Youngsters Take Podium Places at Kısıkköy

Round 3 of the 9 Eylül Local Autocross Cup, the Kısıkköy Autocross, was held on Sunday 25 October by Aydın Automobile Sports Club with the support of Menderes Municipality. Puddles that formed on parts of the dirt track because of rain made for some tricky moments for the competitors, and the resulting scenes delighted the spectators.

Run over five laps of an 800-metre track with dirt and concrete surfaces, the event was split into three categories. A large crowd turned out for the race, which had a festival atmosphere thanks to AYOSK's successful organisation.

In Category 1, young competitor Tolga Tezeken set the fastest time on the track, as in previous events, to take the win. Bedri Kolsallayan struggled badly to restart his car after it stalled on the start line. Just as he was about to abandon the race he managed to get his Palio going, and he went on to finish second in the category. Burak Güngör, who is getting a little quicker with every outing, took third.

In a fiercely fought Category 2, three competitors failed to reach the finish. Hakan Vural, who impressed the crowd with his speed and car control, did not complete the race after he entered a tough, mud-covered corner at high speed and the tyre came off the rim. Mithat Diker's car stalled 100 metres from the finish on the final lap, and he made a huge effort to restart it. He tried to push the car to the line, but the mud-covered corner proved too much and he was forced to retire. With Kemal Şener also unfortunate and failing to reach the chequered flag, Erdal Oral won comfortably.

Doğukan Alkan, who earned his place in the cup by winning the Ege Asal Challenge selection event, won Category 3 and also impressed the spectators. Tunç Tuncer, who started the race to test his car's gravel set-up, finished second, while Yonca Güngör, who took the win in the ladies' category, was third in this category.

Club President Kuvvet Erim said: "As AYOSK, we delivered a successful event despite the poor weather. The increase in the number of spectators and competitors at the third race of the 9 Eylül Cup is another thing that pleases us." The final round of the cup, organised by AYOSK, will be held on 22 November.