told SIR scares me. The walls. The tire barriers. I usually imagine my eunice hitting one or the other. So it was with great hesitation that i agreed to join my friends for one last run at SIR before the track closes down at the end of july.

After arriving, Matt arranged for a parade lap with stops at the difficult corners to explain the racing lines and the braking points. And after, everyone was allowed to wreck havoc on the track.

No sooner than my first warm up lap, i quickly realized how right i was. The track can be scary. The walls can be intimidating. The tire barriers watching your every move.

So i took the warm up lap slowly, shifting at about 3k or 4k rpm, just like driving in the city. That is until i caught sight of the last corner before the main straight. I was in second gear at about 4k rpm trying to power out of another apex, i thought to myself, why don't i floor it. And so i did.

I can feel every bump on the track. I can feel the engine roar. It was scary... and i loved it. And with every turn of the steering wheel, every press on the gas, brake and clutch pedals, every gear shift i felt the track loving me back. She was loving me back big time. She was like the soul mate i have been looking for.

I guess it's all the love every driver has given her that she is giving back to me. Every honda, toyota, nissan, mitsubishi, subaru. Every ferrari, maserati, lamborgihini. Every porsche, bmw, volkswagen, audi. Every car and driver that ever loved her, she was giving all that love back.

After the day is over i know i was changed man. You see, that's what SIR does to you. She changes you. She makes a better driver out of you. She helps you realize you have amazing friends. At the end of the day, you exit her unimpressive gates a different driver... a different man.

And as i go through changes that scare the shit out of me, i'd give anything to be back in her arms clipping apexes and and shifting at 7k rpm even for just 3 laps. On the drive to work tonight, i hope i see a chicane with tire barriers that i can take at speed. haha.

So, right love at the wrong time? Yes because we had to bid her farewell, for good. Subic International Raceway, you will be missed. Really really missed. I wish i met you sooner, we could have had more good times i can share to my future kids and grand kids.

Thanks to Matt for organizing the track day. The Ishneaky Boys / Team Spacol for the usual wonderful time and the driving tips. Atty Hen, for lending me his gear hehe. Team A-Hole for the company. Roy and the rest of Onin's friends for joining the track day. Autotech for making my eunice what she is now. See you all in the next track day.

The people behind Subic International Raceway, salamat po ng madami.

And of course my baby Che (cheesy i know, but so true) for supporting my track activities, salamat.

And again to Subic International Raceway, goodbye and thanks for all the fish.