A perfect day to be “on time all the time”

With an impeccable combination of warm morning sunshine and chilly breeze, the flag off of the 1^st leg of the 2015 Sunshine TV Auto Rally Corporate Challenge (STV-ARCC) last Saturday, March 14 in scenic Tagaytay City was picture perfect having the Tagaytay Highlands Clubhouse or Highlands Steakhouse as rustic background from various vantage points.             

This year’s staging has been blessed from the start with the pledge of continuing full support from the local government of Tagaytay City, the metro’s undisputed “weekend capital” with the husband and wife tandem composed of the city’s top local government executive the Honorable Mayor Agnes D. Tolentino and Tagaytay City’s congressional representative the Honorable Congressman Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino providing dynamic leadership, which filters down to an enviable, experienced implementation by the very capable City Administrator, Engineer Gregorio Monreal.  

This was coupled with the unsolicited gracious cooperation of Tagaytay Highlands, courtesy of its very affable corporate communications top honcho, Philip Medina, who provided the venues for the yearly event’s flag off and finish that was capped with snack and light cocktails cum raffle at the lounge of the Tagaytay Steakhouse, indeed a very elegant way of winding down after a hard day of auto rallying.    

The scheduled prompt 9:00am flag-off was threatened with an early morning traffic gridlock at the PNP Complex somewhere in Sta. Rosa, the main gateway to Tagaytay from the metro, as some graduation exercises were being held last Saturday. This caused some of the participants to fail to make it for the announced call time for the flag off ceremonies but were able to make it for the actual flag off while some of the team managers just made sure all their team members were already in the flag off venue before deciding to just turn back as it was already very late even just to hope to be in Tagaytay for lunch.

This year’s Tagaytay leg of the STV-ARCC saw an array of 40 brand new cars of various makes and models (Chevy, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Lexus, Mazda, MINI, Nissan, Audi, Porsche, Subaru and Toyota) on the starting grid fielded by 12 Corporate Rally Teams from the local automotive industry.

Some industry big wigs joined by motoring media personalities made sure of their presence even just to be witness to another momentous event, which is historically part of the continuing successful revival of the Sampaguita “on time all the time” Rally. Special mention goes to Mr. Daniel “Danny” or “Sir John” Isla, president of Lexus-Manila, one of the country’s top premium car brands that’s been threatening, since the start of this year, to snatch the top-selling crown for 2015. Sir John, without fail has always been the ever-present spiritual leader of the Lexus Rally Team from the time we started the series. He was joined by Lexus-Manila evp, Toshihiko Hiranuma and marketing director, Spencer Yu. The top marketing executive of Nissan Philippines, the ever-friendly Mr. SJ Huh, made sure to be present even only to welcome back his team members mid afternoon of Saturday. Mr. Joseph Bautista, product-planning manager of Isuzu Philippines came early enough to cheer up all Isuzu Rally Team members while flagging off.     

From the media, Mr. Vernon Sarne, chief editor of Top Gear Philippines, though not directly competing this year made sure of his early presence as one of the team consultants of the Lexus Rally Team, which is perennial headed by veteran syndicated sports columnist and motoring columnist par excellance, Mr. Al “Sir Paul” Mendoza.   

This year’s Tagaytay leg has been designed by STV-ARCC Rally Director, Georges Ramirez of the famed ‘Ramirez Racing Clan’, to start its Alpha Stage (morning run) from Tagaytay Midlands and end at the Tagaytay City Convention Center for a lunch break and flag off from there for the Beta Stage (afternoon run) back to Tagaytay Midlands for the rally finish. In between, STV-ARCC participants made their way through the different rustic and historical places surrounding scenic Tagaytay City, which include Laurel, Talisay, Batino and Tanauan City.    

The rally enthusiasts that came to compete was a mixture of new and old faces, which to me is a great sign that can depict the motor sport’s revival status—the old faces mean they’re enjoying it and want more of it while the new inductees could mean the sport’s increasing popularity. We actually made mention during the flag off ceremonies that those invited by the Corporate Rally Teams to participate are indeed lucky because presently there’s no formal competition of this sort being held right now, except the STV-ARCC and it’s not even open for individuals or privateers.

