ČAMS – Something from history

Exhibitions and races have always gone hand in hand in Brno. The first race up the Brno–Soběšice hill was organized on the same date as the first International Automobile Exhibition at the Stadion Exhibition Center on Kounicová Street (May 3–7, 1924). The race to the top (1924–1929) was followed by the Masaryk Circuit from 1930. It was an important international enterprise, which in its level and reach surpassed everything else that had been run in our country up to that time. All these events were organized by the Czechoslovak Automobile Club for Moravia and Silesia.

In 1963, the fairgrounds were raced twice – at the end of April and on Monday, October 28. Over ten thousand satisfied spectators watched the races every time. Five motorcycle categories competed in the wet spring race. Among the GT cars, Václav Bobek won with a Škoda Octavia TS, and in the Junior formula, Vladimír Valenta, a racer from Brno, won with a Cisitalia D46 from 1946 (second from the left in the photo on the right).

Years go by, enthusiasts around Motor Journal write articles and reminisce. To the flying waiter Gbelka, to Hubáček, later completely invincible thanks to the divine Lotus, to the mysterious architect Valenta, for whom my grandfather sharpened the crankshafts in the ČSAO on his Cisitalia and later Felicia (it had a revolutionary design, white on the red hood, red stripe on the white roof , something unheard of at the time), through engineer Kroup, successfully whipping a serial Wartburg, a predatory Wolf with an additional reflector on the roof of the octave, to a forgotten enthusiast who squeezed the last horses from a Renault 4CV at the end of the field. Or Frant Šťastný, who came to Brno to check the folds of the NSU Sport Prinz miniature coupe.
The races at the fairgrounds were charming, not only thanks to the opposite lock riding style, i.e. skidding with the steering wheel turned in the opposite direction to the stop, as it was the only way to quickly pass the corner at the entrance, paved – still today – with small granite blocks, but also thanks to the diligent organizers who during the breaks between the races, they collected the torn cubes and returned them to the paving with the help of hammers and wooden wedges. And in general, seeing Brunclík from Vrchlabí with the same Škoda 1202 in the opposite lock was something. Where are today's travelers digging?
However, our hero was Jan Husták. How his car got into the Formula Junior grid is a complete mystery, but he was there. Although the machine had an engine in the back, it otherwise looked more like the 1950s. As far as I remember, it was dark blue, that is, where the color had not yet faded, the driver sat upright in it, controlled it with a large steering wheel, and patiently followed the much faster single-seaters with increasing distance. However - and this is important - the Juniors of the time, mostly driven by warty Wartburgs, emitted a disgusting roar and whine, while Husták's unique special drove quietly, refinedly, turned its 4500 revolutions at ease and was simply to be eaten, just like its pilot, calmly sitting in an archaic cockpit.
From Albert Salický's article The nice guy in the back: Jan Husták (1927–2007), Motor Journal 2008/07

In 1963 and 1964, historic vehicle races were held at the fairgrounds. Three categories were announced by 1918 and one by 1928. At that time, a 1929 vehicle was not considered a vintage car. The motoring holiday, which attracted unique machines here more than fifty years ago, is returning to the exhibition grounds.

Brno Revival • the festival of speed between the pavilions continues the event from 2014 – Brno Grand Prix Revival. The FIA racing series started here and demonstration drives were also on display. The photo is from Sunday's great round. Next to each other at the start are the masters of the handlebars – Jim Redman, Rudi Thalhammer, Peter Baláž, Karel Abája Abraham and Frankie Mrázek. Events of this type are very popular abroad and are attended by important celebrities and thousands of visitors (the second photo shows celebrities at the ASI Moto Show 2016 in Varan, Italy).

Brno Revival • festival of speed between the pavilions is a social sports event that will present the noble beauty of sports and racing vehicles in motion. Cars and motorcycles from pre-war to the mid-1980s will be presented on the track, which was last raced fifty years ago. Revival is conceived similarly to similar events in the world – short drives of very diverse categories of vehicles and, above all, a depot full of unique technology accessible to spectators. A holiday for car and motorcycle lovers. The event also includes a fair of contemporary and period vehicles, accessories and services in pavilion A2. Visitors will also be able to look forward to the stock exchange held in pavilion A1 and the adjacent outdoor areas, or the exhibition of historic vehicles up to 1990 in the small square in front of the 1st gate.