This is an aerial view of a motorsports park in Barangay Calambua, San Remigio town, northern Cebu. | contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Motorsports enthusiasts now have a haven to test their mettle as Cebuano sportsman Lou Ornopia built a 10-hectare course dubbed the “MS Motosuit Motorsports Park” in his hometown in San Remigio town, northern Cebu.
Ornopia, one of the renowned leaders in organizing major motocross events in the country, said this park is his way of trying to breathe life back into the once-bustling motorsports scene in Cebu that was badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also aims to provide livelihood for his hometown folks in this northern town which is approximately 91 kilometers northwest of Cebu City.
“Motorsports 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.
Rallycross
The race course covers a total of 2.3 kilometers. It has a specially designed track, a first of its kind in Cebu, that caters to many sporting disciplines ranging from rally driving up to motocross racing and mountain biking.
The Cebu Rally Club, a group headed by noted Cebuano racer Lord Seno, lauded Ornopia’s efforts to provide them a suitable race course that will serve as their training area and venue for future races.
“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 to the Ornopia Family for this,” said Seno, who recently did an ocular visit on the race course.
Even Cebuano international racer Jong King finds the race course a wonderful place to test his skills. He said that the course is nicely patterned with natural terrains following international standards.
The park that took Ornopia several months to complete is now open to the public for practice sessions only.
I hope to make Cebu motorsports alive and thriving again while helping out the community by providing them a source of income. I want to make Calambua the ‘motorsports capital of Cebu’ in the future. That is my ultimate goal
‘Motorsports capital of Cebu’
Ornopia, a one-time “Sportsman of the Year” awardee by the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC), plans to hold at least two rally cross 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 plans into action, targeting a year-round activity for rallycross, motocross and mountain bike events, among others.
“I hope to make Cebu motorsports alive and thriving again while helping out the community by providing them a source of income. I want to make Calambua the ‘motorsports capital of Cebu’ in the future. That is my ultimate goal,” he said.
/bmjo