Flores leaves for World junior motocross GP

MANILA, Philippines - Mark Reggie “Moymoy” Flores, the Philippines’ top junior motocross rider, takes on the biggest challenge of his budding motorsports career this weekend when he rides against the world’s best in the 2012 FIM World Junior Motocross Grand Prix set in Sevilevo, Bulgaria on Sunday.

Moymoy, his father-coach Rodrigo and NAMSSA president Macky Carapiet arrived in Bulgaria on Wednesday, in time for the practice and qualifying sessions set on Friday and Saturday.

The 14-year old motocross sensation from San Pablo City, Laguna gained a berth in the world championship by topping the Asian Junior 85cc category during the opening leg of the 2012 FIM Asia Motocross Supercross Championship (AMSC) held in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan last April. The win reasserted his stature as the region’s best and was a fitting follow up to his title chase where he made the country proud by bringing home the Asian Junior 85cc diadem.

Despite being a neophyte in the world-class event, Moymoy will be a marked man in Bulgaria in view of his accomplishments in the Asian continental championship.

Moymoy is a product of the NAMSSA’s development training program for the motocross discipline. He started racing competitively in the Peewee class of NAMSSA’s national motocross series at the tender age of 5. He honed his riding skills in the same series in the years that followed and where he was a perennial winner and champion in the Junior classes.

 “We are both happy and proud to send Moymoy and the Philippine colors flying in the FIM World Junior Motocross Championship in Bulgaria. We are grateful to Youthstream, the promoter of the event, and president Bogdan Nikolov of the Bulgarian Motorcycle Federation for providing Asia’s top junior motocross rider the opportunity to compete in the prestigious event,” said NAMSSA president Macky Carapiet. “We also wish to thank the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), Gov. George “ER” Ejercito Estregan and the Province of Laguna for the invaluable support they had extended to Moymoy’s bid,” he added.