MANILA, Philippines - The second round of the National Motorcycle Sports and Safety Association (NAMSSA) 2012 National Motocross Development Program gets under way Sunday at the Speedworld MX Circuit, SM City Bicutan.
The races serve as final tune-up for national motocross team members vying in the 2012 FIM Asian Motocross Supercross Championship set April 12-15 in Puerto Princesa.
This is the ninth straight year the Phl leg of the FIM Asian continental motocross championship is hosted and sponsored by Puerto Princesa.
As in previous seasons, NAMSSA is organizing the event, which is recognized by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.
The overall individual winner in the premier Asian MX2 category will be awarded the 2012 Mayor Hagedorn Cup, courtesy of Mayor Edward Hagedorn.
This year’s edition of the Asian continental series promises to be bigger and better with the introduction of the Asian Veterans class, a category for riders 40-55 years of age who will be riding 125/MX2 and 250/MX1 machines.
“We are very pleased to announce that this year we will be having a Veteran’s class in the FIM Asia Motocross Supercross Championship,” said concurrent FIM Asia and NAMSSA president Macky Carapiet.
“This will provide senior riders, particularly those who are still actively competing as well as those who have gone into semi-retirement but still physically and mentally capable a competition platform to vent off their excess adrenaline and join the Asian tour,” he added.
This year’s edition of the continental championship will bring in the biggest-ever number of international participants with the confirmed participation of delegates from Japan, Thailand, Australia, Kuwait, Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Iran, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, China and the Philippines.
Last year’s champions – Thailand’s Arnon “Turbo” Theplib (Asian MX2) and Mark Reggie “Moymoy” Flores from San Pablo (Asian Junior) – will be the marked men in the series.
The NAMSSA will also be staging the third round of the 2012 Philippine National Motocross Development Program on the same weekend.
The national races are expected to bring in over 200 entries, with riders from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao disputing round honors in 14 categories.
An estimated 30,000 spectators are also expected to show up at the venue on the racedays based on the previous year’s accounts.
For more information on the 2012 FIM Asia National Motocross Series, the National Motocross Development Program and other NAMSSA events and activities, log-on to www.namssa-live.com.