What football has in common with rally? It may look that nothing. However Santiago Canizares from Spain has broken this stereotype. After finishing his career of goalkeeper in National Team of Spain sportsman joined autosport. Organizers of „Samsonas Rally Rokiškis“ share the news that this year spectators will have and opportunity to see the star of spanish football in Lithuania.
Organizers of „Samsonas Rally Rokiškis“ tell that star of football was found on internet accidentally and started inviting him to take a race half a year ago. At first conversation went quite passive. But later on communication with co-driver from Latvia Andris Stoncis was started. Andris who perfectly speaks in lithuanian forwarded football star personal invitation immediately.
After concidering all possible options, Santiago Canizares informed that he will manage arriving to Lithuania and participating in „Samsonas Rally Rokiškis“ despite of his tense schedule.
„Football and „Valvoline“ oil might have nothing in common. But when ex-footbal player started participating in rally symbiosis between them appeared. We are happy that our long term partner „Valvoline“ agreed to take care of Santiago Canizares trip to Lithuania and covered all trip expences. Thanks to „Valvoline“ spectators will have an opportunity to see famous in past football player on special stages in Rokiškis area“,-said organizer of rally Audrius Gimžauskas.
For football fans of elder generation Santiago Canizares is well know as long years he spent defending gates of world famous footbal team Madrid „Real“. Together with team of Valencia he became a champion of UEFA. He pllayed in a national team of Spain for almost ten years and participated in European and World championship.
Later in 2008 sportsman retired and started working out on his dream-autosport. It didn‘t take long for a tarmac car „Porche“ to appear in his garrage. Currently Santiago Canizares competes with cars like „Porche 997 GT3 RS 3.6“and „Suzuki Swift S1600“. He represents team with „Suzuki“ and he is succesfull in that.
However due to difficult logistics sportsman will be participating with a car rented from ASRT team – „Mitsubishi Lancer EVO Proto“.
This will be the first time for Santiago on the gravel. All rallies in Spain and in the region he lives have tarmac stages only. This will be a new challenge for him. He will arrive to Rokiškis only on Thursday evening we will have to manage reconnaissance somehow.
Santiago was in doubt if he should participate in this rally. But when a week left we got a very nice invitation from organizers with a suggesttion that „Valvoline“ will cover all the trip expences. So we decided to race in this rally.
Santiago will fly to Riga, me to Kaunas from Spain. And we will head to Rokiškis for scrutineering. We will have shakedown and then we will have reconnaissance. Santiago said he will drive slower as gravel rally is brand new for him. We will simply seek to finish. And ofcourse will make spectators happy by our appearance in rally“,-said well lithuanian speaker Andris Stoncis co-driver of Santiago Canizares.
So spectators of „Samsonas Rally Rokiškis“ will have a unique chance to see that Santiago is not only good in goalkeeping but in rallying for more than 140 km on Lithuanian gravel stages.
„Samsonas Rally Rokiškis will take a place on 3 -4th of August in Rokiškis area. The race will bring to start fatest lithuanian drivers as well as stars of rally from abroad. Rally passes for special price only up to 29th of July in „Viada“ gas stations. Later passes will be available during the rally in Rokiškis and will be more expensive.
