The calendar year 2024 will bring an important event in motorsport. One of the oldest competitions in Slovakia, Garrett RALLY KOŠICE, will celebrate a significant jubilee. Its fiftieth year will take place in the metropolis of the East Slovak region on July 12-14. In addition to the FIA Central European Championship and the Championship of the Slovak Republic, the traditional rally is also included in the Polish Championship. The patronage of the competition was taken over by Ing. Jaroslav Polaček, mayor of the city of Košice.
While the first written mention of the establishment of the city of Košice dates back to 1230, the first edition of Rally Košice was held in 1971. The first to enter the winners' gallery was the crew of AMK Poprad consisting of Július Ivan - Ján Mertiňák on a Škoda 110 LA vehicle. More than two months before the start of the competition, we bring basic information about the jubilee year.
In recent years, the competition has been held in autumn, but this year it will take place at the beginning of the summer holidays. "As part of this year's jubilee, we are preparing a ceremonial start and finish of the rally in the center of Košice. We decided to postpone the date to the summer period, when warmer weather can be expected. We believe that the entire environment of Hlavná ulica in the Košice metropolis will complete the festive atmosphere," said Gabriela Szczeczinová, chairperson of the Garrett RALLY KOŠICE organizing committee. The name of the company Garrett Motion Slovakia s.r.o. appears for the third time in a row in the name of the competition. – a provider of cutting-edge technology that makes vehicles safer, more connected, more efficient and more environmentally friendly. This company is the general advertising partner of the competition.
The Rally Headquarters and the Service Park are returning to the KFA complex on Pri Prachárni street. "The center of the entire rally returns to the premises of the Košice football arena. In the past, we have already found "asylum" here twice, including the location of the Service Park on the adjacent areas around the arena. Last year, we got into a collision with a football match and we placed the Headquarter in alternative premises," explained Szczeczinová.
Let's look at the basic program of the competition. Already on Thursday, July 11, road books, GPS devices will be issued and an optional Administrative check will take place. On Friday, July 12, the reconnaissance will begin (it will be finished by noon on Saturday), as well as Administrative check and Scrutineering, which will continue during Saturday morning. The Scrutineering will take place in the service premises of Moris Slovakia s.r.o., Košice. The main highlight of Friday will be from 6:00 p.m. Ceremonial start on Hlavná ulica street.
On the morning of Saturday, July 13, there is a Shakedown and from 2 p.m. the start of the Leg 1 with the departure of the first vehicle (CEZ, MSR, RSMP) from the Service Park. The first vehicle will be delivered to the Parc fermé at 9 p.m. On Sunday, July 14, the Košice rally will culminate with the Leg 2, when the first vehicle reaches the finish line at 2:30 p.m.
"Currently, we are fine-tuning the last details regarding the route. All necessary permits must be obtained. For the fans, we can already reveal that we are preparing an attractive circuit special stage in Košice for the jubilee year. It will be held at the end of the Leg1 at the same time as the Power Stage within the Slovak championship," said Peter Szczeczina, long-time Clerk of the Course of Garrett RALLY KOŠICE.
At the beginning of June, after approval by the national authority SAMŠ, the basic document of the rally will be published in the form of the Suplementary Regulations, where more details about the Košice rally will appear. At the same time, electronic registration for crews will be launched via the website www.sams-asn.sk. As part of the celebration of fifty years of the Rally Košice, we will present the history of this famous Slovak competition to the fans through several press releases.
We will provide further news service within the framework of the 50. Garrett RALLY KOŠICE 2024 in the following press releases. They will be published gradually on the official website kosice.rallye.sk and on the Facebook profile.
V Košiciach 6. mája 2024 Roman ORDELT, tlačový tajomník, 50. Garrett RALLY KOŠICE