Hungarian crew Norbert Herczig - Igor Bacigál has made history as the winner of 40th Rally Košice - demanding two-stage rallye. Which crew will be the fastest this year we will know in a month already.
In early September last year 40th Rally Košice took its place, which started to write its history already in 1971 with the name Rally VSZ Kosice. The organizers - Auto Klub Košice prepared for competition crews together 11 special stages on measured 141.5 km long route. Since the competition was included in the ‚FIA Central European Zone‘ ,Slovak Rally Championship‘ ‚Hungarian Rally Championship‘ Slovak Rally Cup and Hungarian Rallye2 Champinship‘. 128 competing crews were presented. On the eve of the competition meeting was held in the Hotel Yasmin and social gathering of former winners and years of organizers who have a collage of photos and videos remind all the forty years of Kosice rally history. Interesting is the fact that the start of last year's rallye is not only attended by some winners from previous years, for example - Tibor Cserhalmi, Jozef Beres, Jozef Beres jr., Igor Drotár, Vladimir Bánoci, but also sons of winners - Martin Koči or Pavel Valoušek.
The actual competition kicked off on Saturday, exactly at noon, passings starting podium on the main street from where the crew has moved on to RS1. The Saturday´s rally route consisted of six special stages on three various tracks. The greatest duel audience could watch on the two Hungarian crews Herczig - Bacigál (Škoda Fabia S2000) and Kazár - Szoke (Ford Fiesta R5). In this order they reached the finish, but the with only tiny difference - just 1.6 seconds. The Slovak crew who get the first place were Martin Kochi - Lukáš Kostka in a Citroen DS3 R3T.
The overall winner should decide Sunday's leg with five special stages. Organizers for the first time also included the SS Optima, which was extremely interesting especially for the spectators. The best crew of the day Norbert Herczig with Igor Bacigál who its lead over closest rivals increased the to 2.7 seconds, took absolute victory and first place in the Slovak and Hungarian champion. Second place won Miklós Kazar with Tamás Szoke Kazár and a third place András Hadik with Krisztián Kertész (Subaru Impreza R4). Slovaks fastest in the second phase were Igor Drotar with Vlado Bánoci at the Skoda Fabia WRC. Victory in the competition of teams after two days enjoyed the team Drotár Autošport. Slovak Rally Cup has brought two different winners. While Saturday were the fastest Peter Haluška - Pavol Kočík on Sunday Ján Kundlák with Marcel Hranka were better.
This year's 41st edition of Rally Košice is again part of the Hungarian Rally Championship, making tracks of Košice rallye examine the ability of a wide equestrian field that predicts not only interesting duels in absolute order but also within each class.
Zdenka Tamášová
Press center 41. Rally Košice