Gaby Dela Merced endures 25 hours of racing in the U.S.

December 15, 2008 marked a milestone in the racing career of budding host-actress Gaby Dela Merced, who joined the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill, which is the longest race in North America. The race event was held in San Francisco, California.

Together with fellow race drivers Robbie Montinola and Angelo Barretto, they co-drove the Team Castrol-Speed Trapp Racing BMW M3 and finished 6^th place in its class (E0 class) and placed 12^th overall, out of the 68 race cars.

The feat of Gaby, Robbie, and Angelo is no ordinary. The 25 Hours of Thunderhill, presented by the U.S. Air Force and sanctioned by NASA (National Auto Sport Association), featured a large-field, nonstop action, and was participated by top teams and drivers across the U.S. The race took place at Thunderhill Raceway Park, a few hours north of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Gaby's teammate Robbie, who relayed the good news via email, said:

"Just finishing is an amazing feat and a Top 10 finish is a great place to build off of for next year. We know what we need to do for 2009 and have a whole year to prepare for this race. We'll go for the win!"

GABY'S TEAM ENDURES. The Philippine team started off on the right track with preciseness and solid pacing.

Robbie narrated, "The team started the race off strong and developed a solid pace to keep the car intact for the 25-hour race. After a few hours, Team Castrol-Speed Trapp Racing took the lead in the E0 class and continued to stay in the Top 3.

"Driver changes went flawless, pit stops were excellent and the Team Castrol-STR strategy was working well. Only one unscheduled pit stop was made during the first half of the race and all the drivers drove great stints. As the race reached darkness, thick fog began to roll in and the race was stopped due to the dangerous conditions. Not till 5:00 a.m. did the race resume and it became an all out sprint to the finish."

Despite the few unscheduled pit stops due to a flat tire and change of brake pads, the drivers were given the go-ahead to run flat out until the finish. Running at a very fast pace, the team managed to gain position but it ran out of time and crossed the line in 6^th place.

Gaby, who not only was participating in her first long-distance race, but also racing at Thunderhill for the first time, commented, "Things were so different from what I am used to. I have a new respect for the challenges of endurance racing."

She was also quick to mention that much teamwork was involved. Gaby said, "Robbie coached me over the radio and Angelo helped me to prepare mentally for driver changes and passing slower traffic."

The 26-year-old TV personality will have some juggling to do come 2009. Other than hosting and acting, racing will also keep her preoccupied.