The Clark International Festival of Speed (CIFOS) 4-Wheel Festival roared to life over the weekend, drawing record crowds and cementing its place in Philippine motorsport history with an unprecedented 236-car Tour d’Elegance — the largest car parade ever to lap the Clark International Speedway (CIS).
The historic event combined the thrill of racing with the passion of car culture and a shared vision to elevate Clark as a hub for international automotive tourism.
The exclusive, invite-only Tour d’Elegance began at the storied Fort Stotsenburg Parade Grounds, where racers, hobbyists, and elite car clubs gathered for a pre-drive camaraderie session. From there, the convoy, led by Kilton Motor Corporation and CIS President Johnny Tan in a Jaguar XK8 convertible with Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President and CEO Agnes VST Devanadera as his passenger, cruised through Clark before entering the racetrack.
For the first time in local motorsport history, 236 cars of various makes completed a full-lap parade around CIS — nearly tripling last year’s 80-car count. At the front of the monumental grid was racer and car enthusiast Angie King, who piloted her Ferrari 458 GT3 in a Philippine flag-inspired livery.
Tan, who also heads CIFOS, shared his goal of expanding the festival’s reach beyond the Philippines.
“I have a partner in Japan. Hopefully we can invite some Japanese enthusiasts to also join the Tour d’Elegance,” he said. “Maybe we will invite the car clubs also to go to Japan and ride their cars also for their Tour d’Elegance. Hopefully, we can do this on an international level in the next few years.”
CDC’s Devanadera lauded the event as a model for successful collaboration.
“This is a testament that when the private sector and the government sector join hands, we can have the best of everything,” she said.
The festival also celebrated creative talent through the inaugural CIFOS Shutter Session Contest, which honored top photographers and videographers covering the Philippine Motorsport Championship Series (PHIMOS).
Winners were selected through judging and public voting, with their works displayed at Trade Hall 2.
Video winners: Champion Seth Enriquez, followed by Cheiyef Villareal, Ronald Sioson, Cedi Santos, and Joseph Caplis.
Photo winners: Champion Alex Alcontin, followed by Erika Santos, Anneeka Rivamonte, Ian Joseph Sarmiento, and Chriziela Abrera.
Photo finalists included Cesar Diaz, Crispin Ubaldo, Jayvee Morallon, Jeorge Santos, and Mark Manlapat.
The competition aimed to nurture new creative talent while opening doors to opportunities in motorsports media.
The PHIMOS Championship delivered edge-of-the-seat racing action throughout the weekend, featuring 196 entries across multiple divisions. While Saturday’s races ran smoothly under clear skies, the final championship day was cut short by a heavy downpour, forcing organizers to call off the concluding rounds for safety reasons.
Beyond the racetrack, car culture thrived with back-to-back evening meets.
Friday’s On the Grid event, organized by No Limits, gathered 220 participants showcasing exotics, tuners, and JDM icons, while Saturday’s Legends of the 90s meet reunited 165 cars celebrating the beloved automotive era.
Meanwhile, the exhibitor boulevard along the pitlane transformed into a “street of speed and style,” featuring car brands, lifestyle gear, and food vendors.
Inside Trade Hall 2, visitors were treated to a showcase of rare racing heritage — headlined by the 1962 Formula Junior Edsbrat, built in Hong Kong by Eddy Carvalho, the first Macau Grand Prix winner. The car, which competed in Macau and Japan, is the only Formula Junior ever constructed in Asia and remains unique to this day.
A tribute to Filipino racing legend Arsenio “Dodjie” Laurel, the first two-time Macau Grand Prix winner, was also featured.
Following the success of the 4-Wheel Festival, CIFOS is gearing up for its next major event — the 2-Wheel Festival — which will spotlight the motorcycle community from November 28 to 30, once again at Clark International Speedway.
