By RaceScene Publisher on Monday, 26 August 2024
Category: The Checkered Flag

Tomasz Bialkowski sweeps Baja Poland on home soil

Tomasz Białkowski has been enjoying a solid season outside his Polish home soil, but you knew he was going to step it up when the FIA World Baja Cup came knocking for the Baja Poland. Białkowski won the Prologue and all four Selective Sections for a convincing victory in the SSV class and a top-ten finish among all FIA entries regardless of category.

Despite snags like tyre punctures, Białkowski wiped the floor in SSV. He beat SSV points leader Fernando Álvarez by five minutes on the first day of racing before holding off Alexander Toril and Álvarez on the second by just twenty-eight seconds and a minute and a half, respectively.

Toril was eventually dropped to the bottom of the order with a four-hour, thirty-second time penalty. His crew replaced a damaged driveshaft shortly after refuelling at the end of SS2, which is forbidden as the refuel and neutralisation zones fall under parc fermé. Toril and his brother Miguel were also fined €250 because a team member recorded themselves refuelling both cars while wearing just a T-shirt and shorts.

Białkowski was not the only sweeper of the race as João Ferreira did the same in Ultimate. He led a Mini JCW Rally Plus 1–2 finish ahead of Michał Małuszyński, a year after Krzysztof Hołowczyc scored the T1+ vehicle’s maiden triumph at the 2023 Baja Poland. Hołowczyc, racing a BMW X3, was unable to defend his win due to an engine failure. Yazeed Al-Rajhi also exited because of a new yet defective factory differential.

The Challenger of Ghislain de Mévius finished third behind Ferreira and Małuszyński.

Besides being the fourth round of the World Baja Cup, the race was also part of the Polish Cross-Country Rally Championship (Rajdowe Mistrzostwa Polski Samochodów Terenowych) where Małuszyński was the fastest among points-eligible competitors ahead of Maciej Giemza‘s SSV. Białkowski was eighth overall in the RMPST results and fourth in SSV.

Martin Koloc finished tenth in RMPST and fifth in Ultimate, running his second career cross-country rally under safer conditions than his début at the Hungarian Baja in early August. His Buggyra ZM Racing also brought trucks for Martin Šoltys and Karel Posledni, who respectively won and finished third in class. Poslední, a longtime crew member for Buggyra, was running his first cross-country race.

“It was a fantastic stress test for us and our car,” said Koloc, who was racing the Red-Lined REVO T1+ while his daughter Aliyyah continues to recover from surgery. “We accelerated steadily throughout the weekend and I don’t think we even made too many mistakes.

“I am very pleased that we are continuously improving the car. Plus, I have great people around me who don’t mind sacrificing their time and who are putting in so much effort to push the car forward. We want to become a competitive rival to the biggest car companies in the world in the long term which is not easy. Established and successful giants like Toyota and Ford are a big challenge. We still have a lot of work to do.”

Tomáš Vrátný joined the Buggyra Tatras on the RMPST truck podium in the maiden race for the new Tatra FF7 truck.

Mikołaj Krysik, the latest Quad rider to migrate to an SSV, finished thirteenth in RMPST after an up and down race. He had lost a half shaft and broke his steering rod at the end of the first day, leaving him coming back to base with just three sturdy wheels, followed by a bent right axle shaft the next day. Nevertheless, he was eighth in SSV in his first time out.

The second day took place on the military training ground of Colonel Franciszek Sadowski Land Forces Training Centre. Perhaps a little too fittingly for the setting, the start of the third leg was delayed after a land mine was reportedly found near the course.

