RTCC

[helgi]

Well, I decided to post this thread in case somebody get interested in Russian Touring Car Championship.

The first round was held in Kursk on June, 20. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kursk
It’s a road course with high altitude changes.

There’re two main groups: Touring (some S2000 + old machinery called “super production”) and Touring Light (I suppose S1600 + National class for Lada 112 and Lada Kalina). There's strong possibility of GT-class (GT4 I think) to appear this season.

Touring winner – “Mr BMW-Russia” Mikhail Ukhov (ex-Jorg Mullers 320 E46). In Lights Lukoil Fiesta drivers had no real rivals and got victories in two races.

If google-translator has ‘Russian-English’ you can read a little:
- about races - http://www.auto-sport.ru/news/654/71749/
- about Ukhov’s team - http://www.auto-sport.ru/news/654/71808/

Next race is to held at new Nizhnii Novgorod racetrack (interesting name for a web-site: nring.ru). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nizhny_Novgorod

I will try to answer your questions if you have some.

Russian racing had some tough years to live but now it's getting stronger. I wish, someday we have as good champ as BTCC is.

[Speed-King]

Keep on posting, always interesting to find out stuff about series one hasn't heard about before.

What kind of tracks does RTCC race on? Kursk is a street circuit from what I can see, but I can imagine that there are also airfield tracks and surely there must be some permanent tracks in Russia as well, right?

[AndyS]

Any video anywhere? If you've got any might be worth putting it on You Tube, good way to spread the word! There's plenty of coverage of TC2000 from Agentina on You Tube, wouldn't know anything about it otherwise. Worth doing.

[helgi]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Keep on posting, always interesting to find out stuff about series one hasn't heard about before.

What kind of tracks does RTCC race on? Kursk is a street circuit from what I can see, but I can imagine that there are also airfield tracks and surely there must be some permanent tracks in Russia as well, right?

Nizhnii is a permanent race track designed by Mikhail Gorbachev (not USSR president but USSR touring car champion). First race is to held in two weeks. And all the teams I talked to are looking forward that event.

Then RTCC has a long journey to Krasnoyarsk. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krasnoyarsk
Red Ring (nothing common with USSR because in Russian red=pretty) is a permanent track too.

And at last Smolensk has its new track designed by Gorbachev and Tilke. RTCC round in September AFAIK. But first race at Smolensk-ring will be European Truck Championship race.

Of course, there's a track in Moscow, AMD, but no RTCC events are held because of some conflict between track owners and RAF (national motorsport federation).

Unfortunately there're no flugplatzrennen because most of old airtracks are ruled by Armed Forces and they don't want to get rid even of fields grown with grass.

[helgi]

Originally Posted by AndyS

Any video anywhere? If you've got any might be worth putting it on You Tube, good way to spread the word! There's plenty of coverage of TC2000 from Agentina on You Tube, wouldn't know anything about it otherwise. Worth doing.

Unfortunately, RTCC is not being broadcasted at all. Only some video highlights. I saw some video at Tube but I'm at slow Internet now and not able to post any useful video links. In any case there's only amateur footage there.

[Valenok]

Originally Posted by helgi

I wish, someday we have as good champ as BTCC is.

May be, RTCC needs cheaper cars than current S2000? May be NGTC? If they really cost only half of S2000 cars price, as Gaw promised, it would be nice variant for russian teams, not so well founded as WTCC participants.

[helgi]

Oh, and Mr Shapovalov can put his WTCC Prioras into fight with Ukhov. That would be very interesting.

Yes, RAF should think about some NGTC class, because teams can not use old cars for ages.

[AndyS]

Originally Posted by helgi

Unfortunately, RTCC is not being broadcasted at all. Only some video highlights. I saw some video at Tube but I'm at slow Internet now and not able to post any useful video links. In any case there's only amateur footage there.

Does'nt matter get it on there so we can all see what it's all about! I'm sure TV coverage will come in time. Going with NGTC is an interesting thought and maybe the way forward to get things up and running.

[helgi]

And hot news - there'll be a new track in St.Petersburg. According to designers, top speed (for DTM car) should be 260 kph at start-finish straight and 240 kph at the second straight. The fastest race track in Russia.

