BAJA DRAWSKO 2020: OVERDRIVE RACING’S JAKUB PRZYGONSKI CONFIRMS IMPRESSIVE VICTORY IN POLAND’S BAJA DRAWSKO

Jakub Przygonski and his German navigator Timo Gottschalk secured an impressive victory in Wysoka Grzęda Baja Drawsko, the third round of both the Polish (RMPST) and Czech (MMCR) Cross-Country Championships, in an Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux on Saturday.
The Polish Team Orlen driver faced an impressive entry for the traditionally demanding round of the Polish Cross-Country Rally Championship with competitors from Poland, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Russia and Lithuania featuring in the upper reaches of the entry list. The victory means that Przygonski clinched the 2020 Polish Championship.

He said: “It’s fantastic to win Baja Drawsko, the last round of the Polish Championship. We are really happy because there was good cooperation with Timo and the car ran perfectly and we didn’t have any issues. Our speed was good. We enjoyed this race. Baja Poland was very wet with a lot of rain but this was quite good weather. We were able to push on the second stage because the sun dried the ground and it was a lot of fun to drive. I am extra happy because Timo and I won the Polish Championship. This is good because in these hard times we have the title with Toyota.”

Most notable rivals on the event, which was also the third round of the FIA Central European Zone Cross-Country Championship (FIA-CEZ), included former European rally champion and multiple Dakar entrant and Baja Poland winner Krzysztof Holowczyc, Michal Maluszynski and the veteran Czech Miroslav Zapletal.

Holowczyc won the opening 17.70km Poligon super special stage in a time of 12min 05sec and snatched a lead of 12 seconds over Przygonski. Maluszynski was a further three seconds adrift in third place and Zapletal slotted into fourth.

The meat of the action took place over two timed runs through a demanding 143.43km selective section at the military training grounds at Drawsko Pomorskie.

Przygonski, the former FIA World Cup winner, hit back on the first pass and a time of 1hr 39min 20sec was sufficient for the Overdrive Toyota driver to beat Maluszynski by 63 seconds to take an outright advantage of 66 seconds into the second pass

The leader shaved 42 seconds off his first run with a fastest time on the second pass through the military training grounds to seal the outright victory for Team Orlen and Overdrive Racing by 3min 32sec from Maluszynski. Zapletal finished in third and reached the finish 17min 08sec behind the leader.

2020 Baja Drawsko – final result
1. Jakub Przygonski (POL)/Timo Gotschalk (DEU) Toyota Hilux Overdrive  3hr 30min 15se           
2. Michal Maluszynski (POL)/Julita Maluszynska (POL) MINI John Cooper Works Rally 3hr 33min 27sec
3. Miroslav Zapletal (CZE)/Marek Sykora (SVK) Hummer H3 Evo  3hr 47min 23sec
4. Grzegorz Szwagrzyk (POL)/Jakub Moliter (POL) Mitsubishi Pajero  4hr 32min 13sec
5. Mariusz Pietrzycki (POL)/Sabina Pietrzycka (POL) Dacia Duster 4hr 46min 16sec
6. Michal Horodeński (POL)/Piotr Brakowiecki (POL) Toyota Land Cruiser KDJ155  4hr 48min 15sec, etc

Source Overdrive Racing