The 2025 Mini 4WD Philippine Cup opened on March 1, 2025, with a well-received start at a mall in Makati City, drawing hundreds of participants eager to test their skills on a big, five-lane track. On the first day of the event, The Brickyard/RC Yard owner Ferdie Kahn—who is also the official Philippine distributor of Tamiya—shared insights on the event’s growth, competition structure, and the enduring passion for this type of hobby in the country.
One of the key adjustments this year was improving the racing process to accommodate the growing number of participants.
When asked by CinemaBravo during a pocket interview with select media, Kahn emphasized that they have refined the system from last year to allow players more chances to race.
“Just the racing process itself. When you have this many racers, we’re trying to make it a little easier for them to get into the line, make lapag. It’s always been our objective to get people to race as much as they can—not just two races and you’re done. Right now, we’re trying about four. Hopefully, we can reach six, just to give people more chances to play,” he explained.
Kahn also underscored the importance of offering more racing opportunities, especially since the five-lane track used in the event is only set up once a month.
Strong turnout, enthusiastic racers
The first leg of the Mini 4WD Philippine Cup held on March 1, 2025, saw an impressive turnout, with over 300 participants competing in the xStock category alone. Two other categories, TRF MAX and BOX STOCK, also attracted around 100 racers each.
“For Taiwan, we’re supposed to bring at least 10 racers. So after the races, we will pick the champion. After that, we have a playoff to determine the remaining seats,” Kahn explained regarding international qualifications. “We probably have six races. The first three go to Taiwan, and the next three go to Japan.”
Participants came from various provinces, including Laguna, Quezon, Nueva Ecija, and as far as Cebu. Kahn praised the skill level of the racers, noting that exposure to different track setups helps boost their confidence in international competitions.
“They are actually very good… We expose them to different setups of the track, and then hopefully that builds up their confidence when we go international.”
Thriving Tamiya community
Despite the ever-changing landscape of hobbies and interests, Kahn affirmed that the Tamiya craze remains alive and well.
“You can see that it’s still alive. And you know, this is only a subset of people, because there are a lot of hobbyists who don’t just enjoy racing but also socializing.”
The event also showcased a diverse range of participants, proving that Mini 4WD racing appeals to multiple generations.
“You’ll have people that are my seniors, my age, and then the much younger ones, even kids. So it really goes through all generations. There is an appeal.”
One exciting development that Kahn revealed is the ongoing design process for a Tamiya car that will represent the Philippines. While details are still being finalized, he shared that they are exploring various design elements.
“We’re working on a Philippine car. What that is right now, we’re still in the design process. Philippine eagle, some animals, and maybe just a special kind of car—we’re looking at other options. Hopefully, before the end of the year, we will be able to release it.”
The Mini 4WD community in the Philippines continues to expand, with races being held in various regional cities. Kahn cited a recent event in Daet that attracted more than 100 racers. He was also excited to mention the upcoming competitions in Iloilo and Pangasinan.
“Everywhere we go, we have races in regional cities. We just had one in Daet, where we had more than 100 racers. We’re going to have one this coming weekend in Iloilo, and right now we already have about 70 racers signed up—with a week to go. Then, we have one in Pangasinan in about two weeks. So there’s a big, good following.”
There is also a significant increase in participation compared to the previous year.
“Last year, every two days, we were averaging about 700. But now, based on how things are looking, maybe about 900 racers for the two days. So it’s still growing, and a lot more people are coming in.”
List of champions per category
At the end of the two-day event, the following racers emerged as champions:
Box Stock Category
- Champion: Andre Javinez
- 2nd Place: Alshery Justine Cabana
- 3rd Place: Christopher Cervantes
- 4th Place: Josue Villanueva
TRF MAX Category
- Champion: Jaime Lorenzo Regino
- 2nd Place: Timothy Paul Alim
- 3rd Place: Nhowell Benitez
- 4th Place: Robert Gerson Dela Cruz
- 5th Place: Carl Anthony Nave
Stock Class Category
- Champion: Llanwin James Visleño
- 2nd Place: Chitz Lirag
- 3rd Place: Jun Ison
- 4th Place: Michaela Irish Laurio
- 5th Place: Joseph Brian Amargo
Stock Pro Category (Day 2 – March 2, 2025)
- Champion: Rafael Angelo Villamayor
- 2nd Place: Mark Vincent Ang
- 3rd Place: Jehoiakim “Kim” Abad
Stock Advance Category
- Champion: Norbie Naguit
- 2nd Place: Yiel Caol-Olan
- 3rd Place: Joshua Bien Mayor
- 4th Place: Rupert Naguit
- 5th Place: Carlo Macabacat
Open Class Category
- Champion: Herminio Salimbacod
- 2nd Place: Johntaire Kenjo Gayanilo
- 3rd Place: Von Patrick Potante
- 4th Place: Aaron Joseph Beguia
- 5th Place: Miko Tolentino
Mini 4WD is indeed a testament to the ever-growing passion for RC racing in the Philippines. Beyond this event, The Brickyard has also launched RC Yard, dubbed as the largest indoor RC track in the country.
CinemaBravo 
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