Intercontinental Rally Challenge

A big premiere is awaiting the organizers of Barum rally Zlín next year. The 37th year will be the part of the prestige Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) for the first time, which is broadcast by the satellite channel of Eurosport. The series includes nine competitions, which will take part also in Africa (Safari rally) and Asia (Chinese rally).The IRC is a championship for all current homologated cars except for the WRC. It is expected that the Super 2000 cars will play the main role along with the group N cars and also the Group A cars up to 2000 ccm will be counted in the championship.

“In the past weeks intensive discussions with the championship promoter were held. The series has its own rules and it is Eurosport who have the right to publish the information. That is why we did not issue any official attitude. The final contract with the SRW Event represented by Jacques Béhar was signed in November.“ said Miloslav Regner, the head of Barum rally Zlín. A lot of elite drivers, who were successful in the World Championship, as well as a lot of car brands are expected to take part. For example Fiat, Peugeot and others promised the participation. Also Toyota and Volkswagen seem to be interested. Everything will be decided and published during the following weeks.

“The first contact occurred during the touring car WTCC race at the Brno autodrome and then during the Rally San Remo in Italy. This meeting was forewent by the dealing of the manufacture deputies. The dealings have run very well thanks to the great help of the secretary general of FAS AČR Ing. Radovan Novák. His knowledge of the matter and contacts in the car worlds is beyond price. The TV coverage of the competition is really great. None such rally event has ever taken place in the Czech republic. Eurosport is the main sport channel in Europe. Before the rally itself the presentation of Barum rally will be broadcast as TV shots. Every day during the rally live broadcastings from the service zone, along with the shots of the special stages, interviews with the drivers and running results will take part. After the rally a summary will be broadcast. Also cuttings and IRC videos will be available on the Internet sites of Eurosport.“ said Ing. Jan Regner, secretary of Barum rally Zlín.

Peugeot 207 S2000

This year a preview of IRC took place. The European Champion Giandomenico Basso with Fiat Grande Punto S2000 won the series. The participation in the prestige IRC means a huge increase of the budget, which will be twice bigger. “We have to fulfill all the conditions given by the promoter of the championship. It will not be easy job. We believe in the support by the authorities and sponsors. Thanks to Eurosport a huge promotion in the media is guaranteed in more than 100 million households in the world, which is an enormous number. We expect increase of interest of the foreign tourists in Zlín region, growth of the number of fans of the rally and concern of media from the whole Europe. The group of organizers will expand and we will offer cooperation to students who will be able to use foreign languages.“ stated the head of the rally Miloslav Regner.

The contract between the Barum rally Zlín organizers and the promoter of the IRC series will last until 2010! It is a four-year cooperation with possible extension.

Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) 2007 schedule:

Safari rally Kenya	(Kenya, gravel)	09th – 11th March
Rally Vyborg	(Russia, gravel)	24th – 26th May
Belgium Ypres Westhoek Rally	(Belgium, asphalt)	22nd – 24th June
Rali Vinho da Madeira	(Portugal, asphalt)	02nd – 04th August
Barum rally Zlín	(Czech republic, asphalt)	24th – 26th August
Rally San Remo	(Italy, asphalt)	27th – 29th September
Rally of Turkey	(Turkey, gravel)	12th – 14th October
Rallye du Valais	(Switzerland, asphalt)	25th – 27th October
Rally China	(China, gravel)	23rd – 25th November

Zlín, November 15th 2006
Roman ORDELT
press spokesman Barum rally Zlín