Barum Czech Rally Zlín 

Fans met rally legends at Golden Apple shopping centre

28. 8. 2021 - Vojtěch Jurák

Not only the sports programme but also the side events of the jubilee 50th Barum Czech Rally Zlín have fully started. On Friday early afternoon, the spectators met five drivers who have experienced a lot out of the history of motorsport: Pavel Valoušek senior, Karel Jirátko, Josef Sivík, Josef Častulík and Raimund Baumschlager from Austria.

Even before the beginning of the moderated autograph session, a few groups of fans were waiting at the shopping centre in Zlín. Tens of people in total appeared to meet the rally legends, ask for an autograph or even stop for a short talk. The drivers kept signing photos, cars or posters and smiling.

"The Barum rally? Well, the first thing that comes to my mind are the locals. Those who like rally and live here dream about attending this competition," thinks Jirátko. The experienced driver, who turned 70 a short time ago, is even going to face this year's edition as he is taking part in the Star Rally Historic competition.

"I have really many experiences from this rally. Once, we lost our wheel; it got stuck under the car and we kept pulling it on the road for another twenty kilometres. It got completely damaged of course," smiled Jirátko while signing a big poster of the current Barum rally edition. "I don't know clearly how many times I attended the competition. Maybe twenty times? Or even more? It is hard to say. But for me, it was a dream come true," he added.

The well-known and experienced Austrian driver Baumschlager pointed out the great atmosphere of the Zlín motorsport event. "The stages here are tough, especially Pindula – that is the local royal track! This year, the road seems quite damaged to me, the danger of being affected by a defect will be high," said Baumschlager during the autograph session.

"Yes, the Barum rally is an extremely hard competition," knows Valoušek senior. "My favourite editions are the successful ones, once for example, I finished third or fourth overall. Later, I also competed with my son and even these days, we still train together," he added.

The side events for the fans are running the whole weekend and the rally itself starts on Friday. For further information visit our website www.czechrally.com and don't forget to follow the Barum rally also on its official Facebook, Instagram and Twitter profiles.