“Samsonas Rally Utena 2024” will be the place where the legendary racing driver and constructor Eugenijus Tumalevičius will return to the rally special stages, or rather one, at night on the streets of the city of Utena. He will drive an impressive and historic “Opel Manta 400” through the night streets of Utena, followed by thousands of spectators.
Eugenijjus Tumalevičius is well known to fans who know or have witnessed the history of the rally of the last millennium. The racer began his career in the Soviet era rally special stages and the outgrew Baltic Rally region rapidly. Such legendary rallies as the “Rally Šumava”, the “Rally of 1000 Lakes”, the “Rajd Polski”, the “Acropolis Rally”, the “Lombard RAC Rally” and the “Ypres 24 Hours Rally” soon appeared on the Lithuanian calendar. Since 1982, Eugenijus has been actively involved in racing, attending rallies all over Europe with “Lada VAZ 2105 VFTS” and “Lada Samara 21083”, taking part in both the World and European Championships and achieving considerable success. After the restoration of Lithuania’s independence, Eugenijus was one of the first to bring the “Lancia Delta HF Integrale”, which dominated the international rallies and with which he continued to take part in international rally competitions for several years. The racing driver was not only seen in rally special stages but also in circuit races, where he became champion nine times and took part in the legendary twenty-four-hour race at the Nürburgring with the Porsche 933 and the Audi A4 Quattro. Eugenijius’ career also took him to the desert, where the Lithuanian took part in the Tunisian Marathon with the very famous French Oreca team and teammates such as Jacky Ickx in a Lada eight equipped with Porsche parts. Eugenijus currently runs a business, collects and builds cars.
Throughout the rally, the aforementioned Opel Manta 400 will be on display near the rally HQ and will be supported by a Porsche 911.
With the “VIP 00” decorated with the “Opel Manta”, we will offer the spectators in the city stage a nice spectacle. If “Samsonas Rally Utena” continues to invite me so kindly, I will try to show the audience what I am capable of and will bring more and more cars. When we were driving Lada VAZ and later Lada Samara, the whole world was driving new Western designed cars. What I do now is build these dream cars. When I could afford to drive a “Lada VAZ”, the world was already driving an “Opel Manta”, which ruled the world rally stages. It was also with Audi and with other cars.
Eugenijus Tumalevičius
We also invite you to arrange passports for the “Samsonas Rally Utena 2024” rally in advance on the Bilietai.lt platform. Ticket price – 15 Euros. The event is free for children under 12 years old.
