About 400 participants from five countries: Promotors Show 2026 was held in Samarkand. Video

About 400 participants from five countries: Promotors Show 2026 took place in Samarkand. Video

On September 12–13, the SOF Expo exhibition center in Samarkand hosted Promotors Show 2026 — a major automotive event that gathered about 400 participants from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Russia. The program featured drifting, tuning, retro cars, car audio, and motorcycles.

Over the course of two days, guests could get acquainted with rare and modern cars, sports cars, and custom tuning projects. One of the key elements of the program was the Drift Show. At the same time, as the organizers explained, the format of the event did not involve competitions.

Doppi Team drift pilot Sanzhar Saidazov emphasized that for professional pilots, such events primarily serve as training.

"This is more of a training session for professional pilots. It gives us a friendly atmosphere: we drive, train, and put on a show for the audience," he said.

According to Eduard Chen, organizer of the Drift Show and co-organizer of the Promotors Show, one of the project's goals is to show that drifting and car tuning can be practiced in specially prepared and safe conditions.

"We organize all this to develop and support car culture in Uzbekistan. The message is this: you can drift or tune cars in a civilized and correct way — not on the roads, but in specially designated areas," he noted.

He also added that concrete and metal barriers are used when preparing the venue, and the track is marked out by professionals. The event itself is coordinated with relevant organizations.

### From three drift cars to more than 50

The organizers note that in recent years, interest in motorsport and car culture in Uzbekistan has increased significantly.

According to Akhmad Tadzhibaev, organizer of the Promotors Show, until 2022, such events were mainly held in Tashkent. Holding the show in Samarkand, he believes, should help develop the automotive movement in the regions as well.

"In 2022, there were three professional drift cars. Today, we already have more than 50 cars in our hangar and another 15 waiting to enter the track. I think this is a good indicator that the car culture is developing," he said.

This year, car enthusiasts from several countries in the region attended the event. According to the organizers, the international lineup of participants helps car owners and pilots exchange experience and expand the automotive community.

### The automotive community is not just about competitions

Eduard Chen noted that for many participants, such events are primarily a place for communication.

"This is a kind of community where people gather, talk, and make friends. A lot of money, time, and effort are spent here, but all this is not done just to show off. For the most part, a car is built for oneself," he said.

At the same time, at the Promotors Show, participants presented their own projects rather than competing with each other. According to the organizer, every car is a kind of reflection of its owner's interests and taste.

### Retro cars and preserving history

A separate section of the exhibition was dedicated to retro cars. Batyr Azimov, chairman of the Retro Uz club, said that the club was established in 2015 and officially registered with the Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan.

Today, the club has about 30 members. Their collections include about 50 retro cars: 30 of them are running, and another 20 are undergoing restoration.

"The goals and objectives of our club are to preserve rare cars and motorcycles located in the Republic of Uzbekistan so that they can be shown to the future generation and to preserve the historical meaning of these cars," Azimov said.

According to him, interest in retro vehicles in the country is also growing.

"Over the past five to six years, car culture in Uzbekistan has risen several steps higher. It is starting to develop, and that is good. Events like the Promotors Show are a major contribution to the car culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan," he noted.

One of the unusual collections of the club was a gathering of 35 motorcycles belonging to one of its members. The vehicles date from the period between 1945 and 1980. All motorcycles have been restored and are in working condition.

Among the cars presented were not only modern tuning projects but also vehicles with a history.

Andrey Golovchenko brought a 1950 GAZ-67 to the exhibition. According to him, it took more than a year to find the car. The vehicle was found in a dilapidated, non-working condition, after which the restoration began.

The work lasted about two years. The body was completely removed from the frame, parts were cleaned to bare metal, and the engine was disassembled and restored. Some spare parts could only be found after purchasing two more donor cars.

"After a lot of hard work, we did the painting. Two years later, the car ran. That was its first outing," the owner said.

The GAZ-67 was produced from 1943 to 1953. The presented car is equipped with an original 3.3-liter engine producing 56 horsepower. The vehicle was designed primarily as military equipment and was intended for towing heavy loads.

Another participant from Tashkent showed a tuned Chevrolet Cobalt, which he calls the "Polar Bear." The project has existed since 2020 and is designed in the car audio style.

According to the owner, more than $30,000 was spent on its creation, excluding the cost of the car itself. The project has already participated in international competitions and car festivals.

### Motorcycles were also presented at the venue

The Promotors Show went beyond automotive themes. Among the participants was the Velmax company from Tashkent, which presented four motorcycles.

The display included a 2020 Harley-Davidson Breakout with a 27-inch wheel, a 2021 BMW S1000RR, a Kawasaki Z1000 R Edition, and a 170-horsepower BMW S1000R.

Thus, visitors were able to see several directions of motor culture at once — from retro vehicles and classic cars to modern sports cars, tuning, car audio, and motorcycles.

### Spectators' emotions

One of the main features of the event was that its participants came not only to show their cars but also to communicate with like-minded people.

Yuliana from Termez, who visited the Drift Show, admitted that the performances made a strong impression on her.

"I am incredibly happy to be here. I got huge emotions, I was in shock. It's just amazing," Yuliana shared her impressions.

The organizers note that the Promotors Show is gradually becoming a platform that unites representatives of the automotive community from different cities and countries. According to them, the next goal is to continue developing projects in the field of tuning, car audio, drifting, and retro vehicles.

This year, the two-day event at SOF Expo gathered about 400 participants from five countries and showed that car culture in Uzbekistan continues to develop, going beyond a simple hobby for cars.