Jeep riders to show stuff in Cannonball 2016

MANILA, Philippines - Participants both from the four-wheel and two-wheel categories continue to pour in for the Cannonball 2016, a 24-hour adventure run set to kick off at the Oxford Hotel and Casino in Clark, Pampanga on Jan. 8.

The latest to answer the call of this ultimate motorsports event are Rhomel Franco and Michael Fernandez, Jeep representatives, who will be using a Rubicon Jeep in the 1,200-kilometer journey, which will have the field driving to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte and back to Clark in a required time of 24 hours.

Also joining the fray is manager Jay Bautista, who will ride a 2016 Harley Davidson Soft Tail Slim in the adventure run organized by six-time endurance race champion Joey Almeda.

For registration updates and other details, log on to websitewww.cannonballph.com or contact 09196100588 and 09053533100.

Backed by Flying V, Fil Oil, Petron, Unioil, BMW, KTM, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, TVS, Peugeot, Jeep, Mahindra and Ropali, the event is open to motorcycles and cars and is on its second year of staging.

Trying to beat the 24-hour time limit are Danby Henares, the San Miguel Beer team manager, actor Albert Martinez, Sen. JV Ejercito, acting Makati Mayor Romulo Peña and celebrity Gaby dela Merced, among others.

Teams from Makati, Vigan and Bacolod, Unioil, Petron, Flying V, Police and Unlimited, plus motorcycles clubs from BMW, Ducati, KTM, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki, and 10-rider teams from Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia are also joining the event.

The two-wheel category will have the premier Cannonball 1,000 division, which will join the cars in a 24-hour endurance run. Underbones and scooters pegged at 300cc below will have a class of their own, the Cannonball 500, which will be tracing a similar but more compact route of 500kms under a 12-hour time limit.

High-end cars such as Ferrari, Maserati, Jaguar, Aston Martin, BMW and Porsche, with Mazda, Chrysler, Morgan, Peugeot, Mahindra and motorcycles KTM, BMW, Ducati, MV Agusta Husqvarna, Honda, Suzuki, Vespa and TVS, highlighted the 2015 staging of the event.