Heated action in the ladies class. Photo by August dela Cruz/INQUIRER
As expected, Davao-pride Bornok Mangosong and Bulacan ace Sonnie Quiana Reyes topped the PTT Pro Open and DC Shoes Ladies Class.
The bigger surprise, though, at the end of the much-applauded Diamond Motor Supercross Series last Saturday at the rain-filled Mx Messiah Fairgrounds at Taytay, Rizal was the appearance and the decision of motocross queen Janelle Saulog to compete in the ladies category against the rising stars.
To the delight of the fans, who braved the unforgiving heat before the rains fell and muddied the track, the 26-year-old Saulog, fresh from a one-month sojourn to the United States, started slow but finished strong to relegate the 12-year-old Reyes and Jasmin Jao to second and third places, respetively.
‘‘No big deal for me. I’m actually rooting for Quiana because I heard that she lost in the 4th leg due to mechanical failure,’’ said Saulog, who said that she was actually looking forward to racing against two-leg winner Pia Gabriel.
Gabriel watched the race but didn’t compete.
Saulog remained non-commital on her plans. ‘‘Racing is in my blood, think I’m stuck with the sport. Right now, I want to help my father run a racing series but I still don’t know whether I’ll continue competing.’’
Despite not having as single practice round, Saulog managed to overtake Reyes in the third of the five-lap race to collar the top spot.
The fans cheered loudly as Jao took the holeshot before Reyes, an incoming Grade 7 student at St. Paul College in Bocaue, grabbed the lead only to lose it when Saulog steered her Honda CRF 450 to perfection.
‘‘I’m glad but surprised that Ate Janelle joined the race. I’m very happy with the result,’’ said Quiana, whose 10-year-old brother Wenson reigned supreme in the kids 85cc and 65cc categories.
By finishing second, Quiana won the overall title with a total of 97 points followed by Jao with 83 points.
Gabriel, dubbed as the motocross princess, didn’t figure prominently in the race as she was unable to compete in three of the five legs of the series sponsored by Diamond Motors Corporation and supported by Dunlop Tires, Dickies, Tireshakk, Yamaha Motor Philippines, Go Pro Philippines, PTT Philippines Corporation, DC Shoes Philippines, Coffee Grounds and Xtreme Adrenaline Sports Entertainment Co.
This was the same case with the ageless Glenn Aguilar of KTM racing. The 42-year-old racing idol outshone Mangosong in the first two legs but his tight schedule prevented him from completing the series, thus robbing him of crucial points.
Mangosong of Yamaha roared in the next three legs to win handily with 119 overall points.
‘‘Blessed morning for us. The best part of winning is knowing that you have overcome the toughest challenges to achieve victory,’’ said Mangosong, who also dedicated the win to his future wife Shela Mae. He will get married on June 18 at Samal Island.
The victory was worth P50,000 for Mangosong, who never surrendered the lead after winning the holeshot.
JC Rellosa of Bicol and Jerick Mitra of Nueva Ecija finished second and third overall with 107 and 95 points, respectively.
Buboy Antonio, another rising star, trailed Mangosong in the early goings but his attack got stymied when he suffered a flat tire in the middle stages of the race.
Jing Leongson (Veterans Open) and Maynard Mercado (GoPro Amateur) also triumphed in the event dubbed by organized and former pro rider Sam Tamayo of Generation Congregation and Xtreme Adrenaline Sports as ‘‘most stressful but rewarding.’’
Credited by observers as one of the reasons for the renewed interest in motocross, Tamayo noted the gap between the veterans and the young turks is getting smaller.
‘‘The sport is growing.The young riders are no longer intimidated, said Tamayo, also a Pastor of the Church of Nazarene based in Taytay. He thanked the sponsors for their support, the volunteers, parents and the continued patronage of former pro riders for making the series a resounding success.