Truck Challenge XI to give riders hell

MANILA, Philippines - The most mind-boggling and physically demanding race takes center stage as the hunt for the coveted Off-Road Driver of the Year comes to an exciting climax today in the 2011 Colt 45 Philippine Tough Truck Challege Year 11 at the Clark International Speedway.

This will be the first time that the finals of National Association Filipino Off-Roaders (NAsFOR) Offroad Challenge will be held outside Metro Manila.

Organized by the 199 OffRoad House, 70 drivers from Baguio, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija to as far as Davao and Cagayan de Oro have confirmed their participation in this event presented by Colt 45, Racetech Suspensions and sponsored by Motolite, Motul, Optimax Brake Fluids, official timekeeper Casio Pro-Trek, secondary sponsors RIDE, Warn, Procomp and Ironman Suspensions, and media partners Autoindustriya, Stoplight TV, Auto Extreme, Monster Radio 93.1 and Kotse.com.

It’s the most mind-boggling and physically demanding race as it pushes the drivers’ ingenuity, determination and strategy to the limit with the nerve-wracking obstacles like steep hill climbs, tire-eating potholes, off-camber obstacles, log crosses, rock crawling gardens, tabletops and other challenging hurdles they have to go through.

The NAsFOR Driver of the Year will be selected through a complex system of the total points garnered for the year while the team champion is determined by combining the total points of each of their members.

Among the top favorites are southpaws Reynand Jaime from Cagayan De Oro and two-time champion Timtom Gempesaw of Davao 4-Wheelers together with another top Mindanao bet Tonton Bayawa of Dipolog Unlimited.

Northern Luzon will be topbilled by former drivers of the year Red Diwa and Bong Collado of Isabela Extreme while top favorite Angeles 4-Wheelers will be spearheaded by cousins Tonton Dunca and Homer Dunca together with champion cock breeder and daredevil offroader Maman Benco.

Former NAsFOR president and Driver of the Year Roger Peyra takes another shot at the crown as he also leads the charges for the Bicol Offroad Club while San Jose Del Monte will be pinning its hopes on brothers Paul and Rey Herrera.

Pampanga is another strong contender for the team crown behind circuit car champion John Sambo and NAsFOR founding member and former congressman Rimpy Bondoc who will be joining as an independent racer.

Among the member clubs expected to compete are the Suzuki 4x4, Davao 4-Wheelers, Cagayan de Oro Off-Road Club, Del Monte 4Wheelers, Baguio Benguet 4x4 Club and the Manila Offroaders Inc. (MORI).