The Procar Company
of Timisoara have succeded in a short time to produce a new competition:
Nova Cup for Rally.
Having in mind an equal chance competition, Procar started to prepare Dacia Nova cars. Despite
difficulties, that period was succesfully overcome, and Nova Cup was launched even since the start
of the first rally in the National Championship. The competitors' number increased gradually from 4
up to 11, and the first place have been fought between Daniel Ungur and Gunther Graef. Graef have
been more constant and won in Rallye of Romania, finishing 4 times in top 3 places. Although defeated
in Brasov and Cluj, Ungur crushed out in Harghita and Pitesti, and had technical problems in Banat
and Iasi. However, Daniel Ungur won most of the Special Stages - 34 compared to 25 by Morar.
Final classification
1. Graef
2. Voicu
3. Stanoev
4. Ungur
1998 season
The 1998 winner was Daniel Ungur. From childhood Daniel had a passion
for motorsport. In 1992 he spent many weekends at the Cluj karting
circuit together with his friends Bogdan Marisca, George Morar and
Horatiu Savu.
One year later he sold his father's car (a Dacia) and
bought a Fiat Abath. In 1994 he started racing as a co-driver with
Horatiu Calugar (Renault 5 GT) in the Rally of Brasov, then with
Horatiu Savu (Dacia 1100) in the Rallye Coloana Infinitului. In 1995
he bought the Renault 5 GT and achieved fourth place in his class.
But, because he had no money to continue he was hired as a mechanic and
driver for Titi Aur's support car. In this way, he stayed in contact
with rallying and could watch the champion, Titi Aur closely.
One
year for the new Dacia Nova Cup, he bought a Nova but lost the race
due to a wheel coming off the car. Later in the Race of Champions he
beat Puiu Rusu, a driver for Dacia factory Team.
In 1998 he joined
the Lipoplast team and became champion. He finished all the rallies,
having been placed second and third twice and first on three
occasions, his lowest place being fifth.
©Valentin Bradateanu
