Barum Czech Rally Zlín 

Program for spectators for Friday: Barum Czech Rally Zlín is here!

15. 8. 2019 - Jakub Hofbauer

Friday, being the opening day of the Barum Rally will be buzzing with excitement. There are a lot of things going on for crews and spectators alike in Zlín.

Friday morning means the first action for ERC priority elite crews. There is a Qualifying Stage on a well-known section from Pohořelice to Komárov, which includes two practice rides and the third one for real. The Qualifying Stage begins at 8 am to 10:20 am, and at 10:30 am the test formally changes to a Shakedown that will be open to all remaining Barum Rally participants until 1 pm. But be careful! A large parking lot is ready for spectators in Pohořelice, but due to construction work in Kvítkovice, the arrival is possible only from Napajedla and Oldřichovice. We recommend arriving in advance due to limited access routes.

After the end of the Shakedown, the rest of the vibrant program is happening in Zlín. The whole spectacle on a starting ramp launches at 2 pm on Náměstí Míru square in front of the Town Hall. The first ones to appear at a starting ramp are Star Rally Historic crews. Rally Legend - demonstration ride and then the starting field of Czech Historic Rally Championship. At 3:30 pm the fifteen fastest riders from the qualification will meet at the same place and choose their starting position for Saturday's Leg 1 based on the results from the qualification. And at 4 pm the first car of the main starting field departs from the ramp.

Simultaneously, more things are going on in a nearby Svoboda park and on the city circuit. In a park, the participants of Zlín Bikes will present themselves before they hop on their bikes and try for themselves the Super SS. Moreover, Nine Months Agency and other partners of this event prepared many attractions for children and adults as well. In the western part of the park, those who like to admire vintage vehicles can see on their own eyes beauties from the 20s and 30s participating in the VIII. Bugatti Grand Prix.

However, the Super Special Stage is the highlight of Friday's program. The city circuit will close for traffic at 4 pm so that half an hour later Zlín Bikes start rolling for the third time. Peloton should finish by 5:15 pm and afterward the Bugatti Grand Prix kicks off. For the first time, these veterans are competing in regularity rally, because the race is newly included in the four-part series GRAND PRIX of historic vehicles under the patronage of the Autoclub of the Czech Republic. Bugatti GP consists of two races, the first starts at 5:25 pm, the second at 6:10 pm, counting a record number of nearly forty historical gems. Also, various racing specials like the legendary Audi Quattro Group B or Dakar special Ford Raptor of Martin Prokop will rumble through the streets of Zlín.

At 7:15 pm, the Star Rally Historic is going to turn up. The racing specials from the 70s to 90s, will fight for points in the Czech National Championship and also show their treasured cars in the Rally Legend demonstration ride. They will show up from the lowest starting numbers. However, the starting field of the Barum Czech Rally Zlín goes ahead in reverse order at 9:15 pm. The most excellent ERC crews should be the climax of SSS at the very end before midnight. And Firework show will put an end to Friday's program.

Moreover, the center of Zlín will be full of other various happenings throughout the day. In the afternoon on Náměstí Míru square, ŠKODA Park offers several attractions such as a virtual reality rally simulator, RC models, a photo corner or a relaxation zone. Nearby, there is a Barum Czech Rally Zlín stand in the Golden Apple Shopping Center with all the merchandise products. KIA Roadshow 2019, on Náměstí Práce square, has on display various models from the current portfolio of the Korean car manufacturer. Rally for Children is a project created for children aged five to ten, in which they can get a taste of what it is like to sit behind the wheel of a small go-kart. Go-karting is open from 10 am to 7 pm. The campaign Marrow for Tomorrow is relaunched at the occasion of Barum Rally. It aims to gain new potential bone marrow donors to the national register. In the past four years, several thousand Barum Rally fans registered, and anyone aged 18-35 has again the opportunity to help. The stand opens at 4 pm on Náměstí Míru square.