MANILA, Philippines - Reynan Jayme of Waig Adventure Bukidnon surprised everybody, including himself, as he captured the overall National Association Filipino Off-Roaders (NAsFOR) Off-Road Driver of the Year title in the Colt 45 Philippine Tough Truck Challenge Year 11 at the Clark International Speedway in Clark, Pampanga recently.
Jayme, trailing the 20 qualifiers with an aggregate time of 37 minutes, 53.94 seconds after Tracks A and B, put in the best time of 7:13.52 in Track C to rebound from last place to the top of the heap to seal the overall plum.
The 40-year-old Jayme wrapped up the series with 227 points, making him an automatic recipient of the Golden Wheel Award for 4x4 Off-Road.
“I just came here to play and support the event, not knowing I was already leading in points. I was really struggling but didn’t lose hope in clinching my first Driver of the Year from NAsFOR,” said Jayme, also one of the AAP Top Driver awardees in 2008.
Timtom Gempesaw of Four-Wheelers Davao copped the overall runner-up while Robert Abas of Bukidnon Off-Roaders finished third. Tonton Bayona of Unlimited Off-Road Dipolog placed fourth overall while former champion Red Diwa of Isabela Extreme wound up fifth.
Diwa, on the other hand, steered Isabela Extreme to the overall Team of the Year award together with Victor Dy, last year’s champion Bong Collado, Jojo Sison and top female driver Maila Avila, who tallied 529 points.
Unlimited Dipolog, led by Bayona, is second overall with 378, just 30 points ahead of third placer Kapampangan Off-Roaders with 348.
Bicol Off-Road Club Inc. took fourth place with 314 points while Four-Wheelers Davao ended up fifth overall with 312.
The event is organized by the 199 OffRoad House and presented by Colt 45, Racetech Suspensions, Maxxis Performance Tires, and sponsored by Motolite, Motul, Optimax Brake Fluids, official timekeeper Casio Pro-Trek, Gerry’s Grill. 112 LC House, LCA Merchandising, Ironman 4x4, secondary sponsors RIDE, Warn, Procomp and Ironman Suspensions, and media partners Autoindustriya, Stoplight TV, Auto Extreme, Monster Radio 93.1 and Kotse.com.