The victory in the overall classification of the Open Serbian Hill Climb Championship was claimed by the Bulgarian driver competing for the Belgrade-based club ASK G.A.G.A. Avala Racing Team, at the wheel of a “Subaru Impreza”.
Second place in the overall standings, behind Rumen Veselinov, was taken by Serbian driver Uroš Brkić from the Belgrade ASU Galax team, driving the “Norma M20 F” prototype, thereby securing victory in the CN/E2-SC class of the Central European Zone Championship (FIA CEZ HCC), with two races still remaining in the competition.
In fact, Brkić defended the title he won last year and at the same time completed a championship hat-trick, as he also claimed victory in the same championship in 2022 in the touring car class up to 2,000 cc, driving a “Volkswagen Polo”. Next weekend Brkić will compete in the FIA CEZ HCC race in Buzet, but for him it will be a matter of prestige only, as he has already defended the title in the prototype class.
“A very tough race. On home ground, in front of the home crowd. I drove at maximum pace, but not every run went the way I wanted. In the first run I had a problem — at the first heavy braking point I slid a lot and lost two to three seconds,” said Brkić.
Continuing his analysis of the race performance on Tara, Brkić added:
“I drove the second run more cautiously. In the third I wanted maximum pace, but I touched the tires placed next to the track so that competitors wouldn’t cut and shorten the course, and I tore off the aerodynamic winglets on the front right side of the bodywork. As a result, I had a slower pace to the finish than I wanted. But in the end, what matters most…”
Finally, Brkić did not hide his happiness over the defended title.
“After this race, the Central European championship title stays in Serbia, just like the previous two seasons. The third title in a row really means a lot to me. I believe new challenges are now ahead of me and that the time has come for a higher level of competition, which I am especially looking forward to.”
Third place in the overall standings of today’s hill climb race on Tara went to Aleksandar Vidosavljević, a member of ASK Rid from Bajina Bašta, driving a “Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9”. The three of them had already hinted at today’s final standings during Saturday’s unofficial and two official practice sessions, after three runs up the slopes of Tara.
In eighth place overall was another Serbian driver, Veljko Alempijević from the ASK WRR team, driving a “Mini Cooper JCW”.
Unofficial overall standings
R. VESELINOV – 6:15.190 minutes from three runs
U. BRKIĆ – 6:25.066 (-9.876 seconds)
A. VIDOSAVLJEVIĆ – 6:28.471
I. IGNATOV – 06:31.921
G. SHAQIRI – 6:45.311
A. DIMITROV YORDANOV – 6:56.012
V. GEORGIEV – 7:03.970
V. ALEMPIJEVIĆ – 7:07.458
K. LOZANOV KRUMOV – 7:15.506
M. PETKOV ANGELOV – 7:16.623