[helgi]

Some onboard footage from Nizhnii.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFZC4L1gloY

Date - october 2009. So the track wasn't 100% ready. The opening of sports complex is on July,3. First major race - RTCC round on July,11.

[courageous]

Is Richard Kaye (ex-BTCC brother of James) still involved over there?

[helgi]

I remember he raced Honda Integra (?) five or more years ago, but now there're no foreign drivers.

[helgi]

Richard raced in 2000-2001 when the championship was at the highest level. We even had some TC2000-DTM-like cars called Supertouring (heavy modified Lada 110's). It was sometimes faster than touring BMWs.
Kaye was in touring class with Russian team called Honda Art Racing.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by helgi

Richard raced in 2000-2001 when the championship was at the highest level. We even had some TC2000-DTM-like cars called Supertouring (heavy modified Lada 110's).

PICTURES!?!

[helgi]

Pictures of Lukoil Racing Lada 110 http://www.auto-sport.ru/archive/2004/01/lukoil_racing/ - again you'll have to use tranlators, but you can get some interesting facts. A very sad article about the last kilometers of the most engineering class in Russian tourers. It was great...

[helgi]

And some small pictures in the article about aerodynamics of Russian Supertouring cars

http://www.autoreview.ru/new_site/ye...namica/air.htm

[Speed-King]

Thanks you, some interesting cars right there.

[helgi]

So, some news.

Novosibirsk - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novosibirsk (I post these links to underline a huge distances) - is planing to build a racing track - http://news.ngs.ru/more/44116

Magnitogorsk - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnitogorsk - has some plans too - http://www.racetracks.ru/pro06.html - karting center is to open these summer.

And of course, there's a track Canyon in Kazan. A very interesting track with some altitude changes and blind corners, but for now it's only an asphalt with no guardrails. http://canyon-racing.livejournal.com/

And RTCC 2nd event this week-end. Nizhnii Novgorod. 400 km from here.

[mountainstar]

Thanks for keeping us up to date. I am always interested in different series like this.

[helgi]

If I understand correctly, there's some info about "N-ring" (Nizhnii Novgorod) in the latest Autosport. They say, there's a track layout there. It's nice for all those people who really took risk to put their money in the project. And now it's going to get the first automotive competitions.

I sometimes dream of two national championships - European and Asian, as the distance between tracks is really huge. And a Grand Final at an enormous Eurasia track built somewhere at Urals. Just imagine: one half of the track in Europe, the other one in Asia. Well, I should dream about it once again

[Quintin03]

Originally Posted by helgi

Well, I should dream about it once again

Or try designing it yourself and posting it on mytracks!

[Valenok]

Originally Posted by helgi

I sometimes dream of two national championships - European and Asian, as the distance between tracks is really huge. And a Grand Final at an enormous Eurasia track built somewhere at Urals. Just imagine: one half of the track in Europe, the other one in Asia. Well, I should dream about it once again

I think, it is impossible - to have different championship for Asian part of Russia, because of different economic levels of European and Asian parts of country.
And you can build Eurasia track somewhere near Sotchi, near south geografical border of Europe.

[helgi]

But there're some drivers from Krasnoyarsk who travelled in Kursk this year. I don't think it would be more expensive to get to Novosibirsk. Yes, economics brings some questions but they can be solved in the future. Well, I hope it can be solved. And Sotchi already has its sources to feed bureaucracy and etc.

[helgi]

A very hot week-end at Nizhnii. Ukhov from TNK team smashed the opposition. Two masterpiece wins. In 1600 Lukoil Fiestas were the fastest again. Only one Polo and one Lada Kalina tried to match that pace. But all in all two victories for Ford and some boxing in the field. But no serious crashes. NRing debut was perfect.
Next two RTCC rounds take place in Krasnoyarsk. And then Nizhnii again in the end of summer.

[helgi]

Few minutes before race1 (Touring 2000) starts. I don't have enough photos, as I've spent more time writing some notes. But Aleksandr Krechetov was there and I'll try to ask him to post his photos here.

Was a great racing week-end indeed!