Car enthusiast and renowned restaurateur Elbert Cuenca is this year's BOSS Iron Man

MANILA, Philippines - Although he would seem more likely to win iron chef, popular restaurateur and car enthusiast, Elbert Cuenca, is officially this year’s BOSS Iron Man after completing the grueling 1200 kilometer loop around Luzon in an unprecedented 14 hours and 19 minutes in a diesel powered BMW X1.

The annual event, which is organized by the BMW Owners Society for Saferiders, began primarily as a motorcycle event in 2006 but eventually allowed cars to join three years later after its popularity increased and entries swelled to over 300.

The idea is simply to finish the loop in 24 hours with no change of driver. Participants are flagged off in Manila and need to drive a chartered course with corresponding checkpoints through Bulacan - Nueva Ecija - Nueva Viscaya - Isabela - Cagayan - Ilocos Norte - Ilocos Sur - La Union - Benguet - Pangasinan - Tarlac and  Pampanga.

Although it is not designed as a race, and no trophies or rankings handed in the end, there’s always a fair bit of unspoken satisfaction of having crossed the line first, which in Cuenca’s case was more than half an hour clear of his nearest competitor.

“It’s a form of validation for me,” Cuenca tells The STAR in a telephone conversation just minutes after the flag had fallen. “We had joined last year in a similar vehicle provided by Asian Car Makers Corporation (the official BMW distributor in the Philippines) and were extremely confident of the top spot until we were given a gasoline engine at the last minute. The performance was there, but the handicap in fuel consumption versus the more efficient diesel engine cost us first place,” Cuenca explains after finishing second last year.

With BMW’s superior diesel technology, Cuenca was able to fill up only twice along the way versus the five times last year, saving almost an hour at the finish line and setting a new record for cars in the process, which according to the official website, was over 400 this year.

The event is also sponsored by Flying V, who have returned once again this year not only to provide quality fuel, but equally important, the logistics and manpower along the treacherous route, BMW Motorrad, and is supported by Home Depot, St Peter, GNC, Givi, Vigan Kite Center, Destiny air cargo system, Hotel Stotsenberg, motospray, Motoworld, Dupont and Touratech.