Avcıoğlu Wins Season-Opener at Rally Bodrum
Rally Bodrum, Turkey's only prize-awarding rally, opened the 2022 national calendar this year as the first round of the season under ICRYPEX main sponsorship. Organised by Karya Otomobil Spor Kulübü from 15-17 April with the support of Bodrum Municipality and BODER (Bodrum Hoteliers' Association), the event was backed by Çözüm Ortağı Ajans, Oasis Bodrum, Salt Hayat, TAV Airports, Azka Otel, Hillstone Bodrum and Very Chic Bodrum. 
The opening round of the Shell Helix 2022 Turkish Rally Championship ended with victory for the Orhan Avcıoğlu – Burçin Korkmaz crew in a Skoda Fabia R5. Avcıoğlu made a fast start on returning to the rally stages after a three-year break, winning the first event for Toksport WRT. Team-mates Cem Alakoç – Emir Şahin, competing with TRECO support, took second in another Skoda Fabia R5 in a tough rally, while third went to Ali Türkkan – Burak Erdener of Castrol Ford Team Türkiye, who switched to the Ford Fiesta R5 for the first time this year. 
In the two-wheel-drive classification and Class 4, Yıldıray Demircioğlu – Mehmet Köleoğlu of BC Vision Motorsport took victory in a Peugeot 208 R2. The other class winners were Erol Akbaş – Egemen Ertük of Castrol Ford Team Türkiye in a Ford Fiesta Rally3 (Class 3), Can Altınok – Efe Ersoy of Renault Clio Trophy Turkey in a Renault Clio Rally5 (Class 5), and Dağhan Ünlüdoğan – Aras Dinçer of GP Garage My Team in a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX (Class N). Red Bull athlete Ali Türkkan won the Young Drivers category, Ege Can Ünlü topped the Young Co-drivers, and Asena Sancaklı, who competes alongside Tuncer Sancaklı, won the Female Co-drivers category. 
In the historic rally classification, open to classic rally cars, Üstün Üstünkaya – Kerim Tar of Parkur Racing took the win in a Ford Escort Mk II, while Hakan Gürel – Çağatay Kolaylı of Castrol Ford Team Türkiye won the TOSFED Rally Cup, run in memory of Oğuz Gürsel. 
Of the 67 cars that started the Karya Otomobil Spor Kulübü-organised rally, 52 reached the finish. At the prize-giving, attended by Bodrum Mayor Ahmet Aras and Turkish Motorsport Federation President Eren Üçlertoprağı, the winners received trophies made with sponges harvested by Aksona Mehmet, Bodrum's last sponge diver. The special award presented by Satvet Çiftçi, a veteran figure who served Turkish motorsport for many years as both competitor and official, went to best young driver Ali Türkkan. 
Held during Tourism Week, Rally Bodrum once again showed that motorsport is the jewel of sports tourism. With teams, individual competitors and spectators filling the streets of Bodrum, the town welcomed around 3,000 visitors during the week of the event.
