For four straight days, the crackle and roar of motorcycles on full throttle will echo across serene and rustic Valderrama, Antique next week when the municipality plays host to the 1st Gov. Evelio Javier Memorial Invitational Supercross Championship on April 22-25. The event will showcase the country’s best motocross riders as they compete for trophies and cash prizes at stake in the 14 categories of the national motocross championship.
The motorcycle sport event which was conceptualized as an annual motocross meet to preserve the memory of Antique’s favorite son and hero is putting up for grabs a golden eternal trophy named the “Governor Evelio Javier Memorial Cup” which may only be claimed by the rider who is able to win the overall championship title in the centerpiece MX2 (Pro 125) category three times.
The event organized by the National Motorcycle Sports and Safety Association (NAMSSA) is being made possible through the support and cooperation of Antique’s lone district Representative, the Hon. Exequiel “Boy Ex” Javier, Hon. Mary Joyce M. Roquero, the Mayor of Vaderrama and PCSO Director Raymundo T. Roquero. Other sponsors of the event are Monark Equipment, Oakley and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
To spice up the event, Mongolia’s Khaliunbold Erdinbileg and Japan's Takeshi Tabuchi, two international riders who are respectively running second and fourth in the 2010 FIM Asian Motocross Supercross Championship (AMSC) series scoreboard have been invited to compete in the premiere MX2 category.
2009 Philippine Motocross Rider of the Year Kenneth San Andres heads the list of riders providing the local challenge. San Andres, will be backed up by the other members of the Philippine motocross team in persons of Cebu’s Jonjon Adlawan and Jubenile Abellar, Cavite’s Migi Tolentino and Marikina’s Veli Gin Ramos.
Likewise interesting will be the races in the MX 85 (Junior 85) event, an intermediate class for riders aged 12 to below 15 years. Novo Ecijano Jean Erick Mitra, the current leader in the Asian Junior 85 category of the AMSC series will be the object of the chase coming from Gabriel Macaso, Mark Reggie Flores, Christian and Ralph Ramento and lady rider Pia Gabriel.
Top riders from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are likewise expected to attend the event. Aside from the MX2 and MX85 classes, races in 12 other categories are expected to be equally exciting and a sure treat for motocross aficionados from Antique and the neighboring provinces of Aklan, Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras and Bacolod.
Other prominent names to watch out for are current intermediate contenders Miko Tolentino, John Paul Roquero, Omar Aman, Mike Osmawil, Chadwick Garcia, Mark Gonzales, Joseph Penaso, Tyron Coralde, veterans Gimo Gonzales, Junjun San Andres, Juancho Banaag and Ran Ramento and racing tykes Jetrick Marquez, Zyden Buse, Ompong Gabriel, Jared Banaag, Vincent Jimenez and MJ Saflor from the Junior 65cc and Junior 50cc categories.
The 1st Gov. Evelio Javier Memorial Cup will be staged in Valderrama’s challenging racetrack built by the NAMSSA with adherence to FIM standards and will usher in the event’s possible inclusion in the 2011 FIM Asian Motocross Supercross Championship series calendar. Registration and practice sessions will be held on Friday (April 23), the timed qualifying sessions on Saturday (April 24) and the race proper on Sunday (April 25).
For more details, please log-on to www.namssa.org, www.asiamx.org or call/text +639178479785.
