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The “Croatia delta Rally” is the oldest, most difficult and most
popular car racing event in the Republic of Croatia. The event also
has the reputation as being one of the best organized events in this
part of Europe. The event was organized for the time in 1974 by the
“INA” auto-moto club of Zagreb and was then called the “INA-delta
TLX Rally”. The Rally ‘struggled’ to obtain European Championship
status for more than 15 years. Finally in 1991 FIA granted the
coefficient 2 to the Rally and in 1992 the 19th European
Delta rally championship took place.
The Organizer of the event are proud say that this was the first
international sporting event to have been organized in the newly
formed Republic of Croatia.
Top level organization with the help of numerous sports enthusiasts,
and the chief sponsor “INA oil industries “and with the support of
certain individuals in the Croatian government made it possible for
the Rally to gain coefficient 5 in 1994 and coefficient 10 the
following year. Thus in the short span of four years the Rally grew
from an anonymous local event to one of the most prestigious in
this part of Europe.
The “INA Croatia delta Rally” being one of the most important
sporting events in Croatia has a very rich sporting history. The
first event held in November of 1974 was a regional Croatian
Championship. The start of the Rally was in Delnice and the 283 km
long route led the drivers through the Gorski Kotar and Lika regions
to the finish in Rijeka., with one slalom stage and
two special stages: Platak (8.2km of tarmac) and Učka (8km of
gravel). The first ever winner of the Rally was Tomislav Markt a
member of the INA team.
Three years passed before the ‘Delta’ became a part of the Yugoslav
National Championship. The start was in Presluka near Opatija, and
the 690 km long route with five special stages took the competitors
through Ogulin, Delnice, Duga Resa, Sisak to the finish in Zagreb. A
total of 44 crews started the event and Aleš Pušnik from Slovenia
was the winner the event.
A further nine long years had to pass before the ‘Delta’ made its
next step; this time on the international scene. The 13th
Delta was an international invitation event and a total of 75 crews
from Italy, Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia
and Croatia started the event. This was also the first time the
Rally became a European Championship nominee. The route of the Rally
was 607,55 km long and was split into two legs and consisted of 18
road sections and 17
special stages in six different locations. This Rally will also be
remembered as the only one to have been won by a female crew; the
Slovenian crew of Romana Zrnec as driver and Špela Kožar as
co-driver in their Renault 11 turbo.
After that, the whole event was moved for good to Zagreb and the
surrounding areas. Since then the special stages have taken place in
the mountainous areas around Zagreb, Žumberak, Plešivica and the
Croatian Zagorje region.
For the Organizer of the event, the most difficult time was during
the war in Croatia. Nevertheless the organization was immaculate as
ever and it was during this period that the Rally, now organized by
the “Auto club Delta”, stormed it’s way through the ranks to become
a coefficient 10 European Championship event. In 1992, the first
European ‘Delta’ had the coefficient 2 (won by Ž. Šepatavc – N.
Krlić from Croatia). In 1993 the Rally had the coefficient 2 again,
but the following year coefficient 5 was awarded to the Rally (won
by N. Pulić – D.Devunić from Croatia). Already in 1995 the ‘Delta’
had the prestigious coefficient 10 (won again by N. Pulić –
D.Devunić from Croatia). Thanks to acquaintances and the ever
growing reputation of the Rally and it’s Organizer a growing number
of international drivers of the highest quality have
appeared on the ‘Delta’ (Enrico Bertonne three times European Champ
amongst others). The event has maintained its high rank of
organizing throughout the years and FIA observer’s reports only
confirm this fact.
It is only natural that the Organizer auto club “Delta” Zagreb would
not stop at this. Since 1996 the “INA Croatia delta Rally” has been
a serious candidate for the highest coefficient rang 20, now known
as the European Championship.
Can the ‘Delta crew’ crew organize a European Championship race or
maybe even a World Rally Championship race?! After looking at the
facts the answer is affirmative. We have the backing of the highest
state officials, sponsors and the media; and the event itself is
organized by a team of professionals and volunteers whose origins
can be traced to the Auto-moto association “Nafta” Gojlo founded in
1949. The timekeeping and race results processing are in the safe
and competent hands of “Delta Timing” who have proven themselves
time and time again working on rallies in Austria and Slovenia using
the most modern and up to date time keeping and computer technology.
Lobbying via our members and high ranking officials and friends
close to the FIA organization who are aware of the high quality of
the event and see the passion with which it is organized, we have
come very close to achieving our goal and becoming a European
Championship race of the highest rank. Once this is achieved, you
ask us what the next step is? Well the World Rally Championship of
course! |
