While racing on professional racetracks has undeniable appeal, there’s something special about going head-to-head on the street. You get to see production cars in their more natural element, showing what they can really do given the opportunity.

This year,  is bringing back the thrill of street racing at Leg 2 of the . You might know this event as the Toyota Vios Cup, but this has since been rebranded to Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup to celebrate motorsport in more ways.

Happening this weekend from , this second leg of the TGR Philippine Cup will have street racing, a drag race, a driving exhibition, car club meets, sponsor booths, food carts, and test drives. It will be a fun festival of speed that the whole family can enjoy. The event will be held in Villar City in the south, and you can find it on Google Maps.

When you talk about street racing, drag races, and driving exhibitions on public roads, these discussions are usually confined to private group chats because they’re illegal and unsafe. But what if street races were legal, sanctioned, and held to the highest motorsport safety standards?

This is what Toyota has done again for this leg. It has gotten formal permission from the local city government and implemented safety precautions born out of staging . Not to mention that Toyota race cars—plucked from the assembly line and modified by experts—have proven their inherent safety over the years.

Our racetracks are generally inaccessible unless you have a personal car. And even then, they’re a long drive from Metro Manila. By going back to the streets to race, the TGR Philippine Cup is bringing motorsports closer to the people. Racing fans can smell the burnt rubber caused by the tight turns, see the steely determination of the drivers manifested on scraped bumpers and side panels, and join the roar of the crowd when cars fight for position under pressure.

And when you want to cool off, both from the intense street action and the weather, you can choose from an array of refreshments and food at the venue. If you’re feeling competitive, join the games being held at the sponsor booths for cool freebies. We especially like the nice Gazoo Racing merch.

Toyota’s goal has always been to promote the spirit of motorsports in our country, showcase what its cars can do, and reach the widest audience possible to spread the joy of racing—and with this leg of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup being held on the streets, the Japanese carmaker shows us how it’s pushing the limits for better. We even heard that a special race “car” might make an appearance on the street circuit.

See you at the races!