Despite being only 13 years old, Zaphira Avisado, the sole female member of the JGM Racing Team, is poised to challenge gender norms as she gears up to compete alongside an all-boy lineup in the Petron Blaze Philippine Series this weekend in Puerto Princesa City.
She’s the only girl in a team of nine young racers, which includes Joshua Marquez, Jiggy Javier, and others competing across various karting divisions.
She knows beating the boys won’t be easy, but she refuses to be held back by the idea of being “just a girl”.
Under the helmet, beyond the smile, Zaphira has a mindset that says: “Watch me.”
“I am not scared because they are boys. It’s not easy to beat them, but practice makes perfect,” she said, showing confidence as she prepares for the Palawan track.
Palawan News was given the opportunity to have an interview with the shy young racer in the midst of a hectic practice schedule on May 28.
How does she prepare to race? In each and every instance, Zaphira said that she would have conversations with her coach and ask about the many options available to her.
“I will talk to my coach first and I will ask for suggestions on what to do before racing so that I can have a fresh mindset and stay calm. I can see myself enjoying this sport a lot and I’m not doing this sport just for fun but also to win,” she added.
That quiet confidence didn’t come out of nowhere.
Her interest in cars and racing started early, thanks to her father Atty. Alex Avisado, who introduced her to the car scene as a young child.
Zaphira shared that when she was just a child, her father, would take her to car shows and car meets, which is why she became familiar with cars at an early age and developed an interest in them.
She tried a fun kart in Porac, Pampanga, and was found to have promise, thus she was sent to the Carmona racing circuit, where she was introduced to the JGM Racing Team.
“Ever since I was small, I started to like cars. I was only 3 years old pa when I and my dad would go to car shows, car meets. Then it started in Pampanga when I tried the fun kart and the staff there saw my driving skills and said na I can join their clinic,” she said.
“They recommended a place in Carmona [Cavite] and the only there is JGM and the girl in the office introduced us to the team,” Zaphira recalled.
JGM Racing Team has been training intensely in preparation for the Puerto Princesa race, especially as most of their racers are seeing the track for the first time.
Lalivette Carag, the manager of the team, is certain that Zaphira will achieve great things on the racetrack if she maintains her focus at all times.
“Zaphira joined us this year lang din and kakapasok n’ya lang talaga. Ang first race n’ya is nung April and then ito na ang sumunod n’ya na race. S’yempre, first two races kailangan i-guide mo pa siya,” Carag said.
This is good na ‘yung mindset ng racer namin is kahit ang dadatnan niya is may experience na at mas matatagal na sa race… ‘yung spirit n’ya to actually drive kahit na babae siya is really really high. Kaya we as a team, really supports her,” she added.
Given that the majority of their young racers will be participating in Palawan for the first time, Carag said that they prepared well for the race.
Knowing that they would be starting race week as soon as they arrived, she continued, the squad had already started increasing endurance, training regularly, and concentrating on mental fitness back in Carmona.
“We had to prepare not only the racers but pati the coaches and mechanics and even the logistics para wala na silang ibang iisipin at they will focus sa race na lang kasi Palawan race track is very technical,” she said.
JGM Racing was founded by Jesus “Papa Jess” Marquez, congressman of Aklan’s First District, inspired by his son Joshua’s own karting journey.
He said that JGM Racing Team’s objective is to build new karters or racers from the ground up, stressing that character, vision, and determination are just as important as skill since karting is a serious sport that requires undivided attention.
“Bilang racer kasi dapat may commitment ang bata at magulang. Kapag nag-umpisa kasi ang bata sa karting ay hindi ito parang laro-laro lang. This is a very serious sports that entails a lot of your time, energy, effort at kasama na rin dito ang pag-exercise,” said Marquez.
The founder said that he started the team to back his son’s racing career. Joshua’s initials are currently on the team’s jerseys.
No one just signs up and starts racing without learning the ropes, he said; that’s the foundation of JGM Racing.
“Kaya sinigurado ko na para maibigay ito sa aking anak ay bumuo na kami ng team kaya nga ang pangalan nito ay initials ng aking anak na si Joshua Gelano Marquez. At ‘yun din ang aming binibilin at laging sinasabi sa aming mga karter na dito sa team namin, hindi ka lang basta-basta papasok at kakarera,” he said.
“We must teach you everything from step 1 hanggang sa maging isa kang professional karter. Kasi ang pagiging karerista ay hindi porke marunong ka mag drive ay magaling ka kaagad. May sariling disiplina ito at ‘yan ang itinuturo namin dito sa aming team,” he added.
As she prepares to make her mark, Zaphira is not just racing for herself—she’s racing to prove that girls have a place on the track, too.
