Today's autocross

[faksta]

Hey, I just went home from autocross competition in Buzharovo near Moscow. Unfortunately, though we were there in time (even earlier), the event began before stated time, and we missed almost whole UAZ race, so I just have couple pics of UAZ's after the race. But yes, we've seen buggies and ZIL's (honestly, ZIL race was a subject of my coming out there). I don't know whether anywhere else but former USSR you would see truck cross.

The first run was held on buggies equipped with domestic engines up to 1600cc with carburettor, several of which were Wankel-engined. I couldn't choose a good place to take shots, so these pics are a bit 'far away', though made with zoom. Sorry for this.

First two pics show an autocross-prepared UAZ. I don't have any specs yet, but hope will get them somewhere soon. :)
The third and the fourth are kids' race - they drove special little buggies. The youngest driver in this class was 5 years old :rolleyes: .

[faksta]

Now the 'serious' buggies :D The last two shots here show VAZ Wankel engine put in one of the cars.

[faksta]

And the trucks. The first truck cross race was held in USSR in 1949, and the cars which ran today, ZIL 130, race since 1963. Twice truck cross was forbidden ('trucks should carry the cargoes, and not fight on the track'), but finally since 1994 the championship takes place every year.
These ZIL's use modified 7-liter V-8 engine from far fifties. It's not being lightened, as reliability plays bigger part then weight. Power is increased from basic 180hp to 230-240hp, depending on a car (regulations are not so strong and the cars can differ seriously even within one team) - it's not maximum, but meets autocross demands very well. Such engines request 98 fuel (they're petroleum, not diesels). Reaching 100km/h in 8 seconds, the 4500kg cars can run 150km/h. The tray is lightened and equipped with a massive safety frame. Some drivers apply a second frame into their cabins. Tyres (6 per a car) are being prepared by drivers themselves - they simply cut them with knives or whatever they may use.
Suspension is heavily modified, too. Instead of basic shock absorbers and springs the ones from more heavy or even military vehicles can be used (BTR-80 armored troop carrier, for example), but some guys apply 2-3 basic shock absorbers to each wheel. The car frame is basic, as well as many other parts of construction. 5-step gearboxes are used on them, and all of the trucks are RWD, so they can easily go sideways. What about dimensions..well, it's far from compact - 6000mm length, 2350mm and 2500mm width and heigth accordingly and the wheelbase is 3800mm.

[faksta]

More trucks. To be mentioned, a close fighting on a track is a common thing here, so most cars look kind of injured.

[faksta]

More trucks.

[faksta]

And some after race ZIL shots. Car #145 could give me a ride on a track today after the event, but it was wrecked during a race, so obviously the team refused to do this. Pity...
Maybe later I'll get the video shot by us at the event, so I'll be able to upload it somewhere.
All comments would be greatly appreciated :D :D

[Wouter Melissen]

Great stuff. That must have been quite a spectacle.

[faksta]

Great stuff. That must have been quite a spectacle.

Thanks. Yeah, watching four-and-a-half ton truck going sideways side by side with another two is really a spectacular thing :)

[cmcpokey]

thats really very cool, although radically different than americn autocross. looks much closer to ralleycross

[faksta]

thats really very cool, although radically different than americn autocross. looks much closer to ralleycross

Well, here rally-cross differs from cross by having a tarmac sectors. Also rally-cross cars should be much more powerful than cross ones, but as far as I know almost no one in Russia builds rally-cross cars, and all the races are being held on cross cars.
I've seen what you mean after an American autocross - something like slalom, right?

[cmcpokey]

yeah, very slalom like.

me doing american style AutoX:

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=262683&d=1199933267

[faksta]

Yep, I remember the pic. :)
Then I was right :D First time I've seen it on Factory Five Racing DVD.

[fisetdavid26]

Thanks. Yeah, watching four-and-a-half ton truck going sideways side by side with another two is really a spectacular thing :)
Indeed, that must have been a wild thing to see. Nice pics btw. :)

[faksta]

Indeed, that must have been a wild thing to see. Nice pics btw. :)

Thanks :)

[pimento]

Wow, that is a lot of awesome. Thanks for sharing! The cargo section is called the tray by the way. :)

[whiteballz]

Thanks faksta, this is pretty damned awesome :)

[faksta]

Thanks faksta, this is pretty damned awesome :)

Yes, it is :D I'll try to follow them further this week in Bronnitsy - ZIL's will race again ;)


Wow, that is a lot of awesome. Thanks for sharing! The cargo section is called the tray by the way. :)

Thanks :) I'll fix that.

[Matra et Alpine]

luv it :)
I'm always a fan of the most inappropriate motorsport :) The idea of racing a truck on track was silly enough, but to go and do it on dirt !

How long is the track ? How many corners ? How tight/open ?

[faksta]

luv it :)
I'm always a fan of the most inappropriate motorsport :) The idea of racing a truck on track was silly enough, but to go and do it on dirt !

How long is the track ? How many corners ? How tight/open ?

I'm trying to find the info about the track. But it may appear that there is nothing on it in the net and I couldn't walk through the whole track yesterday - I observed it just partly. I'll post what I'll sum up.

[faksta]

The Buzharovo cross track have seen truck cross in 1998 for the first time. In 2001 it accepted a race within Russian Cup.

And here is the info from the official sources.
The track is a curvy oval. Surface - graded sand/clay, in winter - snow (actually, during a weekend the track has been dug up so much that instead of snow it consisted of snow mixed with sand - absolutely brown, with an ice under this mix). Direction - anti-clockwise. Maximum different of heights - 5 meters. Starting zone is taken out of the main course and adjoins from the outside.

Though no info about length and curves number. But from what I've seen yesterday I've counted 9 curves now from my mind - they couldn't be seen all in one time - trees, hills and so on, you know...

Видео "Гонки в Бужарово", автор: Vetal - LoadUp.Ru (http://loadup.ru/video/view/?id=v55523f69) - here you can see a ZIL race in Buzharovo (gonna be 2007). This is not what we've done, that vid is not ready yet :p

[faksta]

Picture from the Google Map. Of course, they couldn't make it all visible...

EDIT: Pic from Yandex maps. Though a bit strange again - obviously not the configuration used yesterday.

[faksta]

Here comes the vid.

YouTube - Bronnitsy truck cross (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbWPE73b9_U)

Please, note it's my first video ever, so obviously it's not perfect :)
It shows not Buzharovo track, but the one in Bronnitsy a week after (February, 9) - the second ZIL race in Moscow province this year. And sorry for my hands moved sometimes - I could hardly feel them :p The footage was shot by me, my friend and my sis. BTW, the track 2200 meters long was completed in qualification in about 2:29.
I know Matra will demand the track info again :p Well, tomorrow is another race in Bronnitsy (ZIL 130, UAZ 469, GAZ 51/52 and GAZ 53) and I'll try to take a shot of track layout.

P.S. I intently posted it here, not in video thread, to hear your, guys, comments ;)

[faksta]

And some photos from Bronnitsy.

[faksta]

More pics
#4 here (6-wheeler) is a techical support car.

[faksta]

More from Bronnitsy.

[faksta]

More pics from the event

[faksta]

And the last ones

[faksta]

YouTube - Bronnitsy truck cross #2 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=h1KZKYMrwA4)

This is a vid from February, 16. Here are four divisions, not only ZIL's.