Legendary race of historic vehicles
Read the article about the current edition. Mária Homolová, a member of the 500 KM SLOVENSKÝCH team, will take you into the background of the organization and atmosphere of the race.
In May 2024 Slovakia hosted the World Rally of Historic Vehicles for seven days and the whole event was called 500 KM SLOVENSKÝCH FIVA WORLD RALLY SLOVAKIA 2024. Perhaps the best way to describe the whole atmosphere of this ride is the slogan of the partner SLOVAKIA TRAVEL, which was adopted by both domestic and foreign participants – Slovakia, what a surprise.
To give you an idea of what surprises everyone experienced in seven days, let me tell you what preceded the realization itself.
500 KM SLOVENSKÝCH –a new beginning of a historical tradition
Already at the first year of the renewed 500 KM SLOVENSKÝCH race, Šimon Hůlka – the main organizer of the race, had a very clear idea to make this historical tradition an event that would make its mark on the world list of international rallies. However, in joint talks with Karol Pavlů – chairman of the Design Veteran Car Club, they came up with a common goal, to introduce historic cars to as many visitors as possible, to attract new enthusiasts to the historical heritage. And as a secondary effect, to create a new generation of vintage car enthusiasts. This gave the race a new direction and the final decision to prepare it so that it could be seen across Slovakia. We were in 2020 and just three years later in 2023, this vision has already brought the greatest success. The 500 KM SLOVENSKÝCH RACE was awarded a certificate to host the international FIVA WORLD RALLY. At the same time, we were confirmed that the president of the FIVA organization Tiddo Bressters will come to Slovakia to participate in the rally.
We are at the beginning
First up was the question of what route the historic vehicles with international representation would take. Slovakia is a beautiful country, there are countless possibilities, but I will share with you our limitations when choosing the route. These lie in the accommodation capacities and parking areas. And I’ll also disclose why. During the race we need to accommodate 300 participants and park 110 vintage cars, and because there was a common start, both the participants and the cars have to be in the same place. This struggle was solved by Šimon Hůlka together with Honza Čapka in the 500 KM team. They chose the route from Košice to Bratislava, which they divided into VI stages, you will read about them in a moment. And it was Šimon who knew exactly what permits, confirmations, exceptions and cooperation we needed, to make everything run in accordance with the rules and most importantly safely. It was Šimon who also put together the team of organizers. There were 58 of them this year, made up of members from Slovakia and the Czech Republic, and I’m delighted to be part of it. With this volume, you inevitably need someone you can rely on implicitly, so Tomáš Vítek and Július Cako joined the team, completing the grouping that you won’t hear say – it can’t be done.
Prologue
Typical vintage car’s events have a start and finish at a common location. Participants will either arrive at the start in their competition vehicles or bring them on suitable transporters. Our concept and choice of route from Košice to Bratislava presented a logistic problem that had to be creatively solved. It was sensible to concentrate the participants in the finish city before the start of the event and to organize the transport to the start as a social and promotional event.
The idea of using a more environmentally friendly form of transport, namely a car train, comes to mind. In the team, we work this idea into a tangible strategy and fortunately we meet with the understanding of our partner ZSSK and ŽSR. We start the race on Saturday 25 May with a spectacular loading of the longest railtrain in the history of ZSSK. It has 8 wagons with 80 pieces of history on them. The loading is accompanied by a lot of public interest, which creates an initial relaxed atmosphere. The next day, Sunday, May 26, the car train and its parade coach with the participants and the organizers will set off for Košice and already along its route we are all being beckoned by enthusiasts of historic cars and trains. However, there is one more highlight of the day awaiting our participants, the introduction of the largest Historic Vehicle Museum in the hands of a private owner. Martin Neubeller’s museum took the breath away from even the biggest critics, and the rush of energy from three floors of cutting-edge historic vehicles won over even the most jaded. For all those who will soon have the opportunity to visit this museum, I envy in a good way the sense of awe that one cannot leave this place without. However, the schedule forces us to move the participants to Hlavná Street in Košice to be ready for the morning start of Stage I.
