BRANE KÜZMIC - FIRST WINNER

It was back in 1976 when Brane Küzmic achieved his first great results in rally. In his first season, he competed with BMW 1600TI, group 1. Despite some great drivers compete in this group he started to prove that he is a great and talented driver. In this group legendary drivers were competing as Pušnik, Brišnik, Horvat, Vidic, Zonta in Kern. He drove with BMW for the next 4 seasons, and in 1978 he also become a winner of the first Rally Saturnus with his BMW 2002 TII. First rally Saturnus was take place from 14th to 15th of October, and it was run in the night time. Crews have to drive 571 km, and 88 km was on gravel. Rally consist of 7 road sections, and there was 6 special stages in length of 42 km (4 x Planina, 2 x Krim). And what are Branes' memories to this rally? "Well it was a long time ago, so I don't remember everything. But I remember well, that in the first special stage I catch one spectator driving on this road with his private car. He didn’t gave me any space to overtake him, and in one left corner I hit him from the back. Then I was able to overtake him, but when I hit him I also break all spare lamps and then I have to drive all night only with usual lamps. At that time rallies were totally different then today, there was more road sections, and in the middle of them there was a section, where you should be fast. We were also driving fast on the road sections, if we want to arrive in time control soon enough.” Brane also won Saturnus on 1979 and also later, when he change ‘bawarian’ car with a ‘frenc’ one. He started with Renault 5 Alpine, followed with R5 turbo and at the end of his career with Renault clio. He also became a factory driver, where he replaced another legend of Yugoslavian rally Jovica Palikovic. Brane was a professional to the end oh his career in 1992 when he had a crash in the last rally of the season on the last special stage, when he was trying to win the event and even championship. At the accident he was also hurt and that was the end of a great carrier. Among 4 wins in Saturnus, he also finished on the 2nd place for 3 times, once he was 3rd, and a couple of 4th places in a strong international concurrency. But he also missed in few Saturnus rallies: “When I was driving in European championship, I have to participate at rally Zlatni Piasaci in Bulgaria, which was on the same date, but it have higher coefficient, 20.” Brane also remember a father of rally Saturnus Mr. Roman Kokalj. “I’m sure, that without this men, there wouldn’t be any rally Saturnus. He convinced leaders of Saturnus company that it’s worth to organize event like this. And he was right!” Brane have to compete in approx. 30 rallies every year, all over the Europe. That means thousands of kilometres, a lot of troubles but also a lot of experiences to remember. A also have a lot of excellent co-drivers like Cernigoj, M.Ravnikar, D. Bastar, M. Kosar, R. Jan, R. Sali, J. Banic and M. Ramovz.  Especially pleasant moment after a good job are worth to remember and Brane had a lot of those moments, nevertheless in 17 years he became a national champion for 15 times. 2 times he was a European champion among private drivers, and in 1979 he was pronounced as the best European BMW driver. He like all rallies, but only a few people know a legend from Poland rally. During this rally in 1985 unknown Polish girl gave him a coin for luck, and at the end, he won this event. “I didn’t believe, because I’m not superstitious, but I wore this coin also next year and I won again. After that, I lost the coin, and since then, I never won on this event.”