José Manuel Urcera He discovered his love for motorsports when he was very young, but it wasn’t until the age of 19 that he started racing cars. It was 2011, when he left motocross that he had been practicing since he was 4 years old and completely immersed himself in a new world, determined to make a professional career. I had to start from scratch and learn what all the fuss was about run on four wheels instead of two. Eleven years later, he has reached the pinnacle of Argentine motorsport: to be a champion of road tourism.

In El Villicum de San Juan, on Sunday 11 December, he was crowned for the first time in the most popular category of national motorsport and gave Torino its first Scudetto in 51 years. Why did Urcera scream champion? Because from the moment he sat in the cockpit of a car, he understood that if he wanted to achieve his goals and his dreams, the recipe was clear: a lot of work and a lot of sacrifice. And so he did.

“In Argentine motorcycling there are very passionate people and excellent riders and trainers, but at the age of 19 to become a professional I had to go to the United States. I had already spent a lot of time there and it cost me uprooting. So I approached car racing, the great passion of the Argentines, after football”, says the champion clarion in a telephone interview.

“Since I arrived, my clear goal was to become TC champion, the highest achievement a rider can aspire to in this country. I set that goal for myself and tried to work as hard as possible to achieve it.” explains.

“I had to make up for my ignorance and lack of experience compared to other riders with commitment and sacrifice. And I was willing to do whatever it took to achieve my goals,” he points out.

Urcera has been passionate about engines since the cradle. “I started with motorcycling because my father used to ride motorcycles as a child. But the fact of racing and being on top of a car, motorbike or go-kart has always caught my attention. I’ve wanted to race anything with a motor since before I started talking“, sentence.

“It’s hard to explain why,” he adds, but his intrinsic relationship with the irons: “When I was a kid and we went on vacation, the only way to calm me down when I was a little restless was to tell me they were going to take me somewhere to rent go-karts or ATVs for a spin.”

What was perceived as his passion as a boy has been shaped over time up to the present. “That feeling hasn’t changed. Even though today I do everything professionally, like a job, and I’m starting to enjoy other things too. I like winning and competition. I am competitive in everything. And when something doesn’t work for me, I try to take the time to make it work better for me,” she admits.

This is perhaps the best way to understand how Urcera’s mind works: competitive and perfectionist, he always works thinking of growing and improving himself to be the best possible in what he does.

-Does this competitiveness make you always think about motorsport or can you find the time to enjoy other things?

-I also try to have fun and do other things and get rid of the constant pressure of being in competition, but it’s hard for me. I like to do everything, but the reality is that a large part of my life is dedicated to motorsports. And if I do any other sport, I do it thinking it will help me feel a little better when I get into a racing car. A sport that requires reflexes, physical effort or concentration.

-How which?

-In the summer, I’m always on top Jet ski or water skiing, wakeboarding or windsurfing. In winter I really like skiing. During the year I practice tennis, paddle tennis, cycling and still do motocross from time to time.

-Are you as good at one of those sports as in car racing?

-In motocross, although I haven’t competed for a long time and I dedicate a few days a year to it, I have a certain ease and perhaps it comes more naturally to me. In the rest I do it as an amateur. My physical condition will definitely help me, which matters in all sports. But I’m not very good either.

The Rio Negro man started his national career in 2012 in TC Mourashe finished second CT trace in 2014 and class 3 champion of National tourism in 2019 and 2020. In his career he leaves nothing to chance and follows a rigorous training plan, in which physical preparation occupies an important place.

“Drivers are athletes and driving a race car is extremely demanding from a physical point of view, so if you are not physically fit it is impossible to be fast and competitive,” he says recalling that in the race that crowned him champion, in San Juan , drove with a temperature of 65 degrees inside the car.

“I work very hard in the gym every day. I have two teachers, Charlie and Martín, who prepares routines for me according to each stage of the championship and the year. He’s all thinking,” he explains.

And he adds: “I also work mentally with training sessions that involve the cognitive part and concentration, which try to simulate the different situations that can be experienced in the car during the race. The head in the athlete is extremely important. And I’m trying to improve all the time and working on it to be as good as possible.”

