Motorsports Park, a first in Cebu, rises in Calambua
A breakthrough multi-sport haven for all the Cebuanos to enjoy rises in Calambua, San Remigio town north of Cebu.
Nestled in a 10-hectare property adorned by lush green sceneries and breathtaking views of nature, highly esteemed Cebuano businessman-sportsman Lou Ornopia established the MS Motosuit Motorsports Park in his hometown in an effort to breath life back into Cebu motorsports while giving livelihood at the same time to residents in their area at this time of pandemic.
“Motorsports really runs through my blood,” said Ornopia, the acknowledged “Godfather of Cebu motocross. “After a couple of years of being inactive, here I am again.”
“In doing this, I also want to promote the beauty of our place and provide economic activity for our people through sports tourism during these hard times,” he added.
Stretching a total of 2.3 kilometers, the motorsports park features a speciallydesigned track, a first of its kind in Cebu, that caters to an array of sporting disciplines ranging from rally driving up to motocross racing and mountain biking.
The members of the Cebu Rally Club led by their president Lord Seno were completely awe-stuck while marveling at the race course in an ocular visit over the weekend.
“Rallying is a fairly new sport to the Cebuanos.Rally, being introduced by enthusiasts from Manila in Eden Dy Liaco, Dominique Cuesta and Fil Gulfin in 2012 in a makeshift track in Balamban did not really grow until the subsequent years since its introduction with nine-time PH rally champion Vip Isada going extra the mile to develop the sport with the help of AAP (Automobile Association of the Philippines) and Cebu Rally Club,” Seno said.
“The addition of the Calambua, San Remigio track has a very exciting 2.3km layout. It poses unique challenges that the Cebu rallyists are foreign to. The change of elevation, the fast, low traction corners is an ideal setting for some hardcore action. The club is truly thankful for the Ornopia Family for this,” Seno furthered.
According to Seno, rallycross is a form of grassroots automobile racing, held on a closed mixed-surface racing circuit like gravel, soil and asphalt. Drivers use modified
production or specially built rally cars, similar to the World Rally Cars. The runs are done singly with the winner getting the quickest time of the day.
“It was nicely designed, very dynamic and creative going through natural terrains. Most of all, it is patterned after that of international standard. This will give rally drivers an opportunity to learn a whole set of driving skills,” said Cebuano international rallyist Jong King of the Calambua track.
“If you want to enhance
your ability in rally driving, this is the perfect place,” added King, who last competed at the Otago Rally in New Zealand three years ago.
Young drivers Ezra Decena and Nico Ornopia shared the same sentiments.
“It’s truly one of a kind. With all its technicalities, you will be given a chance to further test your limits. It will bring you to a whole new level of rally driving experience,” noted Decena and Ornopia, who both participated in various autocross, drifting, rallycross and drag racing action here and in Manila.
“I can’t say anything about the track, it’s very well done. It was designed meticulously. It will surely present a different and exciting challenge for both newbies and experienced racers,” Jojo Lloren, a veteran in rallycross, autocross and drag racing, chimed in.
As of now, the park that took Ornopia several months to complete is now open to the public for practice sessions only.
Ornopia, a one-time “Sportsman of the Year” awardee by the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC), mulls on holding at least two rallycross events in partnership with CRC before the year ends.
“We need to have a competition so that the racers can apply what they have learned in practice and then gauge their skills level. It gives them something to look forward to,” Ornopia pointed out. “Of course, it will be staged under strict health and safety protocols given our current situation. I will coordinate properly with the concerned government agencies with regards to that.”
Come 2022, Ornopia will go full blast in putting his plans to action, targeting a year-round activity for rallycross, motocross and mountain bike events that could easily become the newest attraction and sought-after destination in Cebu’s sports landscape.
“I hope to make Cebu motorsports alive and thriving again while helping out the community by providing them a source of income. I want Calambua to be known as the “motorsports capital of Cebu” in the future. That is my ultimate goal,” Ornopia ended.