KMS Racing heads to Kuopio with a two-car line up with a single-car entry in Otepää
KMS Racing competes with two Ford Fiesta Rally4s in the FRC3 category in the second round of Finnish Rally Championship, SM Iso Valkeinen Rally in Kuopio. Behind the Fiestas’ wheels are Czech driver Daniel Polášek and Finnish driver Joonas Ojala. The team has also entered a Rally3 car with Diego Dominguez for the Otepää Talveralli in Estonia.
Official M-Sport Partner in Finland, KMS Racing, competes in the second round of the Finnish Rally Championship, SM Iso Valkeinen Rally in Kuopio. The two cars on the starting line are driven by Daniel Polášek, 23, and Joonas Ojala, 16, both of whom started their respective debut seasons well in Arctic Lapland Rally.
Heading into his career-second winter rally, Polášek is eagerly expecting his FRC season to continue. The Czech youngster aims to improve his pace throughout the winter season. Polášek is starting with number 52.
-It’s great to be back in Finland so soon after Arctic. The stages in Kuopio are a bit different than in Lapland, but I believe it’s a great place for us to learn and make progress with driving on snow. I’m looking forward to new adventures in Finland, Polášek says.
Ojala, who made his Rally4 debut in Arctic, aims for a clean rally in Kuopio. The fast and flowy roads of Kuopio are to the young Finn’s liking. Ojala’s number for the event is 49.
-I’m looking forward to the stages this year. Last year they were very fast, which I enjoyed, and at least two stages are the same so it should suit us, Ojala explains.
At the same time, another round is contested on the other side of Gulf of Finland. The opening round of Estonian Rally Championship, Otepää Talveralli, sees one KMS Racing Ford Fiesta Rally3 entered into the event. Driven by Paraguayan Diego Dominguez, 22, who is preparing for his Junior WRC season set to start next week with WRC Rally Sweden. Dominguez starts with number 37.
-The tests have been great. Driving on snow has been more difficult than I thought at first, but I have people who have a lot of experience in winter rallies around me to prepare me for the event. I’m confident that we’ll do a good job this weekend and improve before Sweden, Dominguez says.
A two-rally weekend has kept KMS Racing team principal Jussi Kumpumäki busy.
-It’s great to have Diego working with us! He has a lot of experience from R5 category cars for example, and it’s always interesting to work with an experienced driver such as him. For Diego, Otepää is preparation for the Junior WRC championship, in which he’ll be competing with an identical Fod Fiesta Rally3, Kumpumäki explains.
-With Daniel our plan is to gain experience and kilometres, and move our mutual project further. We’ve done our homework, and I’m looking forward to Kuopio with him. Joonas showed us good stage times in Arctic, but small mistakes really costed, as it is often the case in Arctic. I believe the stage kilometres gained in Arctic have made Joonas more familiar with the Rally4 car, and that experience should help in avoiding those small mistakes, Kumpumäki continues.
SM Iso Valkeinen Rally consists of eight special stages and 94,03 special stage kilometres. The rally can be followed through YouTube livestream on Moottoriurheilu.tv’s channel and live timing found on Ralli SM website.
Otepää Talveralli consists of eight special stages and 110,34 special stage kilometres. The rally can be followed on the Rally's Facebook page.
SM Iso Valkeinen Ralli Kuopio Schedule
Saturday 4.2. – 94,03 km
07:30 |
Start – Hotelli Iso Valkeinen |
Kuopio |
09:15 |
SS1 – Rantakosula |
14,16 km |
09:42 |
SS2 – Mustinlahti |
14,55 km |
10:50 |
SS3 . Tuusjärvi |
12,06 km |
11:15 |
SS4 – Riistakoski Vehmersalmi |
12,00 km |
13:55 |
SS5 – Sotkanniemi |
7,10 km |
15:25 |
SS6 – Talluskylä |
12,49 km |
15:50 |
SS7 – Venäjänsaari |
6,77 km |
16:10 |
SS8 – Hirvilahti |
14,90 km |
17:32 |
Finish – Kuopion Tori |
Kuopio |
Otepää Talveralli 2023 Schedule
Saturday 4.2. – 110,38 km
08:03 |
SS1 – Kaagvere 1 |
12,28 km |
08:47 |
SS2 – Pärsimäe 1 |
12,89 km |
10:40 |
SS3 – Kaagvere 2 |
12,28 km |
11:24 |
SS4 – Pärsimäe 2 |
12,89 km |
14:38 |
SS5 – Lustiaia 1 |
15,04 km |
15:13 |
SS6 – Piigaste 1 |
14,98 km |
17:01 |
SS7 – Lustiaia 2 |
15,04 km |
17:36 |
SS8 – Piigaste 2 |
14,98 km
|
Photo: Merita Mäkinen