Stage I – Tokajská
On the morning of Monday, May 27, everyone is ready for the start, and I wonder the interest of the public who took the time at the early morning on their way to work to come and cheer on our competitors. The cars and their drivers and co-drivers leave for Grand Bar where the spectacular scenery and views is awaiting. As they arrive back in Kosice, Main Street fills with curious onlookers and enthusiasts, and as the cars park along the entire Main Street, I happen to find myself on the elevated starting ramp, mentally thanking everyone who came out to watch. As I got stuck in the crowd, more than once, while making my way over to Šimon, I was convinced that there were thousands of people watching the scene. The number of visitors was multiplied by the start of the 100m Košických race. The smallest drivers are cheered on by their parents, friends and visitors. Hopefully, they applaud the mentioned new generation of vintage car drivers. In this great atmosphere there will also be a public concert by Peter Pachut and a projection of our video on the water wall. The cafes are full, the atmosphere is great, the participants don’t want to go to sleep. We talk cheerfully about what they have experienced and what they are looking forward to in Stage II.
Stage II – under the peaks of High Tatras
It’s May 28th, and once again a noticeable number of working and school-going curious people are coming to see the morning start from Main Street. I’m enjoying my morning coffee and in my mind I’m testing myself to see if I’ve got the start list right. This is also information from behind the scenes: Accurately identifying our museum’s 110 historic vehicle on wheels isn’t as automatic for me as it is for the insider part of the team. The test of accuracy came out well, and the cars are taking to the stage along one of my favorite routes. Jasov, Krásnohorské Podhradie, Betliar Manor, Ranch pod Ostrou skalou, Spišská Sobota and Tatranská Lomnica. If you ever don’t know where to go for a nice ride, take this route. We finish in the Tatras. Symbolically. With representation from 18 countries around the world, the obligation to show the Tatras in this case is very pleasant. Visitors waving all along the route begin to create a feeling in our participants that they can only get such a spirited welcome in Slovakia. The evening ends in a pleasant atmosphere. As we talk, everyone is informed of the difficulty of the following day, but few are deterred from enjoying the hospitality of the hotel and the rich selection of Slovak wine.
Stage III – to Bojnice
The weather forecast for May 29 does not sound as perfect as for the previous days. Cars will line up in Tatranská Lomnica for the start. A family with a two-year-old child is being interviewed live on JOJ 24 and I can hear them saying that today they are going to drive through Štrbské Pleso, Tále, Turčianske Teplice to Bojnice. A special stop awaits them at the Modern Spa Turčianske Teplice in the Royal Palace Hotel. In the afternoon they are all ready for the arrival of the cars. And that it was ready, no doubt about it. And what a great idea it was to include lángoš in the refreshments, no less. Did I mention representation from 18 countries around the world? They all learned the word dupľa (double the food). Attendees go to see the interior of the hotel, including the spa area, they don’t have to learn the word reservation. We leave the Modern Spa and arrive in Bojnice, the heart of Europe beats for our rally. The atmosphere of the compact square right under the castle was, as they say, one of a kind. The cafes and restaurants fill up, I am sitting in one of them and my colleague Martina comes to see me. She brings up everything you see online and excitedly informs me how great it was that it rained because it makes for such beautiful photos. She was right, really beautiful, thank you, Ondrej Kroutil. All the cars are parked, it’s on to the competitors’ debrief. Šimon starts it at nine in the evening, goes through all the obligatory information and I go among the participants to find out how they perceive the stage. I stop by the elegant ladies, who I always see with nothing but good humour. We don’t know each other very well, but the debate about the beauty of Slovakia that they have seen during the stage relaxes the atmosphere. I learn that the photogenic rain was a really heavy storm, but everyone made it through. A few minutes of conversation later, I also learn where to go with the kids, where to go for a good meal, where to go on a date with a man. I’m hearing about most things for the first time, but I’ll definitely visit all of them. This secondary effect of conversations is gaining momentum on our rally. We’ll tighten those up slightly at Stage IV, thankfully.
