CLUB “CAR LOVE”
Stadium
RALLY
ALMOST FINLAND
SERGEY ZINOVIEV. PHOTO: OLGA KORNEEVA
From the statistics of the second stage of the country rally championship, held in dense forests near the village of Peno, on the western edge of the Tver region: “Mitsubishi” - 14, “Citroen” - 10, VAZ - 8, GAZ - 2 … And five more “Peugeot , Three Volkswagen, two Subaru, two Opel, Ford, Skoda, Toyota and Lancia. But once the monopolists in the Russian rally were Volzhsky and Gorky factories …
Yes, a lot has changed over some ten years, sometimes beyond recognition. Except maybe the Lanci. This Delta Integral was once ridden by world champion Italian Massimo Biazion. Then she came to us, won a lot of victories and now is living out her life as a combat vehicle of the most experienced Vladimir Ganin. And both, despite their considerable age, in excellent shape. I wonder where and how people get parts for a car that has long been discontinued!
And none of the stages of the championship that were held then. They were replaced by new ones - in Sochi and Karelia, in the Urals and in the Rostov steppes, and even so they are constantly looking for a replacement. Rally, like cars, have the property of aging over the years, as if wearing out. Racers gradually memorize the tracks almost by heart, and the essence of the rally fades as a harmonious interaction between the pilot and the navigator.
In the Penovskiy district, they never conducted races. And by that he is good. There is a bit of housing - rare villages, quite winding dirt roads, a noticeable elevation drop and a surprisingly picturesque area, where a small stream Volga originates. The land of fishermen and hunters, ideal for rallying.
Unlike the January Zhiguli, almost everyone who expects to receive awards at the end of the season really gathered at the Seliger rally. And immediately it turned out that a new, unfamiliar three-day race track requires an extremely accurate ride. But even those who did not get to the finish line were delighted with the wide and fast track: “Almost Finland!”
The fight against the main favorite, Sergei Uspensky, was led by the 2001 champion Stanislav Gryazin, who played only abroad all last season. But on the second day, he left due to a motor breakdown. Almost simultaneously, the owner of the Cup of the country Maxim Novikov flew off the road. And Andrei Zhigunov was prevented by the engine, which refused to develop the maximum torque at the right speed, to keep the pace of the leader. So Andrei focused on maintaining the second position, which Yuri Trutnev, who was going third, was constantly holding on to the sights. Familiar surname? Yes, yes, he himself is - in the past the mayor of Perm, and now the governor of the Perm region. The third year is very seriously involved in racing and rightfully became one of the best rally drivers in the country.
And Sergei Uspensky more than deserved this victory. Not only because he is a talented pilot and organizer who has assembled a strong team. It was just Uspensky who, having swept the Penovsky district in the summer, discovered that in the winter there would be an excellent Seliger rally.
Results - on p. 230
RESULTS
World Rally Championship
2nd stage, Sweden rally
1. M. GRONHOLM (Finland, "Peugeot 206") - 3: 03.28;
2. T. MYAKINEN (Finland, "Subaru Impreza") - 0.50;
3. R. BURNS (Great Britain, "Peugeot 206") - 1.17;
4. M. MARTIN (Estonia, Ford Focus) - 1.45;
5. K. MAK-REY (Great Britain, Citroen Ksara) - 2.15;
6. P. SOLBERG (Norway, "Subaru Impreza") - 2.19;
7. S. LOEB (France, Citroën Ksara) - 3.14;
8. T. GARDEMEISTER (Finland, Skoda Octavia) - 3.19.
Stage 3, Turkey Rally
1. C. SINES (Spain, Citroen Xara) - 4: 32.14;
2. R. BURNS - 0.47;
3. F. DUVAL (Belgium, Ford Focus) - 1.46;
4. K. MAK-REY - 2.09;
5. J. PANIZZI (France, "Peugeot 206") - 2.41;
6. M. MARTIN - 3.24;
7. T. GARDEMEISTER - 5.13;
8. T. MYAKINEN - 7.18;
9. M. GRONHOLM - 10.52.
After 3 steps
Pilots: 1. R. BURNS - 18;
2. K. MAK-REY - 17;
3. K. SINES - 16;
4. M. MARTIN - 13;
5. S. LOEB - 12;
6. M. GRONHOLM - 10.
Teams: 1. CITROEN - 39;
2. “PEUGEOT” - 31;
3. "FORD" - 25;
4. “SUBARU” - 13;
5. "SKODA" - 6;
6. "Hyundai" - 3.
CHAMPIONSHIP OF RUSSIA IN TRACK RACE, RESULTS
A-1600: 1. R. VASILIEV (Kazan);
2. S. BALDYKOV (Izhevsk);
3. R. MUKHAMETZYANOV (Izhevsk);
4. A. FABRICIUS (Omsk);
5. O. KAKHISHVILI (Tolyatti);
6. I. BELYAEV (Kurgan), all - VAZ 2108 3.
“Super-spikes”: 1. S. USPENSKY (Moscow, Citroen Saxo);
2. N. MEZENTSEV (Tolyatti, VAZ 2111 24–07);
3. R. MINIKHANOV (Kazan, VW-Polo);
4. S. SKOBELTSYN (Kazan, "Opel Corsa");
5. A. IVANOV (Tolyatti, VAZ 2108 3);
6. R. SHAIMIEV (Kazan, VAZ 2108 3).
RUSSIAN CHAMPIONSHIP IN RALLY
2nd stage, "Seliger"
1. S. USPENSKY (Moscow, "Subaru Impreza");
2. A. ZHIGUNOV (Moscow, Mitsubishi Lancer);
3. Yu. TRUTNEV (Perm, Mitsubishi Lancer);
4. D. KORSAKOV (St. Petersburg, Mitsubishi Lancer);
5. G. DENISOV; 6. D. LEVYATOV (both - Moscow, Mitsubishi Lancer).
RUSSIAN CUP RALLY
3rd stage, “Russian Winter” (Moscow)
1. S. USPENSKY (Moscow, "Subaru Impreza");
2. M. LEPEKHOV (Moscow, Mitsubishi Lancer);
3. T. VOROBYEV (Yaroslavl, Citroen Saxo).
4th stage, “Yakkima” (Karelia)
1. V. BALAKAN (St. Petersburg, Ford Escort);
2. I. YAKOVLEV (St. Petersburg, Mitsubishi Lancer);
3. T. KARTTUNEN (Finland, Mitsubishi Lancer);
4. M. LEPEKHOV.
5th stage, “The Bear” (Yaroslavl)
1. M. LEPEKHOV; 2. O. KOVARDAKOV (Moscow, Mitsubishi Lancer);
3. A. Gavrilov (Volsk, "Subaru Impreza").
After 5 steps
1. M. LEPEKHOV - 282;
2. O. KOVARDAKOV - 261;
3. S. UGER (Moscow, Citroen Saxo) - 205;
4. I. YAKOVLEV - 192;
