On September 15, Kiev city hosted one of the biggest events of the season – the finals of the two Drifting Championships – for Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Race has won the title of “The Battle of Europe”.
Races at sport-complex Chayka took place during 3 days. Free training, as well as registration of foreign participants fell on Friday; Saturday was the day of qualification; Sunday presented the main event, finals! The organizers have decided not to merge two championships in one grid, and that meant drivers would drive two series Top32.
Due to works on improvement of the braking system of Marchenko Racing 200SX car, and the difficulties entailed by the adjustment, Vladimir Marchenko did not manage to get a good practice on Friday, and the team decided to re-install the old brake system.
Car stepped back into the ranks on Saturday! It had been adjusted up to maximum during morning trainings. It was the high time for qualifications.
Qualification runs were joint, i.e. each pilot had only 3 attempts. Outcome was presented in two tables for each of the Championships. 5 official judges were in charge of qualifications: Maksim Miller (Ukraine), Vitaly Lukyanov (Ukraine), Denis Trusov (Russia), Ike Simonyan (Belarus), Mantas Kuzmarskis (Latvia). In addition, people well-respected in terms of the European drifting – Alexander Smolar and Timofey Kosharniy (Russia), Niall Gunn (UK) – attended the chair.
Vladimir Marchenko achieved the third position in the Ukrainian Championship qualifications.
And he took the 5th place in the Eastern Europe Championship qualifications.
Given the incomplete Top32, leaders of qualification skipped Top32 and were immediately waiting for their opponents in Top16.
Day of the Race.
The weather gave racers a hard time. It was raining and both track and paddock were slick with rain. But those features only contributed to the intrigue of the Championship as far as everyone and even the most experienced pilots may slip on slippery track.
While participants tested and explored the unpredictable track, the audience gradually filled up the bleachers, and there were surprisingly enough of spectators in spite of the bad weather.
Top32 participants started racing the track at noon. According to the results Vladimir’s rivals were:
in UDC: Max Sherstiuk that left Sergey Kovalchuk behind in Top32.
in EEDC: Sergey Lipsky, that outmarched Harold Valdma from Estonia.
It was high time for opening the Battle of Europe!
It started with the competitors’ parade presenting all the pilots and their partners, the traditional hymn of Ukraine… However, burst of rain during the State hymn resulted into cancellation of fan session. Participants had some time to prepare and then raced into action!
Top16: Max Sherstiuk (Kharkov)
The first clash and the first accident. During the race, being in the lead, Vladimir had grazed a concrete divider and that resulted in damage of the rear suspension. The judges gave five minutes to address the problem. Marchenko Racing team eliminated breakage using the breaker in a matter of minutes and Vladimir returned to the track.
In the second race Marchenko showed the crazy close gap to Max’s car and synchronization in the change of drift, but Sherstiuk lost its trajectory in the drift and their cars collided. Judges appointed a re-run.
Max Sherstiuk following Marchenko fails to enter the first turn and fell out of the race. In the second race again Max lost control of the car management and made a U-turn. Vladimir Marchenko got to Top8.
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Top8: Denis Lisichonok (Kiev)
In the first race while chasing Marchenko Lisichonok missed the first turn and went off the track. Vladimir Marchenko completed his race without a hitch.
Following the lead Marchenko demonstrated immaculate, close and simultaneous drift. He also made a synchronized turn after Denis avoiding a collision. Denis Lisichonok got 0, Vladimir Marchenko went to semi-finals!
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Top4: Dmitriy Illyuk (Odessa)
Since Illyuk got a higher qualification score Marchenko was following the lead in the first race. Dmitriy was gaining speed and drifted earlier while Vladimir kept Dmitriy close in terms of speed, drifted later in the area specified by the judges, leading to his exiting the track.
Illyuk had no other choice but to race smoothly after Vladimir Marchenko and he did it with flying colors.
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Contesting for the third place Vladimir had to meet Alexander Grinchuk, but Alexander was disqualified as a result of the race with Alex Golovnya.
Thus, the outcome is: the third place in UDC race, the third place in Ukrainian Drifting Championship following results of 2013 and the second place in the team event.
But there wass more to the story! It is Eastern Europe Drift Championship that laid ahead! Marchenko Racing had no specific claims to any title in this race because they have not attended EEDC stages this year (except EEDC Belarus and EEDC Ukraine). But once the race was held on home turf, why not to tickle the nerves of foreign visitors?
Top16: Sergey Lipsky (Ukraine)
Battle of American V8s! In the first race Sergey Lipsky lost control of his car and made a U-turn.
In the second race while being in the lead Lipsky took a wrong path and due to that he made straighter line. The result was obvious – Vladimir Marchenko climbed the tournament grid higher.
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Top8: Dmitriy Illyuk (Ukraine)
Dmitriy Illyuk opted out from EEDC race.
Top4: Gvido Elksnis (Latvia)
In the first race Gvido following Marchenko made a number of slips losing advantage in favor of Vladimir.
Following the lead Vladimir made a wrong launching and thus straightened the drift and the trajectory, thereby giving Elksnis a ticket to the finals.
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The third place: Janis Eglite (Latvia)
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Technical problems with the steering resulted into U-turns in both races. Eventually the cup for the third place went to Janis Eglite.
Marchenko Racing Team congratulates its pilot with the victories achieved in the season of 2013, as well as with the third place in the Ukrainian Championship. We are grateful for every spectator for the hours spent on the bleachers and their voices strained as a result! A special thanks to our rivals on the track and to our friends in the paddock!
But it is not the end of the season for us! Ahead of us is the final of King of Europe in Slovakia, as well as the final of the Ukrainian Road Racing Championship where Vladimir Marchenko shall claim the vice championship.
