Barum Czech Rally Zlín 

Pech wins the Barum Rally and Wiegand outrivals Kostka by 0, 2 seconds!

31. 8. 2014 - Michael Kachlíř, Roman Ordelt, press centre BCRZ

After eleven years Václav Pech (Mini John Cooper Works S2000) won the Barum Rally and also the seventh Czech title. He reached the finish safely with almost one minute margin. The final three stages of the 44th Barum Czech Rally Zlín had witnessed quite a drama as there was a tough fight for the second position.

Esapekka Lappi (Škoda Fabia S2000) scored victory in the second running at Zádveřice (length 14, 87 km). Tomáš Kostka (Ford Fiesta R5) was successful in his fight for the second position when he managed to move up from the fourth place, when losing 3, 6 seconds, and outrivaled the German driver Sepp Wiegand (Škoda Fabia S2000). 

The following stage Pindula (length 18, 43 km) was temporarily stopped due to Roman Odložilík's accident. Tarabus was the fastest among those who finished and others were given notional time by the decision of the Stewards of the Meeting.  András Hadik (Subaru Impreza STi R4), the leader of the production cars category, dropped out due to gearbox problems.

The final stage of the Barum Rally offered a battle for the remaining second and the fourth position. Drama at Kudlovice (length 21, 41 km) resulted in Wiegand's and Jaroslav Orsák's success. The German driver from the Škoda Motorsport team beat Kostka only by 0, 2 seconds thus placing right behind Pech. Orsák achieved fourth position by moving in front of the Polish driver Kajetanowicz and resisting the pressure from Tarabus. These three were squashed in the difference of only 1, 6 seconds! Adam Kobliha (Renault Clio R3) won the 2WD category; Stéphane Lefebvre (Peugeot 208 R2) from France scored victory in the FIA Junior ERC and Martin Březík (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX) ruled the production cars category.