Champion of Champions Delivers a Breathtaking Showdown

The "Champion of Champions", which determines the fastest driver of the year in motorsport, was organised at Körfez Racing Circuit on 14-15 April. Organised by the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation TOSFED with the support of Opel Türkiye, Spor Toto and Petlas, the event began with qualifying on Saturday 14 April. From among 48 competitors from different disciplines who took to the track in Opel Corsa OPC race cars, the 16 fastest earned the right to compete in Sunday's finals. Can Tolon, Yağız Avcı, Ali Türkkan, Burak Çukurova, Engin Kap, Orhan Avcıoğlu, İbrahim Okyay, Buğra Banaz, Ümitcan Özdemir, Berkay Besler, Murat Bostancı, Yağız Gedik, Gün Taşdelen, Adil Küçüksarı, Aytaç Biter, Emre Yurdakul were the 16 fastest names on day one and qualified to fight it out in the finals on the second day. Held for the first time last year after a 15-year break, the event again attracted great interest from spectators this year. The programme was livened up by Apexmasters drifting displays and Birkan Polat's motorcycle stunt shows, while 1992 and 1994 Turkish Rally Champion İskender Atakan and 1991 Turkish Rallycross Champion Cem Hakko took to the track in a Lancia Delta HF Integrale, 1996 Turkish Rally Champion Serdar Bostancı in a Ford Escort Cosworth, and 2010, 2011 and 2012 Turkish Autocross Champion Halim Ateş in a MINI JCW WRC.

Petlas supported the Champion of Champions with Petlas Velox Sport PT741 ultra-high-performance tyres, used on the Opel Corsa OPC race cars and combining high speed, safety and driving pleasure. Petlas also undertook the construction of the bridge on the track at Körfez Racing Circuit. The official opening of the bridge, a lasting contribution by Petlas to the facility, took place as part of the Champion of Champions events. As part of the work, the pedestrian bridge at the circuit entrance was also covered and given a new cladding. Of the 16 competitors who took to the track on Sunday 15 April, Can Tolon, Burak Çukurova, Adil Küçüksarı, Yağız Avcı, Murat Bostancı, Ali Türkkan, Buğra Banaz and Gün Taşdelen progressed to the quarter-finals. Of those eight, the competitors who went on to reach the semi-finals were Can Tolon, Burak Çukurova, Murat Bostancı and Ali Türkkan. In the semi-finals, Can Tolon, who beat Burak Çukurova 2-0, and Ali Türkkan, who beat Murat Bostancı 2-1, advanced to the final. In the final, broadcast live on A SPOR, Can Tolon beat Ali Türkkan 2-0 to become the "Champion of Champions". At the closing awards ceremony, Tolon received the specially designed trophy from Kocaeli Governor Hüseyin Aksoy and also won a year of competition in the Opel Corsa OPC Cup, a car for daily use for one year from Opel Türkiye, and a three-day training programme in Finland.