Barum Czech Rally Zlín 

Hard stages full of excitement on Barum rally

24. 7. 2018 - Roman Ordelt

The last August weekend will be in the name of rally in Zlín. The 48th Barum Czech Rally Zlín is from 24th to 26th August 2018; the legendary rally event is part of FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) and Czech National Rally Championship 2018 (MCR). Barum rally has been for many years one of the most prestigious rally events in the Czech Republic and Europe as well.

All the crews will be in Zlín on Tuesday 21st for autograph signings in the Shopping centre Golden Apple. The Qualifying Stage and Shakedown is again scheduled for Friday morning on the traditional route from Komárov to Pohořelice. After the Ceremonial Start in front of the City Hall of Zlín, Friday night in the name of fast cars starts at 9:15 pm, this stage is quite on point known as Super Special Stage.

This year's Barum Czech Rally Zlín comprises of fifteen special stages of total length 212,5 kilometres. Despite cancelling the very entertaining SS Pindula because of still on-going infection African Swine Fever, the Clerk of Barum Czech Rally Zlín Miloslav Regner promises that the level of fun will not go down. "This doesn't mean that fans would miss out on high-quality level stages. The challenging character of the special stages will add something extra. The last stage Kašava can determine this year's winner. It's 25 kilometres long," Miloslav Regner said and further added: "After Friday's night Special SS, for Saturday are scheduled special stages called Březová, Semetín, Rajnochovice a Kudlovice. And on the last day, Sunday, are special stages Halenkovice, Maják and the already mentioned Kašava. All the special stages except for SSS are going twice."

The youngest driver is an eighteen-year-old Erik Cais from Fryšták, a village near Zlín, who has been racing for seven years. "When I was a child I used to watch Barum rally. It was my dream to race here. My dad finished sixth and Jaroslav Orsák was fourth once, the owner of the team. I'm going have to work very hard to match their results," said the smiling youngster. Rally is hardly the hardest task in his life. "I used to do mountain bike downhill and I got into the national team. I had a lot of fractures so racing in a car seemed to be far more comfortable for me. To tell the truth, doctors almost didn't allow me to participate. I had an open fracture of a clavicle and it was unknown whether belts in a car would cause me any discomfort," Erik Cais described his troubles and he will be racing with Peugeot 208 R2.