STA ANA, Cagayan—Reigning Rider of the Year Kenneth San Andres of Kawasaki-JBS team stamped his dominance in the 2018 CEZA-Eastern Hawaii National Motocross Championship, winning both the premier MX1 and MX2 divisions of the national series at the world-class Cagayan Economic Zone Authority track here on Sunday.
San Andres quashed the challenge of Jhetric Marquez, Moymoy Flores and Kobe Sta. Ana in both races of the MX1 of the series held under the auspices of the National Motorcycle Sports and Safety Association (NAMSSA).
The many-time awardee of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) for motocross was in a zone in the MX1 as he controlled the pace from the get go in the first moto and set the pace the rest of the way, before repeating the trick in the second heat.
San Andres continued his dominance in the MX2 as he controlled action from start to finish of both the first and second motos, again frustrating Marquez and Flores and eventual fourth placer, Aaron Pacheco.
Joseph Muego
The Valenzuela native accumulated 50 points in each of the two divisions. Each stage win is worth 50 points, built around two moto races of 25 points each.
His father Junjun San Andres made it a double celebration with his own emphatic triumph in the Veterans’ Division of the motocross event backed by the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, in partnership with the Eastern Hawaii Leisure Company Limited.
The motocross extravaganza is one of the many firsts introduced to promote CEZA as an investment hub, a tourism destination and a motorsports venue in Northern Luzon.
“‹“The CEZA and Sta. Ana, Cagayan, courtesy of Mayor Darwin Tobias, concluded its hosting of the national series with flying colors,” said NAMSSA president Stephan Macky Carapiet, who was also recently elected as president of the FIM Asia. “I’m sure this will be the first of many.”
The first-ever motocross championship to be staged here has lured elite riders from regional affiliates of NAMSSA Clubs such as Manila, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Laguna, Taytay, Laoag, Vigan, Isabela, Baguio, Montalban, Tugegarao and national and Asian campaigners.
Secretary Raul L. Lambino, Administrator and CEO of the Zone, was elated of the result of the two-day event as it lured fans from the neighboring Cagayan towns and proved that the CEZA is a capable host of a big sporting event of this scale.