Presentation of 18th Ilirska Bistrica Hill Climb Race

Chairman of the Organizing Committee Viktor Levec explained that also this year, the organizers of the race had faced great difficulties in providing the budget and therefore especially thanked the general sponsor of the race – Petrol – and also all other smaller sponsors who have made contribution to enable the event. In particular, they have endeavored to provide the highest level of safety, both for the performers and visitors. The course remains the same as in the past years, as well as the program of the competition. On Friday, 24 August, at noon, the verification of the racers’ documents and technical reviews of their racing vehicles will take place. On Saturday at 11 am, the first hour of the first official training will take place and after one hour break after the last car returns to the service area the second will follow. The race will take place on Sunday, with the first ride starting at 10 am and the second at 1 pm. Director of the race Ferdo Poberžnik focused on the security of the competition and pointed out that they had managed to restore some security placeholders, in agreement with the Directorate of the Republic of Slovenia for Roads. The security placeholders will provide security not only at the race, but also later in everyday traffic. They have also managed to restore some asphalt coating.

137 names from 10 countries registered for the race. There are 47 Slovenian riders, followed by 31 Austrians and 24 Czechs. Among the foreigner participants, who have represented the majority of the competitors in Ilirska Bistrica for many years, Italians, Hungarians, Croats, Serbs, Slovaks, Swiss and French can be found on the list. We are glad to announce that as many as 27 drivers will be sitting in the sports prototypes and formulas. This certainly means that this will be top notch event of this year. It is expected that at least five or six drivers will fight for the victory, among them also Slovenian Vladimir Stanković, who has revealed his high ambitions at the conference. Although he still needs some time to get used to Osella FA30 – he raced with this car only twice – Stanković does not hide that only the winning stage interests him at the race which takes place in his homeland.  He wants to win, although he is aware of the fact that that this does not depend only on him but also on other participant – and nevertheless; there is always the component of luck involved. And luck is also what we wish all the racers who will this year participate in our greatest motor racing event.