Excitement, challenges fill 2023 Tarlac Rally season opener

Participants of the first-ever Tarlac Rally enjoyed an exhilarating season opener last June 24-25 at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

The 12 teams who joined the event tried to conquer the 100-kilometer rally made up of challenging yet exciting routes — including 11 special stages. Of the aforementioned number of entrants, only six teams were able to cross the finish line.

“We have been hosting the Philippine Rallycross Series (PHRX) — our dirt trial series, since 2015. Throughout the PHRX season, drivers have been growing in terms of skills and the next step for them is full rally events. We hosted our first rally event in 2018, the Pampanga Rally. It was the first rally event in the country in almost two decades. Five years later, we now have its most anticipated follow-up, the 2023 Tarlac Rally. Over 100 kilometers of rally on a mixed surface of dirt, mud, gravel, and tarmac, held in various roads of Capas and San Jose in Tarlac,” 2023 Tarlac Rally Race Director Olson Camacho said.

Race winners

Paul Santos together with navigator Ansley Sarmiento under Group 2 classification was hailed as the overall victor in the opening round of the 2023 Tarlac Rally. The 2022 Philippine Rallycross Group 3 Champion and 2022 Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) Driver of the Year for Rallycross finished the rally in 45 minutes and 14 seconds using his Honda Civic EK.

Trailing at second place overall are veteran rally driver Jun Magno and co-driver Kalvin Sumagui (who joined the rear-wheel-drive class), who completed the course in a total rally time of 45 minutes and 30 seconds aboard the 3S-GE Beams-powered BMW E36.

At third place are off-roader and dirt bike rider Devor Andres with co-driver Rommel Ocoy. Using the oldest car in the contest (1980 Toyota Corolla KE70), the tandem clocked in a total rally time of 50 minutes and 22 seconds — which also earned them the Group 4 win.

Touge Battle race organizers E.Z. Ligaya and Stephen Alunan finished the rally with a total time of 53 minutes and 14 seconds using the Debest Autofix BMW 316i E36 — making them fourth overall winner.

Meanwhile, the duo of Marvin Susara and Charlie Cruz dominated the Group 1 category with their 2NZ-powered Toyota Corolla E100 — finished the race with a total time of 55:31 and took the fifth overall spot.

Further, AAP Chief Executive Officer Mark Desales together with co-driver Ricxie dela Cruz took the sixth spot overall despite encountering challenges at mid rally. The tandem clocked in the total time of 59:59.

The 2023 Tarlac Rally was made possible through the support of the Accelera Tires, ACDelco, Aguila Auto Glass, Autoplus Sport, Bases Conversion and Development Authority, Cleanfuel, Isuzu Philippines Corporation, JS Mina Sound System, local government units of Capas and San Jose, Method Race Wheels, Print and Mount, Ravenol, and Tyron Runflat.

Photos from 2023 Tarlac Rally

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