15.01.2012
„RE Autoclub” driver Melnikov repeated Kuznetsov rekord – 13th place in Dakar rally raid 13th stage
Latvian racing team "RE Autoclub" have prepared four cars that will participate in Dakar’s first stage in Argentina’s city Mar del Plata on 2012 1st January. This year in Argentina, Chile and Peru on-going Dakar will reach its finish on January 15th, accomplishing through almost 900 kilometers.
For more than 20 years “RE Autoclub” is one of the leading off-road car maintenance and repair, sports car construction and production operators. Not only Latvian sportsmen, but also sportsmen from other countries entrusts their cars to "RE Autoclub" even before the world-wide racing competition.
With “RE Autoclub’s” four prepared cars in Dakar South Americas roads and off-roads will participate crews from Russia - Alexander Terentyev / Alexander Terentyev Jr. ("Toyota Landcruiser 200"), Ilya Kuznetsov / Roman Jelagin ("Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution MPR 107"), Anton Melnikov / Anton Nikolaev ("Mitsubishi Pajero Triton"), and service truck "Mercedes Benz in 1935" with pilot Dmitri Pavlov and co-pilots Oleg Uperenko and Gints Cirulis (Latvia).
"Our pilots are in front of a huge challenge, because they will be competing with world's most powerful teams and most experienced racers" says "RE Autoclub" director Robert Elbakjans. "The main aim is to examine our cars, fully participating in the Dakar rally. If the cars technical support and equipment will be competitive, then we will be able to think of involving higher class racers that could fully use our cars potential in future. We are very pleased, that this year together with Russian pilots we will have our Latvian co-pilot Gints Cirulis, which will be in truck.”
Starting from January 1st – 15th, in cooperation with LTV every working day morning (from Monday – Friday) everyone will be able to follow Dakara's team from Latvia hottest news on „Good morning, Latvia” (”Labrit, Latvija”) morning news and on sports news at 7.45pm. And in holidays – during sports news.
In cooperation with radio „Just FM” every day (from Monday – Friday) from 5pm – 7pm will be broadcasted telephone interview with „RE Autoclub” manager Raimonds Elbakjans about competitions, atmosphere, results.
At the moment in Dakar 2012 will participate 73 cars, 76 trucks, 188 bikes, 32 quads. „RE Autoclub” pilots will participate under following numbers: 349. (Kuznetsov), 378. (Melnikov), 414. (Terentyev), 563. (Pavlov).
„RE Autoclub” team is thankfull to every supporter that helped to carry-out „RE Autoclub” participation in Dakar: „Latvian Automobile Federation”, „Hansaflex”, „Bookinggroup.com”, „Texaco”, „Krown”, „Naftimpex”, „Auto Kada”, „Help-Tag”, „Keune”.