Now in its ninth year, the Philippine Rallycross Series (PHRX) gets a boost from the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP), the country’s biggest and oldest auto club, to help increase the popularity of rallying.
Since 2015, PHRX has been organizing rally and rallycross events as part of its thrust to bring back the beloved motorsport discipline of rallying to the local scene. AAP, as the local representative of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), is the national sporting authority (NSA).
In the recently concluded third round of the 2024 Philippine Rallycross Series held in Cavite, AAP Motorsports Committee Chairman Mandy Eduque graced the event, showing support for the series. “I was extremely impressed because when I asked how many competitors were in that round, there were 53. Even in the heydays of rallying in the 80s and 90s, we never got an entry list of 53. I was gratified. If we have that number of entries in an event today, then, rallying is back,” Eduque said.
After the event, the AAP and PHRX met and discussed the need for continued improvement in the conduct of events, and the better promotion of rallying, among others. Present during the meeting were AAP President Joe Ferreria, Philippine Rallycross Series Race Organizer Olson Camacho, AAP Vice President David Arcenas, AAP Motorsports Chairman Mandy Eduque, AAP CEO Mark Desales, and Head of AAP Motorsports Rikki Dy-Liacco.
To kick things off, the AAP will host the fourth round of the 2024 PHRX on April 6, 2024, at the CCP Open Grounds. Commemorating one of the Philippine motorsport pillars who dedicated himself to the sport since the 70’s, the round will be called “The Jun Espino Memorial Rallycross.” This special round will coincide with the biggest annual automotive exhibition in the country, the 2024 Manila International Auto Show.
“The bigger exposure of hosting the event right across one of the venues of the 2024 MIAS will help promote rallying to a bigger audience of car enthusiasts. We are pleased to present this official round of the Philippine Rallycross Series and honored to have it in memory of Jun Espino,” said AAP Motorsports Head Rikki Dy-Liacco.
Catch the Jun Espino Memorial Rallycross – an official round of the Philippine Rallycross Series – at the CCP Open Grounds on April 6, 2024, Saturday. Visit the official Facebook page of the Philippine Rallycross Series and AAP Motorsport for more information.