Local services
Amazing tricks, countless activities, modern and old car wonders awaited visitors on 26th of May 2024 at 6.00 p.m. at the Nagyerdei Stadium.
It was hard to recognise the area around the Nagyerdei Stadium in Debrecen if you hadn’t heard about the events last weekend. Instead of the usual birdsong, water splashing and fan chants at matches, this time there was rubber smoke and petrol fumes. After the Night Drive on Friday evening, on the 24th of May 2024, the fourth Debrecen Drive kicked off on Saturday morning.
According to Mayor László Papp, the event has a very serious perspective and future, as the city’s life will be largely about the automotive industry in the coming decades.
“I’ve been interested in cars and vehicles since I was a child, and it’s a great feeling to walk around Debrecen, whose future is very much linked to the automotive industry, to see the innovations and to see the interest in this topic,” László Papp said.
“It is very important to raise awareness of electromobility, and the Debrecen Drive is a very good opportunity to do so. From the point of view of the Ministry of Construction and Transport, this event is important because, in addition to showing visitors high-performance cars, we can also demonstrate the objectives of road safety and the importance of public transport,” Deputy State Secretary for Transport Strategy Loránd Bói said.
After the official opening, the doors were opened to car and motorbike enthusiasts. Visitors could admire the latest models from the exhibiting brands, as well as real old timer rarities. In addition to the vintage Zsiguli and Skoda 120 with their round-lighting, there were Rolls-Royces and old Volkswagens from the Debrecen Beetles.
Many people entered the slalom race this year too. The track was equipped with buoys, tyres and ribbons, and the competitors who were constantly circling around the track and their vehicles could be admired at close quarters.
There was a range of transport-related activities for the little ones, and they could also get into a real military vehicle, a fire engine, a fire truck, a garbage truck and a police vehicle. The children spared no energy, distinctive signs were flashing and sirens were blaring.
The organisers also thought of public transport enthusiasts, with Volán and DKV also represented. If you like, vehicles took you from the past, through the present, to the future. After all, we could transfer from an old Ikarus to a Solaris trolley, and from there to an electric Mercedes bus.
This year again, Schaeffler organised the Mini Drive skills competition on Saturday, which again attracted a large number of teams. In addition to the tasks at the various stations, parents and children were able to race the vehicles they had built. Perhaps the most unusual race was the contest between a mini Zsuzsi train and a pool on wheels.
The main attraction was the Metal-Sheet Drive Show, which always fills the stands. Following a performance by the DEAC Cheerleaders, for the first time ever, acclaimed drifters and motorcycle stuntmen hit the asphalt. Then came the two-wheelers flying through the air.
First, BMX riders performed sensational tricks on the ramps, before the highlight of the show with cross bikers, who somersaulted at terrifying heights with seemingly effortless ease.
Both during and after the breathtaking show, the hosts of the event stressed that the street was not a race track, so no one should try anything even remotely similar in everyday life! Such tricks and manoeuvres should only be performed in a coordinated setting!
At the car festival, no one went hungry or thirsty, with several street food stalls and a wide range of delicacies. However, the organisers pointed out that, in a unique way, guests could also bring food and drink into the Debrecen Drive area, in an effort to make the event more budget-friendly.
The event was open on Sunday the 26th of May from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
Source:debrecen.hu
