Off-road challenge up at Puerto Princesa

MANILA, Philippines - The 4x4 Puerto Princesa Balayong Festival Off-road Challenge marks its 10th year next month with a bigger and more exciting race weekend on March 8-10 at the Brgy. Sta. Monica Tracks in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn and wife and Oplan Linis head Ellen Hagedorn have been supporting the event since the start. The Hagedorns have made sports tourism one of the main attractions in Puerto Princesa, which will also host the inaugural leg of the FIM MX Asia on March 22-24.

The MP Turbo-organized Off-road Challenge will be the final event of Puerto Princesa’s Balayong Festival, which marks the city’s Foundation Day on March 4. Race director Mike Potenciano ensures a very memorable race with a launch party at the Mendoza Park, a new supporting race called Enduro Cross and a new 4x4 category called the Veterans class where past champions of off-road racing are  competing.

This year’s 4x4 challenge will also have the regular Open, Open 4 and 6-Cylinder, Max 33, Novice and All Palawan classes. There will be the Speed and Technical Race courses and the Top 20 will head onto the Shootout finale. A new 4x4 team relay race features a team composed of a 4x4 driver and an Enduro rider running in relay after each other, with the winner determined by the best aggregate time.