Thirty two vintage sports cars made it’s first public appearance in Bohol during the three day “Tour de Cebu” 1000 kilometer rally on October 14, 2016 and ended Sunday at the BE Grand Resort Bohol.

Defying age and showing the loving hands that has maintained the beauty of the classic cars, an incredible line-up of Porsches, Alfa Romeos, Jaguars, Datsuns, Mercedes Benzes, Morgans, Toyota, Pontiac, Ford and Volkwagen were flagged off at the sprawling grounds of the BE Hotel on Friday and will negotiate the 1000 kilometers of well paved roads in the province.

The ten stage “1000 historic rally” will cover ten towns in eleven stages – Tubigon – Danao (1), Danao – Bien Unido (2), Bien Unido – Be Grand (3), BE Grand – Jagna (4), Jagna – Ubay (5), Ubay – Catigbian (6), Catigbian – BE Grand (7), BE Grand – Jetafe (8), Jetafe – Alicia (9), Alicia – Balilihan (10), Balilihan – Tubigon (11). 

The 208 room BE Grand Resort in Danao, Panglao who is marking their first anniversary this month is the official home of the Tour de Cebu with their own Grand Benedicto’s 550 Spyder entered in the tour with James Deakin, the award winning automotive journalist of CNN behind the wheels.

Chris Aldeguer, head of Performance and Classic Enthusiast of Cebu (PACE) told Chronicle Associate Editor Peter Dejaresco and former President of the Cam Wreckers Association Ramon Rodriguez that the “touristic run” aims to promote Bohol as a premier tourist destination.

Dejaresco was the past chair of the Bohol Tourism Council while Rodriguez was elevated to the Philippine Motorsports Hall of Fame last year. 

Chris Tio, Grand Marshall for the event told the Chronicle during cocktails held at the BE Grand Resort  after the first day of what he described as a  “1000 kilometer classic car rally” of 1972 and below qualified sports car.

“Tour de Cebu is a 1,000 kilometer classic car rally patterned after the Mille Miglia road race in Italy. This is our third tour and the first in Bohol after Cebu, Dumaguete and Bacolod.”

Mille Miglia (a thousand miles), dubbed as the greatest road race running from Brescia to Rome, Italy, a race not against each entry but against the clock.

Entries from Cebu, Clark, Manila and Iloilo are pitting their skills in the three day event more as an accuracy rally – time, speed and distance rather than a typical road race, according to Tio.

“This is also a reliability test of your vintage car. The time, speed and distance has been audited by Pepon Marave, six time Asia Formula 3 champion to determine the ideal time between stages. You will face penalties for arriving too early and arriving late”, according to Tio. 

The car models running in the rally are 1964, ’62 and ’71 Porsche, 1973 Datsun, 1961 Jaguar, 1967 and ’73 Alfa Romeo Spyders, ’65 Ford Shelby Cobra, 68 Mercedes Benz and a 64 Kharman Ghia.

The Chronicle learned that the oldest car entry is a late ’50 British car made by Peerless Car Ltd., of Slough, Berkshire  owned by John Vincent Kierol of Victory Liner and a British sports car made by Morgan Motor Company 

Also among the entries are a ’69 red Jaguar of world renowned furniture designer Kenneth Cobunpue, ’66 Pontiac owned by Louie Uy of Cebu and a ’68 Mercedes Benz 280 SL of Michael Lhuillier. 

The three day Tour de Cebu will wind up in Tubigon today after completing the 3rd and final stage that will flag off at BE Resort Hotel passing through Jetafe, Alicia, Balilihan and Tubigon. 

The 3rd Tour de Cebu is organized by PACE and the Manila Sports Car Club and Tradeshow International Inc. and sponsored by BE Grand Resort, Liqui Moly and SM Seaside City, Cebu. (Chito M. Visarra)