A total of 93 crews from 6 countries have registered for the anniversary edition - 50th Garrett RALLY KOŠICE (July 12 – 14, 2024). Motorsport fans can look forward to numerous top-notch crews. The organizers from Košice report one WRC-specification vehicle on the entry list, a total of 12 vehicles in the prestigious Rally2 category, a large array of 2wd cars, and a wide range of historic cars. The biggest favorites include three-time Rally Košice winner Grzegorz Grzyb, also Jaroslaw Szeja from Poland, and the reigning Slovak champion Jaroslav Melichárek.
This year's anniversary race of the Košice Rally will become one of the best-attended competitions in recent years in Slovakia. This is due to the return of the Polish Rally Championship after a one-year break, which attracted many high-quality crews. Participants from six countries – Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, and the Czech Republic – have registered for one of the most traditional and oldest motorsport events in Slovakia.
Starting with number 1 is the reigning Slovak champion and two-time Rally Košice winner Jaroslav Melichárek with a Ford Fiesta RS WRC. Grzegorz Grzyb, the leader of the Polish championship in a Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo, can also possibly add a victory to his three previous wins in Košice. Jaroslaw Szeja, the winner of the recent rally in Malopolska and current second place holder in our northern neighbors' current championship, will also be driving the same vehicle.
Except for Kajetan Kajetanowicz, Mikolaj Marczyk, and Lukasz Kotarba, the complete elite of Polish rally sport is registered for 50th Košice Rally. Lukasz Byskiniewicz, Jaroslaw Koltun, Zbigniew Gabrys (all driving Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo), and the talented young driver Jakub Matulka (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) are aiming for top positions.
"The entry list is filled with very high-quality names. A number of fast drivers from Poland, led by the popular Grzyb, will be coming. From this perspective, we are very satisfied, even though the local driver and three-time winner of the Košice rally, Martin Koči, will not be participating. The anniversary edition will offer quality motorsport and exciting battles on the special stages," said Peter Szczeczina, the long-time director of the RALLY KOŠICE.
Among Slovak drivers, the best chances for podium finishes are held by the leader of the domestic championship and defending champion Róbert Kolčák (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) or Vlastimil Majerčák (Ford Fiesta Rally2). Majerčák recently achieved an excellent third place at the Rally Železniki in Slovenia, earning valuable points for the FIA Central European Zone Championship.
Their driving skills will certainly be showcased to numerous spectators by Tomáš Fusko (Škoda Fabia S2000), Marek Špavelko (Ford Fiesta), Tibor Kovács (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX), Marián Kekeňák (Ford Fiesta Proto), three-time Košice winner Jozef Béreš Jr. (Škoda Fabia B400), or the Polish drivers Jakub Ulanowski (Hyundai i20 R5), Michal Tochowicz (Citroën C3 Rally2), and Rafal Kwiatkowski (Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo). Class 3 will feature a very strong lineup, including Polish drivers Hubert Kowalczyk (Renault Clio Rally3) and Artur Dlugosz (Ford Fiesta Rally3) competing in the Slovak championship.
Among the 2WD cars, the leader of the current classification, Kamil Švec (Peugeot 208 Rally4), is registered, along with Patrik Magyar, Jakub Jačišin, Martin Koiš, Alexander Baffy (all Ford Fiesta Rally4), and others. It will be interesting to see how they fare in the competition against Polish drivers in the 2WD category. This category will feature the eighteen-year-old talent Hubert Laskowski (Ford Fiesta Rally4) driving with a Latvian license, as well as Blažej Gazda and Sebastian Butynski (both Renault Clio Rally4).
An interesting international crews list is emerging in the FIA CEZ Historic Rally Championship. Registered competitors include Pawel Molgo from Poland (Ford Sierra), Hungarians Zsolt Gyula Kalapács (Opel Kadett C Coupe) and Peter Szönyi (Suzuki Swift GTI), and Estonian Alar Herrmanson (LADA VFTS) who will compete for Slovak points among the historic cars. Among the historic competitors is the only woman in the starting field, Michaela Dorčíková (VAZ 2103). In the Rally Legend category, Mário Krajči will be driving a Porsche 924 Turbo, and Gabriel Szenderák will compete in the Slovak Trophy for regularity rally of historic cars with a Škoda Favorit 136L.
The Slovak Rally Cup (SRP) will see its third race of this season in Košice. Registered competitors include the fastest crew from Poprad - Marek Leško (Renault Megane Coupe), Rally Prešov winner Jozef Šálka (LADA VFTS), as well as Radoslav Fabián (Opel Astra GSi 16V), Tomáš Lukáč (VAZ 2107), and Lukáš Braniša (Ford Fiesta).
Further news coverage of the 50th Garrett RALLY KOŠICE 2024 will be provided in the upcoming press releases. They will be gradually published on the official website www.kosice.rallye.sk and on the Facebook profile. Informations about the Košice Rally can also be found in the mobile application "Sportity," with the password RallyKosice2024.
In Košice, July 5, 2024 ---- Roman ORDELT, Press Secretary