Overall results

FIA

Ultimate

FinishOverall FinishNumberDriverCo-DriverTeamVehicleClassTimeMargin
11201João FerreiraFilipe PalmeiroX-raid Mini JCW TeamMini John Cooper Works Rally PlusT1+3:44:12.1Leader
22204Michał Małuszyński*Julita MałuszyńskaMichał MałuszyńskiMini John Cooper Works Rally PlusT1+3:47:05.9+ 2:53.8
34203Włodzimierz Grajek*Michał GoleniewskiGrajek Rally TeamToyota HiluxT1+3:59:00.2+ 14:48.1
45206Miroslav ZapletalMarek SýkoraOffroadsportFord F-150T1+4:00:45.4+ 16:33.3
57205Martin KaczmarskiArmand MonleónOverdrive RacingToyota Hilux OverdriveT1+4:01:03.0+ 16:50.9
615211Magdalena ZajacBłażej CzekanProxcars TME Rally TeamToyota HiluxT1.14:29:18.7+ 45:06.6
719210Vincent Vroninks*Dave BerghmansVincent VroninksNissan Red-Lined Navara VK56T1.14:43:50.6+ 59:38.5
820209Tomasz Baranowski*Konrad DudzińskiFinarto RacingToyota HiluxT1.14:45:28.9+ 1:01:16.8
DNFDNF200Yazeed Al-RajhiTimo GottschalkOverdrive RacingToyota Hilux OverdriveT1+DNFN/A
DNFDNF202Krzysztof HołowczycŁukasz KurzejaFosfopowerBMW X3T1.1DNFN/A
* – Not competing for FIA World Baja Cup points

Challenger

FinishOverall FinishNumberDriverCo-DriverTeamVehicleTimeMargin
13300Ghislain de MéviusJohan JaletGRallyTeamGRally OT33:57:04.4Leader
26302Eduard PonsJaume BetriuPast-RacingTaurus T3 Max4:00:48.9+ 3:44.5
38305Hans Weijs*Mark SalomonsArcane RacingArcane T34:01:13.5+ 4:09.1
49304Alexandre Pinto*Bernardo OliveiraAlexandre PintoCan-Am Maverick X34:06:58.1+ 9:53.9
513301Diego MartinezSergio LafuenteSouth Racing Can-AmCan-Am Maverick X34:29:10.8+ 32:06.4
615303Khalid AljaflaAndrei RudnitskiAljafla RacingTaurus T3 Max4:29:53.5+ 32:49.1
717307Mark Mustermann*Michael ZajcMark MustermannCan-Am Maverick X34:35:48.5+ 38:44.1
822306Vic Flip*Gerhard SchmiedbergerVic FlipCan-Am Maverick X35:06:38.4+ 1:09:34.0
923308Richard Aczel*Wouter RosegaardArcane RacingArcane T35:58:43.3+ 2:01:38.9

SSV

FinishOverall FinishNumberDriverCo-DriverTeamVehicleTimeMargin
110405Tomasz Białkowski*Dariusz BaśkiewiczKamena Rally TeamCan-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR4:08:47.7Leader
211400Fernando ÁlvarezXavier PanseriSouth Racing Cam-AmCan-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR4:14:41.9+ 5:54.2
312401Miguel TorilRosa Romero FontEscudería JMP RacingCan-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR4:27:05.7+ 18:18.0
416404Amerigo VenturaErika MingozziQuaddy RacingYamaha YXZ1000R4:34:41.2+ 25:53.9
520403Claude FournierSerge GounonClaude FournierCan-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR4:52:07.6+ 43:19.9
621406Ibrahim AlmuhnaObaid Ali HassanAlmuhna RacersCan-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR4:59:38.1+ 50:50.4
724402Alexander TorilPedro Gabril Lopez ChavesEscudería JMP RacingCan-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR6:58:16.4+ 2:49:28.9

