The closing laps of the second Clio Cup race at Automotodrom Brno delivered plenty of drama as Tomáš Pekař, who had been chasing Julian Smiechowski for most of the race, made a decisive move on the final lap to take victory.
Matic Preša and Alexander Spetz started from the front row, with Pekař and Nikodém Sobczyk on row two. Race 1 winner Smiechowski lined up on the third row alongside Nico Wuest.
From fifth on the grid, Smiechowski made a lightning start to grab the lead, with Pekař immediately behind him, followed by Spetz and Sobczyk in third and fourth. Polesitter Preša dropped to fifth.
The race was soon interrupted when Miha Primožič slid into the gravel, bringing out the safety car, which was huge advantage for Bartlomiej Mirecki. At the restart with 13 minutes remaining he was already up to fifth from the last row.
Smiechowski defended hard, giving Pekař no opportunity to overtake. Their battle allowed Sobczyk, Mirecki and Spetz to close right up on the leading duo. In the closing stages, the fight for victory intensified between Smiechowski, Pekař, Mirecki and Sobczyk. On the final lap, Pekař attacked up to the straight after Turn 1, pulling alongside Smiechowski. Mirecki joined the fight to make it three-wide into the next straight.
Pekař ultimately prevailed, taking the win ahead of Mirecki. Spetz produced a strong finish to claim third, with Sobczyk fourth and Smiechowski slipping to fifth. Nico Wuest finished sixth, Oskar Marszałkowski seventh, Dziwok eighth, Reto Wuest ninth, and Preša tenth, although a 10-second penalty dropped him further down the order.
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