Fierce Fight at the ITO Istanbul Rally
The fifth round of the 2017 Turkish Rally Championship, the ITO Istanbul Rally, ended in victory for the Burak Çukurova-Vedat Bostancı crew, who competed for BC Vision Motorsport in a Skoda Fabia R5…
In the event organised by the Istanbul Automobile Sports Club, known as İSOK, on 9-10 September, Hakkı Ağaoğlu-Nehir Yılmaz took second overall for the GP Garage My Team squad in a Peugeot 207 S2000, while third went to Mustafa Çakal-Mehmet Köleoğlu from the same team in a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX. Of the 51 crews that started the rally, which was run under the main sponsorship of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and supported by Intercity Istanbul Park, İPOP, Tuzla Municipality, Spor Toto, Mirsan, Fora Vehicle Tracking Systems and T.T.O.K., 33 reached the finish.
CLASS BATTLES WERE BREATHTAKING TOO
Over two days the rally saw intense fights across the Mudarlı, Darlık, İPOP, Esenceli, Göçbeyli and Redbull.com Power Stage stages. In Class N, the Mustafa Çakal-Mehmet Köleoğlu crew, competing for GP Garage My Team in a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX, came out on top. Ümit Can Özdemir-Batuhan Memişyazıcı of Ford Motorsport Turkey won Class 4 and the 2WD classification in a Ford Fiesta R2T, and the crew also took victory in the Fiesta Rally Cup.
The Class 3 win went to brothers Onur-Uğur Çelikyay, competing for Ford Motorsport Turkey in a Ford Fiesta ST. Also in a Ford Fiesta ST for Ford Motorsport Turkey, Burcu Çetinkaya Bucak won the rally's Female Drivers' category, while Nehir Yılmaz took the Female Co-drivers' title. Ford Motorsport Turkey's 22-year-old Tamer Emre Hasbay, in a Ford Fiesta R2T, beat his rivals to the Junior Drivers' win.
CLASSICS DEFY THE YEARS
In the historic classification, open to classic rally cars over 35 years old, the Engin Kap-Ali Emre Yılmaz crew led the way for Parkur Racing in a Ford Escort MK2, with Kemal Gamgam-Orkun Demir taking second, also in a Ford Escort MK2.
In historic Category 1, where only two of the five starters finished, Levent Gür-Oytun Albayrak won in a Fiat 131, also taking third in the overall historic classification.
RACING IN MEMORY OF RENÇ KOÇİBEY
In the Renç Koçibey Cup classification, which attracted 16 crews from different provinces, İlhan Mutluay-Cumhur Önder took the overall win and Category 2 victory in a Citroen C2. Erkan Yanıkoğlu-Bora Yılmaz claimed second overall and Category 4 victory in a Renault Clio II Sport, and brothers Yiğt Yalçın-Serdar Yalçın took third overall in an Opel Astra GSI… In the Renç Koçibey Cup, where 16 crews started and seven finished, the Category 1 winners were Mert Gür-Ege Can Ünlü in a Fiat Palio.
NEXT UP: RALLY MARMARIS
The 2017 Turkish Rally Championship continues with Rally Marmaris, to be held in Muğla on 21-23 October, which also counts towards the Balkan Rally Cup. The event is a candidate for the World Rally Championship and will be attended by senior observers and officials from various European countries appointed by the International Automobile Federation (FIA), as well as engineers and managers from the factory teams that follow the World Championship… 