RMPST

FinishClass FinishNumberDriverCo-DriverTeamVehicleCategoryClassTimeMargin
11204Michał MałuszyńskiJulita MałuszyńskaMichał MałuszyńskiMini John Cooper Works Rally PlusUltimateT1+3:35:25.9Leader
21740Maciej GiemzaRafał MartonMaciej GiemzaPolaris RZR Pro RSSVT4 NAT+3:41:44.3+ 6:18.4
32203Włodzimierz Grajek*Michał GoleniewskiGrajek Rally TeamToyota HiluxUltimateT1+3:46:45.2+ 11:19.3
43206Miroslav ZapletalMarek SýkoraOffroadsportFord F-150UltimateT1+3:48:54.4+ 13:28.5
54205Martin KaczmarskiArmand MonleónOverdrive RacingToyota Hilux OverdriveUltimateT1+3:49:19.0+ 13:53.1
62743Mikuła GrzegorzPriotr SzczygiełMikuła GrzegorzCan-Am MaverickSSVT4 NAT3:54:07.9+ 18:42.0
73759Grzegorz GąsiorowskiKatarzyna SzałęgaGrzegorz GąsiorowskiPolaris RZR Pro RSSVT4 NAT+3:56:09.3+ 20:43.4
84405Tomasz Białkowski*Dariusz BaśkiewiczKamena Rally TeamCan-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RRSSVT4 NAT3:56:28.7+ 21:02.8
95752Witołd PawlakRadosław BombaWitołd PawlakPolaris RZR Pro RSSVT4 NAT+4:00:28.5+ 25:02.6
105705Marin KolocSébastien DelaunayBuggyra ZM RacingRed-Lined REVO T1+UltimateT1+4:03:05.0+ 27:39.1
116760Tomasz SokołowskiMaksymilian StaniszewskiTomasz SokołowskiCan-Am Maverick X3 TurboSSVT4 NAT4:04:43.9+ 29:18.0
127748Grzegorz LudwickiRafał JędrysGrzegorz LudwickiPolaris RZR Pro RSSVT4 NAT+4:05:07.6+ 29:41.7
138756Mikołaj KrysikDominik JazicMikołaj KrysikCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT4:06:18.6+ 30:52.7
146211Magdalena ZajacBłażej CzekanProxcars TME Rally TeamToyota HiluxUltimateT1.14:08:28.7+ 33:02.8
151761Bartosz KaziródMaciej MartonNAC Rally TeamCan-Am Maverick X3ChallengerT3.14:10:32.1+ 35:06.2
169746Robert MąsiorDamian SytyAF MotorsportCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT4:12:14.8+ 36:48.9
1710767Egidijus MalinovskisPovilas IgnataviciusEgidijus MalinovskisCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT4:12:53.2+ 37:27.3
181731Tomasz KobyłeckiJakub MoliterTomasz KobyłeckiHummer H3 EVOTHTH4:15:55.5+ 40:29.6
197209Tomasz BaranowskiKonrad DudzińskiFinarto RacingToyota HiluxUltimateT14:19:44.9+ 44:19.0
2011755Mirosław TokarczykAdam BiniędaAF MotorsportCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT4:26:28.5+ 51:02.6
218703Sam HeyvaertKrzysztof ZoltyDS UnitsNissan Red-LinedUltimateT1.14:29:59.8+ 54:33.9
222307Mark MustermannMichael ZajcMark MustermannCan-Am Maverick X3ChallengerT3.14:31:08.5+ 55:42.6
2312766Karolis MarcinkusAlbert VeliamovicAlbert VeliamovicCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT4:36:58.0+ 1:01:32.1
241600Martin ŠoltysVlastimil Miksch, Tomáš ŠikolaBuggyra ZM RacingTatra Buggyra Evo3TruckTruck4:44:26.3+ 1:09:00.4
259704Marek JanaszkiewiczAgnieszka JanaszkiewiczHypnosMitsubishi L200UltimateT1.14:49:28.6+ 1:14:02.7
2613744Tomasz TomaszewiczPiotr JamroziakTomasz TomaszewiczCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT4:50:17.0+ 1:14:51.1
273306Vic FlipGerhard SchmiedbergerVic FlipCan-Am Maverick X3ChallengerT3.14:53:03.4+ 1:17:37.5
2814764Dzeralds RamoskaRonaldas RamoskaOba[D]visionCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT4:54:09.61:18:43.7
2915742Marek KubiczekFilip GołkaMarek KubiczekCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT4:55:24.9+ 1:19:59.0
