Most Lithuanians arrived at the competition the day before, as private training sessions were held here. Almost all Lithuanians took advantage of the opportunity to spend the whole day doing laps on the track. However, during the training, Kernius Šulinskas encountered technical problems when the engine of his “Cross Car” buggy broke down.
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But the mechanics did not give up. A spare engine was found in Lublin, Poland. Part of the team went to buy the new unit. Meanwhile, the remaining mechanics removed and began dismantling the broken power unit from the buggy. Finally, around one o’clock in the morning, a new heart was already beating in Kernius Šulinskas’s buggy. The equipment was prepared for Saturday’s fight.
That same night, tools were clanging in Marius Udrėnas’s camp. During training, the gears on his buggy stopped engaging, so the athlete’s mechanics also had to stay late so that Marius Udrėnas could start the next day.
On Saturday, even greater drama unfolded in the “Izoton Sport” team’s tent. At the start of the day, the connecting rod of the team’s pilot Mantas Sidabras’s “Honda Civic” engine broke, punching three holes in the engine block, and the racer’s chances of continuing the race hung by a thread. To qualify for Sunday’s races, the athlete needed to at least start in another qualification. The judges set one condition – the car must come to the starting track on its own and cannot be pushed. But how to do that with a leaking, broken engine spewing oil?
Despite having very little time, the mechanics of the “Izoton Sport” team managed to work a miracle. Through the hole in the engine block, they managed to unscrew the damaged connecting rod, removed the spark plug and injector, plugged the holes in the engine with rags and various bags, and pushed the car towards the start.
Before the start, Mantas Sidabras started the engine running on three cylinders, barely receiving any oil, and arrived at the start. After starting, he covered several hundred meters before pulling off the track. This secured his place for Sunday – the final race day. Meanwhile, the spare engine was already on its way to Slomczyn near Klaipėda. After midnight, the mechanics who received the spare engine worked tirelessly, and around three in the morning, the sound of the new unit echoed in the paddock.
On Sunday, Mantas Sidabras was already able to drive at full capacity and made it to the final, but in the final, he collided with an opponent in the first corner. During the incident, the steering column was damaged, and the uncontrollable “Honda Civic” went into the tires. However, the final went very well for another Lithuanian, Edvinas Miknius. The pilot, who had no major problems during the weekend except for a slightly overheating engine, ultimately crossed the checkered flag in third place.
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Gintautas Norkus also had technical problems and did not make it to the final. On the eve of the competition, still in Lithuania, he faced issues with the fuel system injector and dealt with this problem throughout the racing weekend in Poland. Another Lithuanian, Rokas Jakubauskas, was just one step away from the final.
Mantas Rimkus also took third place in the “Cross Car” class, showing a stable pace throughout the weekend and finding even more speed reserve in the final. Close behind him at the finish were Matas Zavarskis and Jokūbas Bagdanavičius. Slightly lower was Kernius Šulinskas. Only Marius Udrėnas did not make it to the finals among the Lithuanians.
The third-place trophy was also won by the youngest Lithuanian, Kasparas Kažemėkas, who competed in the “Cross Car Mini” category. The path to the final was not easy for the young man, but in the final, he demonstrated courage and precision and finished third. The final went unsuccessfully for another Lithuanian, Gedas Rutkauskas. Although he held the initiative for a long time in the final, several mistakes wiped out all the effort, and this time the athlete did not get to step on the podium.
The highest achievement was brought to Lithuania by another “Izoton Sport” pilot, Lukas Sidabras. Throughout the weekend, despite a few stumbles, he simply dominated the BMW RX3000 class. The athlete did not make mistakes in the final and crossed the checkered flag first.
After this stage of the Latvia and Lithuania Rallycross Championship, there will be a break of more than a month. Teams will be able to devote more time to restoring equipment or training. The third stage of the season will take place on July 4-5 at the Vilkyčiai Motorsport Complex.
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