By Automotodrom Grobnik in Croatia was opened in 1978 to replace the legendary street circuit Opatija, former Yugoslavian Grand Prix host.
This 2.590 miles long track welcome stars of the World Championship (Moto GP) until 1990. Alpe Adria series took place there last weekend.
The start list included well-known names in road racing circles.
Double Superbike winner, Czech rider Michal Filla (Barni Racing Ducati) is an autodrome specialist with Superbike race experience at Horice in 2010, a podium finisher that year behind overall Horice former lap-record holders, Jiri Drazdak and Michael Pearson.
Two times third in Grobnik Superbike contests, Michal Prasek has won SBK races at Dymokury in 2019 and 2021 and is second fastest Dymokury pilot of all time behind David Datzer.
It is good to see also in the results, Croatian roads scene heroes like Antonio Ciko (last June, multiple podium finisher – ‘Prize of Krizevci, ‘Brod Open’) Domagoj Bulat and rapid young talent Karlo Grsic.
Grsic (winner of all Superstock 600 races from 2024 Krizevci, Brod Open, lap record on Luka Brod circuit) took second x2 in stock 600 encounters competing alongside another top Croatian road racing rider, Teo Sekulic from Slavonski Brod.
Radek Lamich, winner of various ‘300 Curves of Gustav Havel’ races, was fourth and eighth in Supersport 300 category races.
Competitors from last July’s Dolny Hricov Zilina Airport Race, Tomas Svitok, Lucia Murgasova were also on the start-list of Supersport, Supersport 300 fields.
The Alpe Adria Championship will at the Slovakia Ring (20th-22nd September) whilst the season finale returns to Grobnik (18th-20th October).
Before this, road racing enthusiasts will be monitoring the Trencin Airport race (30th August-1st September).
Interesting news that previous mentioned, main actor of last week’s Horice ‘Czech TT’, IRRC Superbike Championship leader David ‘Datzii’ Datzer is now entered for this event, the place of his first road race win in 2020.
Photo credit: Michael Wincott
Words by Jan Vavra
