Unlike basketball, football and even martial arts that I am mostly familiar with, sports that allow a number of breaks and timeouts, once the action starts in racing, there is no stopping the clock.

EAGER participants together with Toyota executives during the opening ceremonies of the last leg.

Car racing is probably the toughest sport I have ever been into. My run of the mill performance at the recently concluded Toyota Vios Autocross Racing at Clark International Speedway (CIS) in Pampanga is proof of this.

I could say that I have been an athlete all my life. I started swimming at four, bagged my first-ever MVP trophy in football at six, learned tennis, chess, badminton, baseball, running and eventually basketball before representing motherland in various international taekwondo stints — so on and so forth. I was able to build a legitimate track record in this kind of realm when I was young, enough to think that I could be invincible growing up (at least, that’s what my mother thinks). But my actual baptism by fire in the world of motorsport about more than a decade ago allowed me to think otherwise. With a knack for high-level competition backed by a long resume of successes, I thought I was ready to rock this adrenaline-packed world of speed-hungry maniacs — with flying colors. I was wrong. My first foray into it during media challenges back in the day was quite unsettling, and it made me realize that this was a far different kind of animal altogether.

My struggles with car racing continue to haunt me until today. Although I had a few notable successes with karts, that grippy little critter exposed to elements and all, my real stumbling block comes whenever I get behind the wheel inside the closed small confines of a car cabin.

That’s why I now find car racing the most difficult sport. Until now, there is this certain enigma surrounding it that I could not quite comprehend. Somehow, the following justifications that I have gathered here might, in a way, help enlighten this.

It is the most expensive. Right off the bat I am telling you it is outright a sport made for the rich. Might as well ditch it, if you’re not that loaded. The car, mechanics, support crew, vehicle parts, repairs, hospital expenses in case you crash and get injured, among many others, are all part of the equation. Unless you’re as talented as Briton James Hunt who, despite his meagre means, was able to build a stellar career out of it through sponsors.

Good thing car companies like Toyota have come up with the Vios Racing Festival to open the doors of the sport to the grassroots level. Entry-level racing, such as autocross is a big help. Together with Circuit Championships, the recent last leg of the race series actually gathered about 70 drivers in total.

Nonstop action — literally. Unlike basketball, football and even martial arts that I am mostly familiar with, sports that allow a number of breaks and timeouts, once the action starts in racing, there is no stopping the clock. That’s why absolute 100 percent focus is a must. There is no time to rest. In fact, for one, the Dakar Rally requires the drivers’ full attention throughout the day, without any breathers — in the hot vast desert. Just imagine doing this for weeks.

No room for mistakes. They say racing is a game of perfection. The less mistakes you commit, the more likely you end up the winner. Here, one hairline of a second could spell the difference between first and second places on the podium.

Mind and physical exertions are in pandemonium. Top-performing drivers inside the car are in an actual mental and physical high as soon as the race starts. They constantly keep this throughout the duration of the race. There are no let-ups. It is as if you’re taking the reins of a wild strong stallion, if not, an untamed bull or even a raging rhino. Maintaining optimum speeds, braking, hitting the apex of a corner, keeping a clean line and “feeling” the wheel, tire and road connectivity require the physical exertion of several muscle groups simultaneously. Not to mention mixing it with all the nonstop multi-tasking of a broad range of one’s skill-set: from physics, to mental strategy, tactical engagement, hand-eye coordination and many others. It’s like performing with the adrenaline of an intense taekwondo sparring match, the precision of generating a consistent three-point shot, the endurance of a marathon, the grit of a football game and the mental acumen of chess while all running at 200 kph.

The risks involved. The good thing about Toyota’s autocross setup is that it is currently the safest motorsport of its calibre in the country. It’s the perfect breeding ground for newbies. However, as one goes up the hierarchy of difficulty, so does the risks involved. The stakes are way higher. Speeds are a lot faster. It could cost life and limb with just one crucial mistake. Remember the 24-Hour Le Mans Race in France in 1955? More than 80 people perished just because of one wrong sudden inadvertent swerve.

The more I get familiar and involved with the sport, the more I get to love all the intricacies that come with it. For now, all I can say is that everyone who made it far in the sport, or at least stuck with it despite its excruciating demands, be it man or machine, must have the “balls of steel.” And for that, I salute them. Hands down. They have earned that level of respect and admiration in my book. The carmaker’s motorsport program is actually on its sixth year. That is why racing Toyota’s Vios alone is just that badass.

Here is the complete list of podium finishers from the last leg of the races:

The author has been a motoring journalist for almost 15 years now, having been a contributor in various media outfits in the past before taking the reins of the motoring section of Daily Tribune early this year. He also currently helps in producing one of the longest-running motoring television shows in the country today. A certified adrenaline junkie, he’s into basketball, running, martial arts and kart racing.