Everything indicates that the line-up of Baja Szczecinek will be exceptionally big and exceptionally interesting. The entry list for the rally is getting filled up, and there are many interesting names on it, from Poland as well as from other countries. This first FIA rally of the season, which will take place on 24th-25th July, as scheduled, attracts many competitors hungry for racing after the long break.
Literally minutes after the opening of entries, organizers of Baja Szczecinek received the first entries which prefigured that line-up of the rally will be really interesting. “First on the list, first at the finish line,” hopes Arkadiusz Lindner, who was impatiently waiting for registrations for the rally. The participant of January’s Dakar Rally 2020 has a victory in Baja Szczecinek under his belt already, so he counts on repeating this result, but, above all, on rivalry full of emotions: “This break in rallies is already too long for me, I can’t stand this much without racing! So many rallies have been canceled or postponed to autumn, so I’m very happy that organizers of Baja Szczecinek managed to organize this event now because for all competitors from Poland and Europe it’s an occasion to start this belated season right here. I can’t wait for this rally! I hope that I’ll have many strong rivals,” says Arkadiusz Lindner. He can be sure about it, because it’s not only him who misses racing, as proved by the entries for Baja Szczecinek coming in every day. And those come from different countries – competitors are expected from Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Lithuania and Hungary. Among the foreign competitors who made their entries in the first days, there is another Dakar Rally participant, Hungarian biker Lajos “Laller” Horvath: “I’m very happy to be able to start in this rally. It is always an honor to race in Poland as I love Polish people. I’m looking forward to trying my new bike in race finally. I want to be there also for sports diplomacy. The last time I competed in Poland was two years ago, and I had a great time at a race perfectly organized. I hope it will be similar again, but knowing our Polish friends, they won’t disappoint us. I’m looking forward to riding again with my old rivals, I’m really excited,” says Laller. The Hungarian biker will compete, among others, with Polish Dakar Rally biker, Krzysztof Jarmuz. Jarmuz started in Dakar Rally 2020 in the extremely tough “Original by Motul” category (formerly known as malle moto), among bikers without service crews, finishing his third Dakar in the forefront of competitors in this category. He takes Baja Szczecinek no less seriously because participation in this rally will be one of the elements of his preparations for Dakar 2021. Among the participants of Baja Szczecinek there will be many more names known from Dakar Rally tracks, which guarantees that the fight will be fierce and full of emotions.
Baja Szczecinek, which will take place on 24th-25th July, will really “unfreeze” cross-country rallies, what’s indicated by the interest in the event: “We are very happy that motorsport in Poland can finally start, for all of us it was a really tough situation. Baja Szczecinek, opening this belated season of cross-country rallies, will be one of the first events of Polish Championship rank at all, and thus it will not only start the fight for champions’ titles in this particular discipline, but it will also “unfreeze” motorsport in Poland. Moreover, it’s one of the first cross-country rallies in Europe, so we expect a really big number of entries and interesting names,” says Lukasz Biegus from PZM Road Rallies Sub-commission.
Entries close on Monday, 13th July, and entry list will be published on 15th July. For sure there will be many more interesting competitors entered by then, that will guarantee a high level of rivalry and a big dose of emotions at the start of the season: “We didn’t doubt even for a moment that we would manage to run the rally. We kept our fingers on the pulse all the time, thanks to what we have everything already prepared and we’re only waiting for competitors now. Organizing a rally in such an uncertain time as coronavirus pandemic is a huge challenge and we had to overcome a lot of obstacles, but luckily everything went well and we’re on the home straight. Although we had to postpone Baja Szczecinek by almost two months, this new July date occurred a bull’s eye. We have lots of support from competitors, who everyday report their readiness for the rally, and we already can’t wait to see them in Szczecinek!” says Andrzej Derengowski, organizer of Baja Szczecinek.
Baja Szczecinek is the 1st round of Polish Championship and Cup, Central European Zone Championship (FIA-CEZ), Hungarian Championship and Czech Championship for Cross-Country Rallies for cars, as well as the 1st round of Polish Bajas Championship and Cup and Hungarian Cross-Country Rally Championship for bikes and quads. Additionally, non-licensed car crews can compete here in Sporting Cross-Country Event (TIS). On Friday, 24th July, competitors of all categories will warm up with a 5 km long Qualifying Stage, followed by two runs on 42 km long SS “Okonek”. On Saturday, 25th July, they will tackle 61 km long SS “Czarne”, run twice. Names of winners will be known on Saturday afternoon.
Source: Baja Szczecinek press release
