July 29-30 pilots and navigators of "KAMAZ-master" team visited Latvia. The purpose of the visit was closer acquaintance with the discipline of classic rally. Host side was a famous Latvian rally team Neiksans Rally Sport headed by eight-time champion of Latvia in motor sport, bronze winner of a stage of the World Rally Championship in N4 category Maris Neiksans. 330- horsepower sports race cars Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution became sports cars of KAMAZ guys and famous Latvian champions brothers Maris and Andis Neiksans acted as consultants. The Russian sportsmen received the first inexpressible emotions already right after the introductory rides as passengers of eminent racers. Later, pilots could try to drive cars and navigators got acquainted with the peculiarities of drawing up the "legend" and even learn the dictation ropes in the mode of high-speed passage of SS.
Vladimir Chagin, the head of "KAMAZ-master" team:
"The Baltic republics since the Soviet Union were always famous for the motosports traditions. An example of this is Neiksans dynasty. Brothers Maris and Andis are successors of the business of their father Neiksans Peteris famous racing driver. We arrived to Latvia on the advice of a "KAMAZ-master"s good friend - "Nart Time" team leader Ruslan Misikov. To try to get to the classic rally car has been my childhood dream. I am very glad that it has realized. "
Eduard Nikolaev, pilot:
"Despite the fact that my right arm was still in plaster, I tried to drive a rally car and experienced exceptional emotions. I am sure that the acquired skills will be very useful in our off-road marathon discipline. After all, the last time on Dakar there are more and more special stages reminding sections of classic rally. For example the same mountain serpentine roads in the Andes. There is a possibility to drive faster there. Although, of course, to "put" "KAMAZ" truck in the high-speed turns sideways and pass it in the drift, as it does Maris Neiksans is quite difficult task."
Anton Shibalov pilot:
"I got a very learning experience. It's like the discovery of a new planet. In this discipline, new for us, it is possible to perfect ourselves indefinitely. Speeds in classic rally are very high and all your actions behind the wheel should be automatic. Just like when driving a sports truck, of course. But there are nuances. First, on the one hand we got used that is quite normal to drive beyond the track on "KAMAZ". But this is unacceptable when you're driving a small car on narrow tracks of classic rally where there are trees around and stones can be hidden in a grass. On the other hand, when you get into a sports car, your habits and barriers developed in a civilian vehicle "come on" and you still don’t understand all the possibilities of a rally car. Sometimes it becomes terrible. You're completely focused on driving. Dictation of the navigator sounds as a background and is difficult perceived. I guess it would be nice to drive on wide area so that to have space for maneuver and the opportunity to feel the car better. "
Andrey Mokeeev, navigator:
"Functions of navigators in classic rally and in rally raids are very different. We use the road-books written by organizers and our task is to find the right directions on wide spaces and at long distances. In classic rally the navigator "reads" to the pilot the legend which is dictated in advance by the pilot at fact-finding passing of a special stage. There is another terminology. Accurate dictation and degree of mutual understanding of the crew directly influence the speed of SS passing. The struggle goes for fractions of seconds. There is no time to look at the road; you are concentrated on a legend. The navigator doesn't see, but feels intuitively understanding where the car turns, passes springboards, etc. I got very useful experience and new knowledge today".
Maris Neiksans, head of the Neiksans Rally Sport team
"Guys will judge themselves as far as our sessions were useful. But it is clear that their emotions are very positive. Of course they should get used to the car. The rule of rally raids also hinders a little: "If you don't see – you don't go", in classic rally you come into blind bend already knowing in advance how you should go out of it. Guys from "KAMAZ-master" team have very professional approach to everything. They are concentrated, disciplined and hang on lips everything. In these two days the progress is obvious. Their main principle and priority – safe and reliable piloting. It is very pleasant to work with sportsmen of high level".
