Foreign moto riders challenge Pinoy best

Six tough riders of the American Motocross Association and other countries are arriving this week to challenge hundreds of Filipino contenders in the 2010 Lanao del Norte International Motocross Invitational this coming weekend, Dec. 11 and 12. They will join a field of over 300 competitors at the permanent dirt track at the Mindanao Civic Center Sports Complex in Tubod, bringing in their own iron horses with them. It is the second time the province is hosting the biggest motocross event in the country.

Among the foreign entries who will ride against the likes of local legends Glenn Aguilar, Jovie Saulog and Donark Yuson are Daniel Blair, Tiger Lacey, C.S. Santosh, Gayan Sandaruwan, James Robinson and Ron de Jesus. Blair has been a rider since his Peewee days and a consistent top Supercross finisher in the US circuit. He also sings in his own band called Main Event. Blair had originally given up on the rest of the 2010 SXseason after a recurrent injury in February, with a faint hope ot making the Summer X-Games.

“I was hoping that I would be able to ride through the injury and salvage the season. I don’t think it is going to be possible. After talking it over with my family as well as my agent, we have decided the best move is to have surgery and take care of the problem,” Blair told dirtrider.com.”This was a very hard decision for me to make. I have put so much work into the last 3 years and I know that this year I was ready to take that step and contend for the podium.”

Blair had already taken 2006 and 2007 off to attend to personal matters, but is now back and excited to come to the Philippines.

Tiger Lacey has been hovering around the US top 10 for the past couple of years now, and is looking forward to a good showing in Lanao Norte. Last Nov. 20, C.S. Santosh won the MRF National Supercross Championship in Chandigarh, India, winning it in the fourth and final round. Also coming over are former Asian Motocross champion James Robinson of New Zealand, who is familiar with the level of competition in the Philippines, having entered and placed in many races here. Robinson went down the wire with Aguilar for the 2006 Camel Supercross International Series which climaxed in Iloilo.

“This event will solidify the title of Lanao del Norte as the Motocross Capital of the Philippines,” Lanao del Norte information officer Lyndon Calica said. “It has been getting bigger as we go along.”

The province has been regularly hosting national motocross events in partnership with SEL-J Sports since the completion of its world-class racetrack early last year. It has also hosted legs of the national championship and a motocross convention on the 64-hectare complex.

The provincial government also gives out the biggest cash prizes of any motocross event in the country.

“The race track here is fantastic by local and international standards. Very technical, yet very safe. Definitely, it is the best motocross track in the Philippines,” declared SEL-J race director Bobby Orbe.

Among the teams that will vie for the championship trophy are Quick Flight, Team Pacquiao, KTM Access Plus, FastLane, Therasil SEL-J, and several others in Mindanao led by Team Sultan Naga Dimaporo (SND). Top local riders from the National Capital Region, Cebu, Puerto Princesa, Tuguegarao, Davao, Nueva Ecija, Cavite, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Bukidnon, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Bicol, Sorsogon, Laguna, Bulacan, Batangas, Surigao, Ozamiz and Pagadian have also declared their participation in the contest. Last year, about 20,000 fans watched the two-day event, bolstered by the natural elevation of the track, making it safe and more convenient for spectators.

Riders will be competing in 15 categories: Intermediate, 65 cc and 85cc, Novice Prod B, Beginner Local Open Enduro, Ladies, Beginner Open Production, 50cc, Executive A, Novice Open Production, Underbone, Executive B Veterans, Novice Local Open Enduro, Executive C, and crowd favorite Pro-Lites.

“We want to see Lanao del Norte become the sports mecca of the country. Every sport has a home here in our province,” said Gov. Khalid Dimaporo, who joined last year’s race.

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The honors continue to pile up for World Bowling Hall of Famer and multiple Guinness world record-holder Paeng Nepomuceno, who received his own star on the “Walk of Fame Philippines,” the country’s version of Hollywood’s Walk of Fame at the Eastwood City grounds earlier this week. Nepomuceno and eight-time world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao are the only two athletes permanently enshrined in the Walk of Fame, which was started in 2006 as a tribute to Filipino entertainers.

“I am thankful that a sports personality is recognized alongside famous celebrities, and I would like to dedicate this occasion to my father-coach, Pappy Nepomuceno, who passed away a year ago,” the soft-spoken left-handed said during the induction ceremony. “I would also like to share this award with my mother, Baby, my wife Pinky and with my children.”