Cannonball 2016 gets international flavor

MANILA, Philippines - International flavor is heading into the Cannonball 2016 as teams from Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia have signified their intention to join the country’s biggest motorsports event slated at the Oxford Hotel and Casino in Clark, Pampanga on Jan. 8.

“Asian riders will be adding prestige to the Cannonball 2016,” said organizer Joey Almeda, a six-time endurance race champion. “Their teams will have 10 riders each, ensuring a crack international cast pitting guts and skills with our local bets.”

“Their entry will keep our local participants on their toes and pumped up all the more as the field tries to complete the 1,200-kilometer North Luzon route within 24 hours,” Almeda added.

The local registry has swelled with the entry of Danby Henares, the San Miguel Beer team manager joining the elite list, which includes actor Albert Martinez, Sen. JV Ejercito, acting Makati Mayor Romulo Peña and celebrity Gaby dela Merced, among others.

Teams from Makati, Vigan and Bacolod, Unioil, Petron, Flying V, Police and Unlimited, together with motorcycles clubs from BMW, Ducati, KTM, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki, are also joining the fray.

For registration updates and other details in the endurance ride backed by major sponsor Unioil, log on to websitewww.cannonballph.com or contact 09196100588 and 09053533100.

The two-wheel category will have the premier Cannonball 1,000 division, which will join the cars in a 24-hour endurance run. Underbones and scooters pegged at 300cc below will have a class of their own, the Cannonball 500, which will be tracing a similar but more compact route of 500 kms under a 12-hour time limit.

High-end cars such as Ferrari, Maserati, Jaguar, Aston Martin, BMW and Porsche, together with Mazda, Chrysler, Morgan, Peugeot, Mahindra and motorcycles KTM, BMW, Ducati, MV Agusta Husqvarna, Honda, Suzuki, Vespa and TVS, highlighted the 2015 staging of the event, which expects more super and exotic cars in its next edition.