Access Plus Racing kicked off their 2025 Philippine Superbike Championship (PSBK) campaign in dominant fashion at Clark International Speedway (CIS). Timothy Joseph “TJ” Alberto secured a pair of wins, while his younger brother Troy delivered double podiums to give the team an early lead in the championship standings.
Having worked extensively over the off-season, the team entered the opening round well-prepared with their Ducati Panigale V4s. This was evident as both riders showed strong pace during Free Practice on Friday. Despite being out of action for almost a year, the younger Alberto was quick to regain his rhythm and took turns topping the time sheets with his brother.
Maintaining this momentum into Saturday, TJ delivered a solid 1:48.101 lap during Qualifying. However, in an unfortunate twist, he inadvertently gave a tow to long-time rival Marvin Mangulabnan, who snatched pole position away. This left TJ to start from P2 on the grid, with Troy lining up in P3 to complete the front row.
A quick getaway in Race 1 on Sunday saw TJ take the lead into the first corner, with Troy slotting into P2. The younger Alberto was then hounded by Mangulabnan aboard the Aprilia, with the two trading positions nearly every lap. Troy reclaimed P2 with just two laps to go, but a lapped rider delayed his progress just enough for Mangulabnan to squeeze past. TJ, meanwhile, controlled the race from the front and built a commanding lead to win by 4.729 seconds. Troy crossed the line in 3rd, only 0.338 seconds behind P2, while also setting his personal best lap at CIS.
Race 2 in the afternoon saw TJ start from pole, with both Access Plus Racing riders making another strong launch to claim P1 and P2 going into Turn 1. Mangulabnan once again applied pressure on Troy and briefly moved into 2nd before turning his attention to chasing down TJ. However, Troy fought back to retake the position on lap 3. The battle resumed lap after lap, with Troy maintaining composure under pressure. He held firm to claim 2nd place in a drag race to the finish, edging Marvin by just 0.057 seconds. TJ cruised to another dominant win, completing a perfect weekend and starting his bid for a 5th straight title in ideal fashion.
Mirroring his sons’ success, team principal and multi-titled champion Toti Alberto also stood on the top step of the podium that weekend. Proving he’s still as fast as ever, he claimed an overall win in the Ducati Cup.
Access Plus Racing now leads the championship as the Philippine Superbike Championship heads to the Batangas Racing Circuit for Round 2 on June 7–8. The team aims to return even stronger, this time targeting a clean sweep of both races.
Troy Alberto, #69:
“Great to be back in PSBK. Coming into the weekend, I really didn’t know what to expect. But thanks to the team, I was able to deliver strong results with two podium finishes. The season is still long, and I’m hoping to maintain this momentum and keep building as the races go on. Looking forward to the next race in BRC.”
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