Stage IV – to the capital at moonlight
If you want someone from Bojnice to arrive in Bratislava by moonlight, less poetically in the dark, you have to figure out what the 300 participants will do during the day. Fortunately, we’re in Bojnice and that vibrant thoroughfare has a lot to offer. We give everyone the opportunity to go to the observation tower, tour Bojnice Castle or the legendary zoo. Everyone takes advantage of something, someone also, also, also and everyone is thrilled. I return to the square, where a lecture by the Dostálek brothers, packed with interesting facts about all the cars, is already in full swing for the visitors. I can’t believe my eyes when I see the procession from children to ladies to men to teenagers follow this duo, listening intently to every word. I also don’t believe it when I see all categories of the marketing world looking at the start across the castle moat of Bojnice Castle.
It’s two in the afternoon, the moonlight far away. So, the cars are still in full glory on the planned route in Oponice, on the Kolonáda Bridge in Piešt’any and in Pezinok. By moonlight our racers arrive in Bratislava at Bratislava Castle. Beauty replaces splendor, the atmosphere of night and lights is interrupted only by the clicking of cameras, not only ours. It’s ten in the evening and still every racer is smiling, I can’t even imagine their tiredness. They are driving on the 4th day without power steering, reversing sensors, air conditioning and car play. I’m tempted to replace our “beyond the everyday” claim with “beyond the possibilities”. That ends Thursday, May 30 and we’re off to the finals. Worlds finals.
Stage V – Pezinská Baba
The whole Friday, May 31, was extremely challenging for the participants and the team. For all of them it was the 7th day of maximum effort and trying to give the best performance. For all evaluated. I’ll begin my recap of it lightly with a memory that has stuck in my mind. A lady whose taste even Jackie Kennedy would have appreciated came to the live interview on TV JOJ’s morning show. Her husband’s car was scratched while parking in Grand Bar and yet their live assessment of the organization sounds so positive that there is no other way than to handle the day at 110%. The cars start off at Pezinská Baba, where a regularity ride awaits them. We really like tradition in the team, so that’s the behind-the-scenes reason why we go to Pezinska Baba every year. But sometimes it’s refreshing to switch up the traditions, so this year the riders have to complete the regularity ride both upwards and downwards. The tulip itinerary will guide them back to Bratislava, where history will be made.
Stage VI – Concours d’élégance Bratislava 2024
While the racers are conquering Pezinská Baba, the most challenging part of the preparations is taking place in the historical center of the capital. The organizing team is at its peak. We are closing the Old Town in order to open a museum on wheels, which for two hours will create a harmony with the historical architecture. The racers and their cars gracefully make their way through the Main Square, the enthusiasts and cheerleaders almost within touching distance. When all the cars have passed, Simon and I climb into the ŠKODA Superb and are the last to go through the route, which breaks the restrictions behind us. It’s been the experience of a lifetime, really. But we can’t stay in our euphoria for an extra minute as we get out of the car.
In addition to the historic closure, the team has also prepared a race for a new generation of vintage car racers. The 100 meters of Bratislava and its competitors have tested for the first time this year how resistant they are to rain. They all passed. They were presented with their awards by an enthusiastic FIVA President Tiddo Bressters. His enthusiasm will last until the final awards ceremony. His speech starts with a rousing “Slovakia, what a surprise” and everyone starts clapping. If you’ve been through Slovakia on any of our stages, you must have the same chills as me. The prizes are handed out, everyone is exhausted but happy. One of the participants stops me on the way home and asks where we want to move the race to next year after this year. “Forward” I reply curtly from fatigue. For now, using the Czech I’ve been listening to all week – “I’m lying down” and returning to my native Slovak – “see you next year”.