Allow me now to give you a glimpse of a couple of notable performances registered by some of the outstanding participants. In the Alpha Stage or the morning run, there were a number of “perfect times” accomplished. This means the required time to travel from a given point to the other was met to the exact second—not more nor less—perfect. Car #3 of the Honda Rally Team manned by Mike Potenciano/Lindy Pellicer/Al Bato made the remarkable feat twice on Checkpoints #2 and #4, while Car #35 of the Subaru Rally Team with Justin Irigo/Brian Buencamino/Bryan Zarzuela aboard did the same on Checkpoint #6.        

In the same Alpha Stage, on Checkpoint #1, again Honda Rally Team Car #3 (Mike/Lindy/Al) together with Lexus Rally Team Car #30 with Jeff Reyes/Brent Co/Gab Sobrepena only had one (1) demerit against them. Similarly, there was only one (1) demerit against Hyundai Rally Team’s Car #5 of Bebot Reyes/Art Guevara/Manny Lubitana on Checkpoint #5, while getting 9 demerits on Checkpoint #3 but enough to likewise top it. There was also MINI Rally Team’s Car #8 (Rommel Regino/Edwin Natividad/Dante Gozum) registering 2 demerits on Checkpoint #7 and Chevy Rally Team’s Car #37 (Rolan and Sarah Lalantacon) 9 demerit performance on Checkpoint #3, which rounds up some of the notable feats during the morning run.  

In the Beta Stage or afternoon run, there were 4 amazing “perfect times” registered, living proof that competition in this revival of the Sampaguita “on time all the time” Rally has indeed leveled up.

Zero demerit on Checkpoint #2, Chevy Rally Team’s Car # 25 manned by China Tapia/Isabel Martinez/ Mara Marasigan, on Checkpoint #3, by Subaru Rally Team’s Car #23 with Monch Gupit/Carlo Villanueva/Jan Gomez, on Checkpoint #4 by Lexus Rally Team’s Car #30 with Jeff Reyes/Brent Co/Gab Sobrepena and on Checkpoint #7 by Toyota Rally Team’s Car #24 with Sameer Ajihil/Jan Liwas/Rio Halili was the common score with just a single demerit for Checkpoint #6 registered by Hyundai Rally Team’s Car #4 (Bebot/Art/Manny). Indeed quite a remarkable performance.

Here are the ‘Final Results’ of the 2015 STV-ARCC (Tagaytay leg)

For Individual Team performance, in the Alpha Leg (morning run) the Hyundai Rally Team’s Car #4 (Bebot/Art/Manny) took 1^st Place with 77 demerits while Subaru Rally Team’s Car #35 (Justin/Brian/Bryan) came in 2nd Place with 173 demerits.

In the Beta Leg (afternoon run) the Lexus Rally Team’s Car #6 (Raffy David/Jojo Uligan/Chester Gokingyok) claimed 1^st Place with 86 demerits while the Subaru Rally Team’s Car #11 (Eric Varela/Jic Varela/Bhonny Cunamay) placed 2^nd with 112 demerits.

Overall Individual Team Winners (Tagaytay Leg)

1^st Place – Subaru Car #35 (Justin/Brian/Bryan) – 294 demerits

2^nd Place – Subaru Car # 11 (Eric/Jic/Bhonny) – 385 demerits

3^rd Place – Honda Car #27 (Kris Lim/Ronald delos Reyes/Steven Yu) – 428 demerits

STV-ARCC Corporate Rally Team Winners (1^st Leg)

1^st Place – Subaru Corporate Rally Team – 748 demerits

2^nd Place – Honda Corporate Rally Team – 1490 demerits

3^rd Place – Toyota Corporate Rally Team – 1875 demerits

As I mentioned during the Awards Night last Saturday held at the newly put up Cuernavaca Hall of the Tagaytay International Convention Center, the final results may vary from what may have been announced during the awarding. Just like in Formula 1, the Podium winners are considered provisional and unofficial. Determination of winners is very exacting to the last second that it actually requires one review after another before the final results are finally released.    

Result of the 1^st leg is equivalent to 30 percent of the total score that a Corporate or Individual Rally Team can accumulate together with that of the 2^nd leg, which is scheduled come November in Subic, which accounts for the remaining 70 percent to determine the STV-ARCC Champion for the Year.

Competition in the STV-ARCC is indeed hastily maturing. Thank you for helping us successfully revive the Sampaguita “on time all the time” Rally, a motor sport that can be participated in by just anybody but not just anybody can be good at it.

Happy Motoring!!!

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