Planai Classic Vintage Car Rally Takes Place 12-14 January:
Among real fans, it is considered one of the last true winter adventures: The "Planai Classic" vintage car rally has been a magnet for visitors in the Styrian adventure region of Schladming-Dachstein for more than two and a half decades. From January 12th to 14th, the legendary rally for cars built up to 1972 will take place for the 26th time this year. And even before the first engine starts, there is a record to report: With 63 cars from six nations, this year's event has the largest field of participants in its history.
All information about the program is available online at www.schladming-dachstein.at/planaiclassic .
The organizers Michael Glöckner and Helmut Zwickl are pleased: “A clear sign that the fascination with vintage cars is not losing any of its luster even in economically difficult times.” The youngest vehicles in the starting field date from 1972, here the “age limit” has been drawn for years. The oldest car is a 1950 Healey Silverstone open roadster driven by Planai veterans Gabi and Johann Kofler.
Three days of driving like before
This is how the event works: After the rally check and the starting line-up in Schladming, the first evening is traditionally followed by the direction of Dachstein. Exciting innovations are delivered on the second day, which for the first time repeats the stage on the Dachstein in daylight and ends in the evening with a glorious night challenge on the Gröbming trotting track, whose 70th birthday is being duly celebrated. The third day then belongs to the special tests at the Niederöblarn Alpine airfield and the mountain test on the Planai, where in recent years the overall ranking of the Planai Classic has literally been decided in the last few meters.
In any case, driving a car like it used to be popular - without steering servo, often not even with servo brakes, safely without ABS and other electronic aids. At an average speed of 40 km/h, there will be duels over hundredths from Thursday to Saturday. Anyone who is there will experience one of the last adventures with the sheet metal of the earlier years. This year, these include world rally champion Andreas Aigner from Admont and Michael Stoschek (historic European rally champion) as well as business magnates Michael Krammer (former Rapid President and mobile phone expert), Sigi Wolf (Steyr Automotiv) and Peter Spak (senior boss of Hink Pasties).
