MANILA – A Filipino teenage motorcycle rider nabbed second place on his first attempt in the 2009 Superbike Championship.

Nineteen-year-old Motolite rider Raniel Resuello bagged the Overall 1st Runner-Up title in the novice class of the competition.

“Motolite is very pleased at Raniel’s excellent performance in the superbike class, considering that this is just his novice year,” Ernest Estrera, vice-president for marketing, said in a statement.

The neophyte superbike racer rode on a 2009 Ducati 848.

“Once again, he has proven the superiority of Motolite batteries in the high-speed, high-performance world of racing,” added Estrera.

Podium finish

Resuello, who hails from Tanay, Rizal, started racing in the motorcycle circuit when he was 15.

He earned a podium finish in his first race in the 125 Novice class of the 1st Bulacan Circuit Racing Group. He was the 3rd placer.

He made his mark in the local racing scene in 2008 when he won the San Mig Coffee Underbone King Championship Series 125cc Open Class and the National Racing Association’s 12-Hour Endurance Race 125cc Stock Production Class.

He finished 1st place in the 125 sports production class in the final leg of the San Mig Coffee Philippine Underbone King Championship in 2007.

In 2006, he was part of the Philippine team that competed in the Yamaha Asean Cup in Indonesia. He was the 1st runner-up in the 400 Unlimited organized by the National Racing Association (NRA) Motorcycle Grand Prix Championship.

Role model

Estrera described Resuello as an “excellent role model” for the youth for his dedication not only to the sport but also to his studies.

Resulleo, who is taking up Nursing at the Centro Escolar University, hopes to become a medical surgeon and  Moto GP racer in the near future.