Kopecky to experience rallying 1960s style in Germany

Intercontinental Rally Challenge event winner Jan Kopecký will experience motorsport 1960s style when he contests the Sachsen Classic Rally in Germany from today (Thursday).

Kopecký, runner-up in the IRC for the last three seasons with the factory ŠKODA Motorsport team, will pilot a ŠKODA 1000 MB Rallye on the 10th anniversary of the popular event.

Several classic cars from the 1930s and 1940s owned by the ŠKODA Auto Museum will also be in action over the next three days.

“ŠKODA enjoys one of the richest traditions among automobile brands worldwide,” said Kopecký, who will be bidding to make it three IRC event wins in 2012 on Barum Czech Rally Zlín later this month. “That is particularly true for the sportscars and the 111-year old motorsport track record of the brand. I am excited to participate by driving a historic ŠKODA racecar in Saxony. It is a special rally for me this time.”

The ŠKODA 1000 MB Rallye Kopecký will use in Germany was built in 1968 and features a four-cylinder engine generating 90bhp. It has a top speed of 170kph. However, the oldest car competing on the event is the ŠKODA Popular Monte Carlo built at the Czech firm’s Mladá Boleslav headquarters in 1936. Only 72 examples were manufactured.

The Sachsen Classic Rally begins today (16 August) in Zwickau and finishes on Saturday following visits to Leipzig, Dresden and the Sachsenring race circuit.