Andrey Karginov won the stage Salta-Calama

Andrey Karginov won the stage Salta-Calama

January 13, Calama.

There was a sandstorm on the bivouac in Calama. Fine sand and dust eat into the eyes and skin. It was a very hard route for the assistance group today. First, they had to climb at an altitude of 4840 meters while crossing the Andes, and then followed a dangerous 20 km descent from the mountains straight into the Atacama desert. Many trucks have stopped on the sidelines. Those who are more experienced have made a stop to cool overheated brakes, and some others didn’t notice the problem with the brakes and were running around their vehicles with fire extinguishers then. The wheels of the one team’s assistance vehicle were melted and all four tyres were flamed.

Sports crews had also to cross the Andes and the border with Chile. At the end of a long 522 km liaison (it was given only 7 hours to overcome it), was the start of the 302 km special stage in the area around Laguna Salada. There was fesh-fesh on the most part of special. 51 crews continue to battle in the trucks standings. Atacama met them with dry river beds and rocky tracks. River beds are formed here as a consequence of the snow melting in the mountains. It seems that the soil is hard in some places, there are small stones there, but in reality it turns out that it is a very loose terrain. Wheels get stuck there, the engine heats. According the pilots, if you jump out of the cab, you fall into the fine dust like cement. It is not so easy to overcome such track. It is clear that the special was very dusty, but fortunately a strong crosswind provide acceptable visibility.

"We had to adjust the tyre pressure not to get stuck. At the same time flat tires are an additional load on the engine. So in order to go fast and not to fall into the fesh-fesh we had to strike the right balance - said Andrey Karginov after the stage. - But it's quite a track for KAMAZ!". As a proof of his words - first place on the stage with a lead of 5'15" over Gerard De Rooy. Andrey won his second special stage in 2014 and the seventh of his career on the rally.  Other crews of the KAMAZ-master Team had also good results: Dmitry Sotnikov was second today (+00:06:55), Anton Shibalov - seventh (+00:11:32). Eduard Nikolaev was eighth today (+00:14:08), he lost 8 minutes to replace punctured turbo nozzle. But the pilot was not discouraged, as we have 4 difficult stages ahead. The dunes of the Atacama are ahead too. Team leader Vladimir Chagin and his team are resolute, and ready for the battle.

8th Stage of the rally Dakar. Truck standings.

Overall after the 8th Stage