Maico Buncio [Motor Racer]

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Meet Maico Greg T. Buncio, a freshman at the University of Santo Tomas taking up Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in Entrepreneurship. An
honor student since his elementary days, Maico prioritizes his studies more than his racing career. Thus, while his racing competitors are out on the track practicing during weekdays and qualifying during Saturdays, Maico only comes to the races on Sundays during Race Day, content to start at the back of the grid. However, his lack of familiarization of the race track and the grid does not hinder Maico from winning and breaking track records. Other racers could only scratch their heads in disbelief when Maico whizzes by.
A Young and Respected ChampionFor those who are not familiar with motorcycle racing, Maico is a force to reckon with, having
won Junior Motocross races before moving to circuit racing and winning the popular Underbone (100cc to 125cc) races. He was the lone Philippine representative in the
2004 Yamaha ASEAN Cup held at Shah Alam, Malaysia, where he brought home the 4th Overall Title for the country despite being unable to race in qualifying due to a sudden ailment. He felt strong enough to race the next day and, starting from the back of the grid, moved up the race order against riders from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, who had five riders each. In true fashion, Maico gobbled up half of the race field in the early laps only to be kept in the mid-pack by the faltering power of his motorcycle, which he was not able to dial-in when he fell sick. However, Maico gained the respect of the racers as well as the organizers who named him Rookie of the Year.
This year, Maico is making the transition from Underbone racing to the 400cc Superbike class with excellent results. Last September 17, during the Formula 400 San Mig Café Road Race Championship, he beat current 400cc champion and 3-time Superbike winner Aris Padiernos, and if that’s not enough, Maico also broke the lap records in the 3.2-kilometer Batangas Racing Circuit with the fastest lap time of 1 minute 49 seconds in the 400cc Superbike class and 2 minutes 7 seconds in the Underbone classes. This is quite a feat and many of his admirers are hoping that he’ll move up to the 600cc class in the next racing season.
Maico developed his knack for winning when he started riding motorcycles at age three and a half and well before he learned to ride a bicycle. Strongly influenced and coached by his father Gregorio Buncio, an equally successful motocross racer (who named him after a European motorcycle brand), Maico started racing in motocross when he was 8 years old and won several victories, among them the 1996 FBO Motocross Series at TRAKSNIJAK Race Track in Tagaytay City, landing 1st place in the 50cc category for 10 years old and below. In May 26, 2002, 14-year-old Maico represented the country in the FMF Memorial Day Motocross Races at Perris, California U.S.A. and promptly won 1st place in the Mini Class 85cc category for 14 years old and below.
A Model Son, Brother and Teenager
Despite his successes in motorcycle racing and the admiration of countless fans, Maico remains humble, discipline and family-centered. He loves to cuddle up to grandmother Aquilina, play coy with his parents Yoyong and Mylene, and shower siblings Lourdes, Shara, Jackquelyn and Barney with brotherly affection. Ever the businessman, Maico even engages in selling junk that he gathers himself during his spare time in his fathers bike shop, YRS Motorcycle Modifications.
During the Yamaha Pan ASEAN Tour where Maico rode with this writer for two weeks around Vietnam and another two weeks around the Philippines, Maico acted as the friendly ambassador and jolly teenager, which earned him the admiration and friendship of all the participants and organizers. Good-looking, tall and boyishly charming, Maico is also the object of affection of his female fans yet his racing-derived discipline keeps his teenage testosterone in check while his studies (and his shyness) keep him from accepting showbiz offers.
With his winning ways and his good looks, we see a bright future for this Boy Wonder. Norkis-Yamaha, Shell Advance, Dunlop, Denso, Imarflex and other sponsors have already placed their bets on Maico.