The "1000 Miles of Czechoslovakia" race could not be missed in the calendar of enthusiasts of these technical marvels in 2025. This year's edition, which was again open to 110 pre-war vehicles, took place from June 11 to June 14, 2025. The event was once again supported by numerous personalities, including Mr. Martin Baxa, representing the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, Mr. Martin Kupka from the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic, Mr. Bohuslav Svoboda as the mayor of Prague, and Mr. Matúš Vallo as the mayor of Bratislava.
The symbolic peak of the event was the support and patronage of the President of the Czech Republic, Mr. Petr Pavel, who also officially started the race on Thursday morning from the Autoclub of the Czech Republic's building in Opletalova Street. The starting list for the 2025 edition, held to commemorate the 130th anniversary of Škoda Auto, eventually included 131 vehicles. The 131st vehicle, which was a guest entry, was a Škoda Octavia Super from 1962.
The Restoration Workshop at the Department of Machine and Industrial Design, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, VSB-TUO, was again represented at the start by the 1939 JAWA 600 Minor Roadster with starting number 2. The crew consisted of the duo Kudrna & Kudrna, with Lukáš Kudrna, the guarantor and mentor of the workshop, at the wheel and his father Vladimír Kudrna as the navigator.
So, how did the vehicle with starting number 2 fare after crossing the finish line in front of the National Technical Museum in Prague? In its category of up to 750 cc, the JAWA 600 Minor crew achieved another significant success, claiming first place among 14 teams. In the overall standings, the crew finished in 62nd place, aware that with a 600 cc engine, you cannot compete too much with the winners in a BMW 326 with a 1,971 cc engine, or the third-place finishers with a TATRA T87 and a 2,996 cc engine. A comparison of placements in the under-750 cc category and the overall ranking clearly shows that riding skill, experience, and cleverness cannot always make up for the larger engine size and horsepower under the hood that the other vehicles have.
In conclusion, it is certainly appropriate to thank the crew with starting number 2 for representing the Restoration Workshop at the Department of Machine and Industrial Design, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, VSB-TUO, and wish them much success in the next edition of the "1000 Miles of Czechoslovakia" race.