Caltex offroad challenge fires off in Palawan

Puerto Princesa, considered as the country’s cleanest and greenest city, celebrates its foundation day with another exciting weekend of motorsports events — the second Caltex Delo 4x4 Offroad Challenge and Puerto’s Invitational Motocross.

Held in cooperation with the city’s government headed by Mayor Edward Hagedorn, the motorsport weekend is anticipating a big crowd of more than 20,000 people to watch the twin-billed event organized by MP Turbo, the Land Cruiser Club of the Philippines, the Palawan Eagle Riders and the National Motorcycle Safety and Sports Association. The motorsport weekend is sponsored by Caltex Delo Sports, Cebu Pacific, Red Horse Beer, Speed and BLTBCO.

The first ever 4x4 Offroad Challenge, held only last December, proved to be so popular that the city has made this newest sensation to top the foundation day festivities and will be held behind the city hall’s lot on Saturday.

There will be more than five cars coming from Manila and more drivers exchanging places to do battle against a local challenge.

Puerto’s locally made jeeps and offroad vehicles have proven to be more than a match for the Manila-based vehicles in last event’s races.

Sunday’s Foundation Day Invitational Motocross Race will showcase the provincial talents against upcoming talents from Manila. Castrol Team riders will be pitting their might against the leading rivals from the National Enduro classes, which are currently led by Garry Gavino and Nestor Guinto from Puerto Princesa.

The event will also serve as the preliminary event to the upcoming international FIM Asia Motocross Race March 28 also in Puerto Princesa.

"We are expecting a great Foundation Day weekend," said MP Turbo chief Mike Potenciano. "The response from last year’s inaugural motorsport was tremendous that Puerto Princesa has again done it for their race-loving populace. We hope that with the greater number of Manila 4x4 enthusiasts coming, the people will enjoy this new offroad sport much more than last year."

Puerto’s weekend will be repeated the next weekend in Brooke’s Point, a bustling fishing community down south when it holds its first ever national motocross race for its fiesta celebration.

Being the third round of the Philippine National Motocross Championship Series, the event has assembled top teams of the country for the first time to provide a great show for the province of Palawan.

The mighty Caltex Revtex Team will square off with the equally talented Shell Advance-Yamaha Team and Jovi Saulog’s Team.

"We salute the teams for participating in the coming national race," added Mike. "Their efforts will be just in time for our greatest riders to uphold the country’s honors in the coming international event. We will support them all."