The number of Bulgarians interested in avant-garde motor sports has been growing. Special organizations have already been established, too. One of these is Drift Club Bulgaria that includes young people, interested in motor sport in all of its varieties. The club was established in 2009 and has been organizing various types of motor sport competitions in spectacular disciplines, like “Time Attack,” drifting, and kart racing. They attract fans because of the strong adrenaline rush they bring.

Head of Drift Club Bulgaria is Iskren Ivanov, who told us more about the activities of the organization and especially about the Time Attack competitions, in which Bulgarian racers have been getting very successful. Time Attack is a type of motor sport where cars compete against a clock, and not directly against each other and each car is timed through one circuit of the track.  Standard vehicles without limits to age and model, but with limited modifications allowed, can participate in the race. There are different classes according to engine size.

According to Iskren Ivanov, the level of Bulgarian racers is high, as it became clear during the third round of Time Attack Bulgaria that took place at the MotorPark racing track near the Romanian capital city of Bucharest. Bulgarian pilots showed their great abilities behind the wheel competing against racers from Romania and Moldova. Bulgarian Vladislav Dimitrov became winner and set the second best lap time in the history of the circuit. On July 3 the Bulgarian pilots will have the opportunity to check their abilities in Greece at the track near Serres. Drift Club Bulgaria aims at turning the competitions of this discipline in its calendar into a European championship. More from Iskren Ivanov:

“Time Attack is a new motor sport discipline that has been gaining more and more popularity in Europe and across the world. We can boldly say that the recent competition in Romania has entered the history of the discipline as it was the first European Time Attack race, in which pilots from three different countries took part. We expect to improve this indicator in Greece, where Bulgarian, Greek, Romanian and Moldovan racers will compete. This will raise the bar further and would contribute to turning the program of Time Attack competitions into a European championship. Officially, we intend to launch a European Championship in 2016, which will take place in several European countries." 

 
Despite the great enthusiasm and success, Bulgarian lovers of motor sport and high speed suffer from both the lack of sponsors and the lack of proper training facilities. Modern car racing circuits in Romania and Greece provide incomparably greater opportunities for training and development and Bulgarian pilots hope that they would soon be able to enjoy a long enough track for motor sport in this country. 
 
According to Iskren Ivanov, the availability of training opportunities and tracks to which lovers of motor sport have daily access will help in reducing the number cases of hooliganism and dangerous driving on Bulgarian roads.

English:  Alexander Markov