Antonín Tlusťák dominated the premiere rally sprint on the Most circuit

09.05.2016 15:12

The zero year of The Most Rally Sprint, hosted by the Most Autodrom and Polygon today and on Friday, was firmly dominated by Antonín Tlusťák together with his navigator Ivo Vybíral in their new Škoda Fabia R5. They beat the second-placed team, composed of Jiří Navrátil and Josef Král in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, by nearly 40 seconds. Pavel Nešetřil and Hynek Středa were placed third in their newer Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, a further 12.5 seconds behind.

The idea of organizing a rally on the enclosed circuit received praise from drivers and fans alike. "It was a great event with perfect services for teams and spectators alike, with an excellent accompanying programme. Both the autodrom and polygon tracks were well prepared. Overall, I'd say that the rally sprint was a great success. I hope that the event will also take place in Most next year – I'd attend for sure,” said the absolute and two-time winner, Antonín Tlusťák. Two-time, because he did not find his match even in the slalom race, which was also open to the public.

The friendly and unexpectedly-second Jiří Navrátil also had high praise for the organizers and the event in general. This was his first race after a relatively long break caused by a technical problem. His Ford Sierra had a streak of three engine faults this year, and furthermore it has been two years since his last big race. And so his result was a surprise to many, especially after switching to a production Mitsubishi. "Even on Friday, when I was getting to learn the track, I did not feel particularly well in the car. However I managed to gain a lot of feel and judgement during the first speed run. But still, I wouldn’t say that I was satisfied with my performance. I lacked precision, and I like to be precise," he summarized.

Navrátil and his partner had a close call in the third speed run, when at 100 kilometres per hour the driver lost control of their Mitsubishi when exiting a turn, leading to several overturns.  "That was a great example of how safe the enclosed track is. Even at such high speed, we stopped near the barriers and without a collision," he added. His only complaint was regarding the date of the race. "November is quite an unfortunate choice, there's a lot of wind. Next year, I'd recommend moving the race to the next month. Still, I was surprised by the large number of visitors – really a lot of people came. The atmosphere was excellent," he added.

Spectators, who could comfortably see the speed runs on both tracks from the hill above the autodrom, were in for a thrilling race. Perhaps the most dramatic event occurred to Karel Štochl with his partner Adéla Vacková in their Subaru Impreza STI. After traversing a section with an artificial ford in the polygon, their car was catapulted into the water. Luckily, there were no injuries and the crew managed to exit the sinking car in time.

Visitors also praised the accompanying programme. The aerobatics of Miroslav Červenka, an experienced pilot, and especially his landing on the home stretch were a great addition. To make that possible, he switched to a different plane at Braňany airport; the historically first landing on the track of the autodrom was not foiled even by strong winds. The speed run exhibition also received high praise; it included a friendly match between Adam Lacko in the new Octavia Cup III, David Vršecký in the Buggyra racing truck and Martin Kolomý in the Dakar special Tatra. Vršecký then also challenged the European Go-Kart Champion, Adam Kout. The slightly rainy and windy, and yet very successful day culminated with a fire show by the group Firelovers which followed the announcement ceremony of the winners.

Of course, the organizers also kept the youngest visitors in mind. The polygon traffic playground was a centre of entertainment, competitions and games for children and their parents alike. Boys and girls could enjoy a jumping race zone, participate in interesting workshops, take part in creative work using natural materials and face-painting, and also compete in who could create the best kite.

    

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