Winner-takes-all fight in last round of 2003 Civic Media Challenge

The 2003 Civic Media Challenge reaches an exciting climax this Saturday, July 19, 2003 at the Quirino Grandstand grounds on Rizal Park, with a tight three-way fight for the team championship in the offing.

After three rounds of exciting rallycross events using rally prepared 2003 Civic competition vehicles shod in grippy Michelin tires on dirt and tarmac courses, only six points separate the first place team from the third place team.

Team Philippine Star is ahead with 93 points and is the slight favorite to bag the title with its well-balanced team of Manny de los Reyes, Andy Leuterio. Brian Afuang, and Lester Dizon, three of whom are in the top 10 in the individual points standings.

Team Manila Bulletin is second with 90 points but members Aris Ilagan, Bernard de Lara, and Pinky Colmenares must give captain Anjo Perez, the runaway leader for best driver honors, the needed support to secure its third team championship in the six years since Honda began the annual rallycross competition for media celebrities and personalities.

There's no counting out C! Magazine which is a close third with 87 points. However, James Deakin, fourth in the individual points standing, needs consistent performances from Kenneth Quintal, Kevin Limjoco and Ardie Lopez to come through in the last round of the season.

Meanwhile, Anjo Perez has a virtual lock on the individual championship with 81 points and only a truly bad day on the tarmac will keep Anjo from winning his third Media Challenge best driver trophy. The closest to the two-time Media Challenge best driver are Jess Garcia of Team DZRH and Dodgie Aguila of Team DRP-K-Lite-Today, both with 63 points.

There will be also be a lot of exciting competition up and down the points standings among the other teams and participants in an event meant to develop performance driving and safety skills as well as camaraderie among media.

Represented in the Civic Media Challenge are ABS-CBN News, Auto Review, Motoring Today, Auto Extreme and Associated Press from television; DZBB, DZMM, DZEC, DZRH and 103.5 K-Lite from radio; Business World, Manila Bulletin, The Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Standard, Today, C! Magazine, Gadgets, and Sport Weekly from print. Participants from motoring websites include writers of Autoindustriya.com, Dragracingpinoy.com and Drive.com.ph.

The 2003 Civic Media Challenge is organized by ADBM Resources in partnership with Activity Asia Association and Roadwise Motoring School and is sponsored by Caltex Havoline, Michelin, the official tire supplier thru its Philippine distributor Tiara Commercial & Industrial Corporation; Nodalos Trading, and Aitech.