Avcıoğlu Wins Rally Marmaris, Çukurova Crowned Turkish Champion
On Rally Marmaris, a dress rehearsal for the World Rally Championship and the final round of the Balkan Rally Cup within the European Rally Cup, Orhan Avcıoğlu-Burçin Korkmaz took victory in their Toksport WRT Skoda Fabia R5 to become 2017 Balkan Rally Cup champions.
The event, organised by the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation (TOSFED) with the support of the Muğla Governorship, Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, Ula Municipality, Marmaris Municipality and the Muğla Provincial Directorate of Youth Services and Sports, wrapped up with the second day of competition.
Second place overall went to Burak Çukurova-Vedat Bostancı of BC Vision Motorsport, who finished runner-up in their Skoda Fabia R5. With the points they collected, the crew also sealed the 2017 Turkish Rally Championship title with one round still to run.
Third place on Rally Marmaris went to Mustafa Bulutoğluları-Nebil Öneral, who travelled from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to compete in a Toksport WRT Skoda Fabia R5. Seven stages were run on the second day of the rally, which featured 41 cars and 82 competitors from Turkey and abroad. The rally was given its ceremonial start on Friday by Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, and the prizes were presented to the top finishers at a ceremony in 19 Mayıs Youth Square.
The ladies' winners were Burcu Çetinkaya Bucak-Nehir Yılmaz of Ford Motorsport, while the class wins went to Adil Küçüksarı-Kerim Tar in ERT 2 in a Neo Motosport Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX, Buğra Banaz-Gürkal Menderes in ERT3 in a Castrol Ford Team Ford Fiesta R2T, and And Sunman-Bahar Sunman in ERT Juniors in a Ford Motosport Ford Fiesta R2.
In the historic rally classification, open to classic rally cars over 35 years old, Engin Kap-Başar Yavuz took the overall win and the Category 2 win in a 1976 Ford Escort MKII, while İbrahim Öztürk-Serdar Canbek won Category 1 in a BMW 1502.
The 2017 Turkish Rally Championship will conclude with the Ford Otosan Rally in Kocaeli on 11-12 November.
