Principal matter – skill of the crew | |||
03 September 2009 |
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“Gukovo” rally is one of the most interesting and popular rallies in our country. Every sportsman tries to get over there at least once. And those who happened to be there repeatedly and in various weather conditions have plenty of stories to tell. From funny to awesome, about charms and difficulties of rallying in steppe.  For the pilot of the “JV” team Grigory Medvedev the race in Gukovo will not be a novelty but for his co-driver Dmitry Bulgakov the rally will become the first serious one in his racing career. Grigory Medevedev: “For some reason among all our team-members it fell on me to answer various questions. For example let me tell you how during “Gukovo” rally for the first time in my life I landed topsy-turvy and with such an impact that the car’s carcass got damaged and all the car;’s body was distorted. Or how referees from the start point of this special stage rushed to our ruins to help. Or how one of our friends wrote about “Gukovo” a story in the spirit of an ancient Russian epic: “Oh you, brave fellows!”… So, if instead of a microphone a “glass of tea” would be put on a table one can recollect stories for many hours to tell”.  “Gukovo” rally is known for its unpredictable weather which radically changes the character of special stages. Either it is heat, dryness, dust and steppe in fires all around or heavy showers, impassable roads and great ponds in addition to known wades which constitute one of points of interest of the race. If in case of a “dry” version everything is more or less understandable, in case of a “wet” one the issue of tires’ choice becomes crucial. Usual gravel tires become “soapy” on first meters after the start and further on the car behaves as if on ice pavement. When it had been allowed many participants used snow tires without studs for such a variant of a race. In an opposite case particularly for front gear cars it was almost impossible to overcome slopes and control the car’s motion on the track. Grigory Medvedev: “Bologoye rally can not be considered as a preparation for Gukovo. These races are so different that you can’t compare them. Surface irregularities are different, “wetness” is different … Ponds in Bologoye can’t be compared to wades in Gukovo. Certainly we are getting ready for them though we are limited by technical regulations. For example, we are not allowed to mount an external “snorkel” or to install it in the cabin. Necessary sealing-in and hydro protection of the car we made at once, in June, and before “Gukovo” we protected high voltage wires with silicone lubricant. In any case the principal matter in passing wades is the skill of a crew. After all you can drown even a submarine! So, for us the principal preparation is a detailed work with pace notes. Moreover regulations limit us in time of examination of the track and in number of passes of special stages ... Certainly we rely upon the famous reliability of Renault Logan Cup car and on perfect work of our mechanics!”  For the crew of the “JV” team it is the first race in such a staff. Of course, it will not be easy to compete for prizes in Renault Logan Cup series particularly taking into account the presence of experienced pilots who are familiar with the track and have been driving for a pretty long time. For all that tasks of the crew for this season are a little bit different. Grigory Medvedev: “Colleagues in manufacturer’s mono series are always ready to help, ready to share their experience. For today Mikhail Skripnikov, Renault Logan Cup leader, is beyond competition in Logan. Evgeny Meites and Vladimir Kasyanov are very strong and experienced pilots and we as the young crew will have to work hard to interfere in their dispute.” Irrespectively of purposes and tasks participation in such a rally as Gukovo represents an invaluable experience. In such difficult races a crew gets adjusted, learns to work in a pair like a single mechanism, to overcome complexities of the track and weather. For all that an experience acquired represents half of a future success. | |||
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"JV" Rally Team
RallyRUS