301721Michał LipskiNikola LipskaMichał LipskiDacia DusterStockT2 NAT4:56:35.7+ 1:21:09.8
312736Łukasz BzdylMariusz WłosińskiŁukasz BzdylMitsubishi PajeroTHTH4:58:53.2+ 1:23:27.3
322601Karel PosledniFilip Skrobanek, Jaroslav KolarBuggyra ZM RacingTatra PhoenixTruckTruck4:59:25.8+ 1:23:59.9
332720Grzegorz SzwagrzykGrzegorz KonczakNAC Rally TeamMitsubishi PajeroStockT2.25:02:27.3+ 1:27:01.4
343603Tomáš VrátnýBartłomiej Boba, Jaromir MartinecFesh FeshTatra FF7TruckTruck5:08:12.4+ 1:32:46.5
353732Wojciech KozińskiLudwik WikowiczWojciech KozińskiNissan PathfinderTHTH5:13:34.1+ 1:38:08.2
3616762Aivaras KavaliauskasErnestas ČesokasBRO RacingCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT5:13:43.3+ 1:38:17.4
3717749Paweł PietranekMichał ŠwierczekPaweł PietranekPolaris RZR Pro RSSVT4 NAT+5:13:43.8+ 1:38:17.9
384735Michał HorodeńskiArkadiusz SałacińskiToyota Team ClassicToyota Land Cruiser HDJ80THTH5:19:11.6+ 1:43:45.7
395733Piotr BrakowieckiTomasz ChmielewskiNAC Rally TeamDacia DusterTHTH5:25:06.4+ 1:49:40.5
404308Richard AczelWouter RosegaardArcane RacingArcane T3ChallengerT3.15:43:05.3+ 2:07:39.4
413724Tomasz PiluchMarcin PawłowskiTomasz PiluchMitsubishi PajeroStockT2.15:56:19.2+ 2:20:53.3
424602Michal ValtrMarcin Pasek, Marek HýlValtr Racing TeamIVECO PowerStar TorpedoTruckTruck8:07:24.6+ 4:31:58.7
4310701Karel TrněnýVáclav PritzlWorkoutland ACCR Czech TeamFord F-150 EVOUltimateT1+8:59:10.9+ 5:23:45.0
4418753Michalł KošciuszkoArtur KordalaPolaris Polska Racing TeamPolaris RZR Pro RSSVT4 NAT+10:59:33.2+ 7:24:07.3
4519745Wojciech SzuleckiPaweł KutaWojciech SzuleckiCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT10:59:43.6+ 7:24:17.7
4620741Karol LenkiewiczDominik RagielKarol LenkiewiczCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT10:59:48.0+ 7:24:22.1
4721757Przemysław MatulkaDaniel DymurskiAF MotorsportCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT11:02:11.0+ 7:26:45.1
486737Aleksandr SzandrowskiWojciech HencnerAleksandr SzandrowskiSam OffactoryTHTH11:03:26.4+ 7:28:00.5
494722Mariusz PietrzyckiSławomir CebulakNAC Rally TeamDacia DusterStockT2.T11:04:45.0+ 7:29:19.1
5022751Olgierd RostowskiKlaudiusz RostowskiOlgierd RostowskiCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT11:06:47.9+ 7:31:22.0
5123754Damian PerzanowskiInez KielibaDamian PerzanowskiCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NAT12:32:12.0+ 8:56:46.1
DNFDNF702Robert KufelDominik BrzozowskiRobert KufelFord RangerUltimateT1.2DNFN/A
DNFDNF723Andrzej KalitowiczErnest GóreckiAF MotorsportDacia DusterStockT2.2DNFN/A
DNFDNF730Jacek SobońnKacper JeneralskiJacek SobońnNissan Navara D40THTHDNFN/A
DNFDNF734Marcin ŻukowskiPaweł ZamęckiMarcin ŻukowskiNissan Navara D22THTHDNFN/A
DNFDNF747Marek SzcurekStanisław WojtkówMarek SzcurekPolaris RZR XP Turbo EPSSSVT4 NATDNFN/A
DNFDNF750Jakub BrzezińskiSzymon MarciniakProxcars TME Rally TeamCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NATDNFN/A
DNFDNF758András LukácsZoltán PalotaiSpeedy MotorsportYamaha YXZ1000RSSVT4 NATDNFN/A
DNFDNF763Tomas MickusMykołas PaulaviciusBRO RacingCan-Am Maverick X3SSVT4 NATDNFN/A
DNFDNF765CsucsuMárk MesterháziSpeedy MotorsportYamaha Quaddy XZ1-TSSVT4 NATDNFN/A
Original link