Maiden win for Kouřil, as Vesnič reinforces his leadership

The fourth event of the TCR Eastern Europe powered by ESET at the Slovakiaring saw Milovan Vesnič reinforcing his leadership in the standings. The Serbian driver won Race 1 and finished second in Race 2, beating twice Jáchym Galáš, his closest rival in the title fight, who has now dropped 33 points behind. The second race saw Dušan Kouřil claiming his and Hyundai’s maiden victory in the series.
After dominating Qualifying in which he set pole position with a 1.6-second margin over Petr Čížek and Galáš, Vesnič took a comfortable lights-to-flag victory in Race 1. At the start, Martin Ryba moved into second from fifth on the grid, ahead of Jakub Wyszomirski, Galáš, Kouřil and Čížek. But soon Galáš moved ahead, passing Wyszomirski for third on lap 2 and Ryba for second on lap 3. Kouřil overtook Wyszomirski for fourth on lap 5 and began to close the gap from Ryba. They were fighting for the third place until a puncture forced Ryba to retire on lap 8. Positions didn’t change afterwards, Vesnič won from Galáš and Kouřil.
Pouring rain delayed Race 2 by over an hour. At the start Ryba dashed into the lead from third on the grid, while pole sitter Vesnič dropped to fourth behind Kouřil and Galáš. Ryba’s leadership was short-lived as he was passed by Kouřil on lap 4 and then lost two more places to Vesnič and Galáš on the following lap. In lap 6, Čížek overtook Ryba for fourth after they made contact; his car damaged after the collision, Ryba retired on lap 10. 
Positions remained frozen until the end with Kouřil the winner from Vesnič and Galáš.
The series will resume at Brno in two-week time, on September 6^th/8^th.

Race 1
1. Milovan Vesnič (ASK Vesnič, CUPRA), 12 laps
2. Jáchym Galáš (GT2 Motorsport, Volkswagen Golf GTI), 4.286
3. Dušan Kouřil (K2 Engineering, Hyundai i30 N), 12.190
4. Jakub Wyszomirski (ASK Vesnič, Honda Civic FK2), 14.635
5. Petr Čižek (Fullinrace Academy, CUPRA), 15.320

Race 2
1. Dušan Kouřil (K2 Engine ACCR, Hyundai i30 N), 12 laps
2. Milovan Vesnič (ASK Vesnić, CUPRA), 1.501
3. Jáchym Galáš (GT2 Motorsport, Volkswagen Golf GTI), 7.171
4. Petr Čižek (Fullinrace Academy, CUPRA), 19.117
5. Jakub Wyszomirski (ASK Vesnič, Honda Civic FK2), 21.058

Championship points
1. Vesnič 157 pts; 2. Galáš 124; 3. Čížek 97