EDISON “Ton-ton” Dungca will be back to defend his crown as more than 30 protagonists face off in the 2nd Gov. Jun Ebdane 4×4 Offroad Challenge this weekend in San Narciso, Zambales.
Dungca, who hails from Angeles City, will tackle the demanding track in Barangay Carael, Botolan and offroad regulars from Pampanga Off-Roaders Club, San Jose Del Monte 4-Wheelers, Bicol Off-Roaders Club, Land Cruiser Club of the Philippines, Santiago (Isabela) Extreme, Cauayan (Bulacan) Off-Road Club, Binangonan Rizal Off-Roaders, Suzuki Club, Ilocos Sur 4×4 Offroaders and Nueva Ecija Offroaders, among others.
The all-weather sand-and-mud tracks in Barangay Sindol proved worthy of their billing after weathering the torrential rains that wrought havoc in Luzon’s western seaboard last week.
As a result, the event will also be highlighted by a first-of-a-kind demonstration on the use of 4×4 offroad vehicles for rescue and relief operations in times of disasters.
Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane and son, Rep. Omar Ebdane, will flag off the event at 8 a.m. today. Competitions are expected to wrap up just before sundown, with the final runs slated tomorrow.
Late registrations are accepted before flag off, according to Eric Matibag, head of the organizing Zambales Sports and Youth Development Office.
There will also be a separate category for Zambaleño drivers, who will take on the challenge of the tracks designed by members of the National Association of Filipino Off-Roaders.
Some P200,000 in cash prizes await the winners. Ebdane said the 4×4 Offroad Challenge could become an annual event and a staple attraction for Zambales’s rainy days sports tourism campaign.