In continuation of its 2025 season, the Philippine Rallycross Series (PHRX) took the action back to CDS Offroad Playground at Arden Botanical Estate in Tanza, Cavite last January 17, 2025. Welcoming the new year with dirt racing action, PHRX hosted its Rounds 5 and 6 at CDS with a revamped course layout that pushed rally drivers and their cars to limits.
Round 5
The morning round for Group 1 (1300cc and below) started Ricardo Dy-Liacco’s win streak as he dominated the class with a total time of 5:32.250 using his 2NZ-swapped 2011 Toyota Yaris. In second place for Group 1 is AAP CEO Mark Desales in his 4EFTE-powered Corolla E11 with a total time of 6:03.330, followed by Rolando Tecson in his 2010 Toyota Vios with a total time of 6:03.620 in third place.
Dy-Liacco also dominated the Group 2 morning session with a time of 5:23.860. Louie Camacho in his Corolla GLi E11 finished in second place with the total time of 5:25.230, followed by Peewee Mendiola in his 20-valve Corolla E10 in third with the time of 5:30.820.
For Group 3, it was Camacho who captured the W with his total time of 5:24.200, with Dy-Liacco just a hair behind with the time of 5:25.750. Mendiola completed the Group 3 podium with a time of 5:29.620.
Group 4 morning session was won by Mendiola with the time of 5:22.360, followed by Dy-Liacco in second with the time of 5:25.160, and Paul Santos in his 1996 Civic in third with the time of 5:28.320.
For Open Class, Santos dominated with a total time of 5:24.840, followed by Ricardo Montelibano in his 3S-GE-powered Corolla E11 in second place with the time of 5:38.000, and JP Polintan in his Civic EG hatchback in third with the time of 5:40.180.
In his first rallycross outing, Damien Pastor bagged a first-place finish for the RWD Class using a BMW 316i E36 against Martin Galan in his BMW E46 with the times of 5:56.930 and 6:05.350, respectively.
The AWD Class win was captured by DJ De Guzman in his 5-door Rav4 rally car with the time of 5:40.830, followed by Ran Ramento in his newly acquired 4WD-swapped Corolla E11 in second place with the time of 5:50.830. Evan Marquez in a Volvo V70 Cross Country completed the class podium with a time of 7:31.310.
The UV Class was again won by De Guzman with a time of 5:38.780, followed by Camacho in second, this time in an Isuzu DMax with a time of 5:45.260. John Rey San Diego completed the class podium with a time of 6:16.170 using an Isuzu D-Max.
The Pick-up Class was dominated by Camacho with a total time of 5:41.220. Adrian De Leon finished in second place using his Toyota Hilux GR-S with a time of 6:09.980, followed by Boboy Rabe in his Ford Ranger Raptor in third with a time of 6:23.960.
Round 6
With rally lights on, Philippine Rallycross Series racers battled in a much shorter yet more technical layout of CDS Offroad Playground. Dy-Liacco still captured the Group 1 win for the night stage with a time of 2:53.460. Desales finished in second place with 3:14.640, while rallycross newcomer Joaquin Ambata finished in third place with the time of 3:19.560 in his Corolla E11.
For Group 2, Dy-Liacco won with a total time of 2:48.840, followed by Camacho in second place with 2:50.900, and Paul Santos in third with 2:54.040. This same podium arrangement was duplicated for Group 3 with Dy-Liacco clocking in 2:48.970, Camacho with 2:49.720, and Santos with 2:52.390.
Dy-Liacco capped off his winning streak with a Group 4 top finish with the time of 2:49.640, followed by Santos in second place with 2:53.150, and Montelibano in third with 3:00.880.
For Open Class, Montelibano was awarded the top prize with his time of 3:00.780. Meanwhile, Galan was awarded the winner for the RWD night stage with a time of 3:34.480.
For the night stage AWD, De Guzman won with a total time of 3:05.030, with Marquez in second place and Ari Jaatinen in third, both in a Volvo V70 CC, clocking in the times of 3:45.430 and 4:28.040, respectively.
De Guzman did a clean sweep of the UV Class as he captured the night stage as well with a time of 3:01.890. Camacho finished in second place with 3:12.390, followed by San Diego in third with 3:21.400.
The night stage Pick-up Class was an all-DMax podium with Camacho on top with 3:06.840, San Diego in second place with 3:17.06,0 and Roland Cabatu with 3:25.730.
The next event from the PHRX team is the fourth and final round of the 2025 Philippine National Rally Championship, happening on February 7, 2026, still at the CDS Offroad Playground at Arden Botanical Estate in Tanza, Cavite. Follow the official Philippine Rallycross Series and Philippine National Rally Championship Facebook pages for more information.
