The engines roared back to life—the 2026 racing season kicked off with regional victories and a revamped trophy

With the arrival of good weather, motorsport enthusiasts and drivers from the Veszprém-Balaton region have returned to the tracks. Spring traditionally marks the start of slalom, track, and rally races, and our region’s competitors have already performed outstandingly in the first events. April also brought the start of a Veszprém race series that looks back on several decades of history but has now been revitalized.

Racers from Veszprém and the surrounding area didn’t get much rest at the start of the year, as they lined up at the starting grid at Euroring in Örkény in March, where they achieved impressive results, and then gravel Veszprém Rally, where they demonstrated their skills among the best.

In April, the true slalom enthusiasts revved up their engines at the Wild Dogs Slalom competition organized at Pécs Plaza. On the fast, technical course, they performed brilliantly despite the strong winds that blew all day. The best lap time from the four heats counted, and based on that, the competitors representing Veszprém and Tapolca secured the top three spots on the podium: Norbert Szollár (Suzuki) from Tapolca, Dániel Pathy from Veszprém (Trabant), and Ákos Radics from Veszprém-Kádárta (Fiat X1/9 Turbo) stood out from the field. It is a source of particular pride that László Pathy, also from Veszprém, finished just seven-tenths of a second behind the top step of the podium.

On the last Sunday of April, the season continued on home turf in the parking lot of Veszprém Arena. This marked the start of the Veszprém Slalom Cup, organized by SR Sport Association, which replaced the former Dunántúli Slalom Cup. The series, which looks back on a twenty-year history, was organized by the presidents of Temesvári & Temesvári Slalom SE and Slalom Racing Recreational Sports Association – Miklós Temesvári and László Mulicz —, who have revitalized the series. The most significant change is that, from now on, the focus will be much more on local competitions as well as on the even more precise organization of events and the high-level performance of refereeing duties.

Thanks to the smooth organization and the competitors’ disciplined, precise driving, the races followed one another quickly and without major mistakes. As a result, to the great delight of the participants, the field was able to complete four laps instead of the planned three.

In the opening round of the Veszprém Slalom Cup, the final results were once again dominated by local drivers. Norbert Szollár from Tapolca took the top spot on the podium, followed by Dániel Pathy from Veszprém, while third place went to Attila Ender (BMW), also from Veszprém. In the competitions across the various categories as well, it was almost without exceptionthe region’s talented drivers took home the gold medals, ranging from stock cars all the way to the junior engine classes.

In keeping with the spirit of the 2026 Veszprém-Balaton European Region of Sport, the series offers an exciting social and sporting experience not only for professionals but also for spectators. And for those who’ve been inspired to cheer on the course or get a close-up look at the world of slalom racing, can do so as early as July 5 at the Veszprém Slalom Cup's next points race.

Further information, detailed results, and the championship standings can be found on the www.szlalomracing.hu website, as well as on the organization’s Facebook page.