The Toyota Vios is heading south of Metro Manila this May 24 and 25 as it occupies Villar City for the second leg of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup. It will feature two long straights that end with technical turns and narrow roads. This marks the return of street courses in Toyota’s one-make racing series.

Before the pandemic stopped the world, street racing has always been a wildcard in the deck of Toyota Motor Philippines. The last time they did it was in 2018 when the series was still called the Vios Cup. They made a track between Parkway St. and Commerce Avenue in Alabang, creating a 1.74-kilometer track length with sharp turns and medium straights.

Prior to this, they were able to race on Bayside Road of Mall of Asia. Toyota was also able to conduct a one-time street race at McKinley HIll in BGC before the buildings and condominiums completed their construction.

Their biggest street race wasn’t done in Metro Manila though. In 2015, Toyota took the adrenaline rush to racing fans at the Queen City of the South aka Cebu. It had the biggest number of drivers at 44 (at the time) racing on a unique track that’s very wide in some sections that suddenly narrows down, and has a mix of paved and unpaved roads.

This unpredictable nature of street racing is one of the reasons why drivers and fans alike love it. The layout of the makeshift track is a great equalizer even to seasoned drivers that gives more chances to those at the middle or back of the field. Unlike in Clark International Circuit where they have already practiced hundreds of times, the makeshift track of a street race makes everyone go back to square one. They have to learn it from scratch and decide what’s the best racing line, braking point, and more.

There’s also the unforgiving nature of street courses. They are built on real roads and so they do not have kerbs and have limited run-off areas. The sides of the road are walled with concrete barriers and metal guardrails. One cannot cut corners or gain a few milliseconds by riding the kerb. Drive too far from the guardrail and you’ll compromise time, but get too close and you can damage your car.

The margins are thinner but it results in a more exciting race. Fans get more engaged as they watch their favorite drivers slug it out on a road they normally take to get to work or school.

Street races are definitely exciting but that’s not the sole reason why Toyota Motor Philippines keeps exploring new grounds where they can do it. The circuits in Pampanga and Batangas are nice, but admittedly far for some fans. Street races are Toyota's way of bringing the thrill closer to more Filipinos. The warm welcome in Alabang, Taguig, Pasay, and Cebu are more than enough evidence that there are racing fans waiting to have their fire rekindled at any given moment when it's near to their place.

The race, happening this May 24 to 25, 2025 in Villar City, is not all horsepower too as you can do a lot of activities with your family between the races. There are vehicle displays, test drives, sim racing rigs you can try, food stalls, original GR merchandise for sale, and special event-exclusive promos for those looking for their first or next Toyota. There’s also live entertainment courtesy of Parokya ni Edgar and Rico Blanco on May 24, while Bamboo and Ely Buendia will take the stage on May 25.

The event is open to the public and admission is free. You can register here for your passes.