Exhilarating start for 2023 Tarlac Rally

Driver Paul Santos and navigator Ansley Sarmiento emerged as the overall champion in the first round of the 2023 Tarlac Rally last June 24-25 at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac. The iconic 2019 Southeast Asian Games venue served as the parc fermé and service park of the rally.

The first round of Tarlac Rally had 11 exhilarating special stages (SS) through the stretch of the O’donnell Road and participated in by 12 entries. Only six teams were able to finish and completed the over 100 km. rally.

Santos, the 2022 Philippine Rallycross Group 3 champion and 2022 AAP driver of the year for rallycross, used his No. 1 Honda Civic EK with an overall time of 45 minutes and 14 seconds. Participating in the rear-wheel-drive (RWD) class, the veteran rally driver Jun Magno finished second-overall using his 3S-GE Beams-powered BMW E36. He and his co-driver Kalvin Sumagui had a total time of 45 minutes 30 seconds.

Off-roader and dirt bike rider Devor Andres along with co-driver Rommel Ocoy were third-overall winner. With the oldest car in the rally –1980’s Toyota Corolla KE70, the duo clocked in a total time of 50:22, earning them the Group 4 win. On the other hand, Touge Battle race organizers E.Z. Ligaya and Stephen Alunan finished the rally using the Debest Autofix BMW 316i E36 with a total time of 53:14. The Full Throttle Weekend duo finished fourth overall in the rally and took home second place in the RWD class.

The 2023 Tarlac Rally was supported by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), New Clark City, Tarlac province, Capas LGU, San Jose LGU, Cleanfuel, Ravenol, Autoplus Sport, Isuzu Philippines Corporation, Accelera Tires, Aguila Auto Glass, AC Delco, JS Mina Sound System, Print & Mount, Method Race Wheels, and Tyron Runflat.