In a relationship since last year with the model and entrepreneur Nicholas Neumannwhich was present in several races of this championship, Manu He acknowledges: “Having a good moment in my personal life helps, because it gives you peace of mind and mental stability. My girlfriend supports me and accompanies me and this manages to bring me out a little more.”

Effort and delivery. This was Urcera’s secret to reaching the summit of TC. “In addition to a greater maturity on my part and a team (the Machine partswho he joined this year) who has supported me a lot and worked really well,” he adds.

But as has happened since he began his career in motorsport, after the consecration the rumors that belittle him for the comfortable economic position of his family (his father owns several companies related to the oil industry). And the man from Rio Negro was not impressed by those comments.

“I take that as an indication that I’m doing things right, right? Because if I did things wrong and the results weren’t good, it probably wouldn’t bother anyone and nobody would talk about it. Criticism is part of success. If in Argentina someone still criticizes Messi, who is a genius and an undisputed figure in the world, let alone criticize me.”exemplifies the global climate.

“The more successful you are, the more criticism you get. There are always people who will try to downplay that success -continues his argument-. Perhaps one way to disqualify my skills and achievements is to talk about my family’s financial situation. But I’m calm, because I know that a TC championship can only be won with a lot of work and sacrifice”.

And he concludes with a broad reflection on this theme which evidently has always followed him throughout his career. “Motor racing is a very expensive sport and those who practice it have a good economic background. All the drivers who race in the TC are professionals and collect more or less the same budget. Today I don’t race with my family’s resources, I race and I receive resources through the sponsors who support my project, and I repay them with the results for the sacrifice that it means to support a CT machine and trust -he clarifies-. The pillow is the best critic: When you go to bed, you know if you did the right or wrong things. And when results come because you’ve worked hard to achieve them, it’s very comforting.”

In the history books of the TC

The title he won at the San Juan circuit after finishing fourth in a race he won Leonel Pernia and secure first place Gold cup It not only marked a milestone in Urcera’s personal career.

the Rionegrino broke a long drought for Turin, which hadn’t celebrated in the top category of national motorsport since 1971, with the latest consecration of Ruben Luis DiPalmaand that he added his sixth crown, with a roster of champions that has just four names.

Manu Signed up Edward Copelli, winner in 1967 and 1970. In the last year the championship was divided into two tournaments: Formula A, which was raced on semi-permanent courses and circuits, and Formula B, which was held on racetracks, where San Juan won. At the same time, Gaston Perkins it was crowned in 1969 and Di Palma kept the other trophy from 1970 and repeated the following year.

“Being the fourth rider to win a championship with Torino, who have only six on their record, is something very beautiful. In view of the last race, I tried not to think about it, because it would have been my first TC and it was already very important, but the truth is, I’ve always had it on my mind and one way or another it’s kept me motivated,” he admits.

“Seeing my name next to Copello, Perkins and Di Palma is incredible. These are the surnames of the most important and influential of the TC. Being close to them puts me in a situation of privilege and also of surprise. And a lot of happiness,” he adds.

Urcera began his TC career in 2015 with Chevroletmarque he raced with until last year and finished second in 2019. After this year’s victory, he has already confirmed that he will return in 2023 with a Maquin Parts Torino and will also join the CT withdrawal with the same team. He will succeed the man of Rio Negro to become the new idol of Bull?

“I don’t think about it, but if my achievement makes people happy, it fills me with joy,” she replies. She makes a great sacrifice to accompany and follow him. We hope we can continue to bring happiness to the Torino fans.”

-You said that since you started in motorsport your goal was to become TC champion. It’s a dream that all Argentine riders have. What is special about this category?

-The passion it arouses in people. TC is the popular passion of Argentines after football. And we know what football generates… It’s hard to explain. Being this year’s champion gives me enormous happiness and a lot of satisfaction. It is something very difficult to achieve. It is the toughest and most important category in the country. Here are the best drivers and teams. And having been the best of the year among the best fills us with pride.

SA