Thai riders rev up to rule Asian motocross

MANILA, Philippines - Arnon Theplib powered Thailand to a 1-3 finish in the centerpiece event of the Asian MX2 class of the Motocross Masters of Asia, the Philippine leg of the 2011 FIM Asian Motocross Supercross Championship in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan last Sunday.

Theplib, the 2007 winner of the same series, thwarted defending champion Tomoya Suzuki in the motos of the premier class to win the crown before an estimated crowd of 30,000.

Arongkot Pinpon, the former Asian Junior 85 champion, finished third overall with identical third place efforts in the motos while Iran’s Amirreza Sabetifar placed fourth.

Suzuki’s second place finish, however, kept him on tract of his title retention bid in the event backed by Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn, Oakley, Polisports, Colt 45, Spyder Helmets, Du Ek Sam Marketing, Kia Motors Palawan, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of Tourism.

Jon Adlawan turned in a fifth place finish overall in the MX2 class with the 21-year-old Cebuano rider scoring an upset of sorts by finishing fourth in moto 1, edging the top seeded Sabetifar. He wound up sixth in the final moto for fifth overall.

San Pablo City’s Mark Flores topped the second moto then edged Fil-Am Jonah Francisco for the Asian Junior 85 title. After finishing second to Francisco in moto 1, Flores struck back in the next to claim the round title.

Multi-titled Jolet Jao came in seventh and 10th in the MX2 motos to finish eighth overall while Kenneth San Andres took a spill in the final moto of the MX1 finals but still salvaged ninth overall with Migi Tolentino of Imus, Cavite ending up 10th.

For schedules and details, log on to www.asiamx.org and www.namssa.org.