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After 5th stage „RE Autoclub” the best crew - Melnikov`s car

06.01.2012

After 5th stage in rally raid DAKAR 2012 in Argentina`s off-road best performed car crew of „RE Autoclub” was Anton Melnikov/Anton Nikolaev („Mitsubishi Pajero Triton”), they crossed finish border  as 38th crew, in overall they are on 26th place. „RE Autoclub” previous leader Ilya Kuznetsov/Roman Elagin („Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution MPR 107”) in overall now is on 36th place.

On DAKAR 5th stage all competitors had to make 432 km long distance with 177km rally stage.

On 5th stage with desert dunes from „RE Autoclub” best performed Melnikov/Nikolaev, in overall they are now on 38th place. Kuznetsov/Melnikov („Mitsubishi”) is now on 88th place.  

„Ilyas Kuznetsov car stearing weel had defected. It took more than one–and-half hour to fix it, this was the main problem to finish so late” says RE Autoclub manager Raimonds Elbakjans. “Unfortunately this situation will influence their next start. Till grand finale still they will have to overcome eight stages and we are looking forward to get back best score.”

The 3rd „RE Autoclub” car crew Alexander Terentyev/Alexander Terentyev junior („Toyota Landcruise 200”) befor 5th stage was forced to quit the rally raid because of electronic deffect.

“Already on 4th stage Terentyev crew had electronicall problems and just with technical crew help they could do rally stage” informs Elbakjans.  “Latest car releases have more electronic devices. “RE Autoclub” technical crew did a big job to find out and resolve this problem. Even japanese technical car crew could not find the problem. And unfortunately Terentyev do not take a part in DAKAR 2012.”

On January 5th on 5th stage in overall in 1st place is french driver Stephane Petterhansel with „Mini”.

On January 6th there was planned raid from Fiambala to Copiapo with distace 641km. But because of bad weather conditions all over the Andes mountain this stage is cannceled.

„Last fiew days there is rain and constant snowing in mauntains – this is the main reason why this distance is canceled” explaned Raimonds Elbakjans. „We are going straight away to Chili city Copiapo, there we will have the next stage in city. We will have there the start and finnish as well. On January 8th we will have first and the only one free day.”