Veteran vehicles battle it out
AN IMMACULATE 1961 Opel Rekord took top honours when 47 veteran vehicles competed in the fourth leg of the 2018 Royalton Classic Automobile Championship on Sunday.
Organised by the Cyprus Turkish Classic Automobile Association (KTKOD), the first Rock Oil Classic Automobile Rally saw Olgun Bıçak and Fehim Öztoker finish first in the Opel.
The event was held in memory of classic car enthusiast and former KTKOD member Yusuf Tosun, who died in January, and was the last competition before the Bosphore Card-sponsored finals in October which will conclude the season.
Cars were flagged away from Lefkoşa’s Taşkınköy district before heading to Dikmen, Taşkent, Alevkayası and Değirmenlik. Dubbed the day’s hardest and longest section, the Akıncılar tunnel road to Gaziler and Aslanköy led competitiors to the finish line at Özgitler restaurant in Demirhan. In addition to main sponsor Rock Oil Ltd, the event was also supported by the Prime Ministry’s Anti-Drugs Commission.
Second place went to Çağan and Derya Ilgar in their 1983 Mercedes Benz 230 SLC, followed in third place by 2017 champions and this year’s championship leaders Ali and Pembe Kelebek in their 1979 Mercedes Benz 350 SL.
Prizes were presented by officials including KTKOD chairman Burçin Aliusta, who said: “We’ve now entered the final phase of the championship, so the heat and excitement are really on!”