Latvian drift car builders HGK Motorsport definitely gained additional respect over this weekend. Not only they brought Formula D drivers (Ryan Tuerck, Chelsea Denofa and Matt Powers) to race at Bikernieki circuit, they also made killer configuration to the circuit itself.
It seems that all available HGK cars were in action, Sergey Kabargin even brought his 1000kg Corvette to Europe for the first time.
Ryan Tuerck got the E46 Kit Car that he drove back in 2013 when he visited for the first time. Chelsea Denofa was behind the wheel HGK’s fresh built – golden E92. Matt Powers, being a JDM guy, was drifting a Nissan 350Z that should have around 1000hp under the bonnet.
Kristaps Bluss, patron of HGK, was in his usual BMW.
And, of course, party wouldn’t be full without a bunch of top notch European drivers, like Budmat Team from Poland, Fredrik Sjodin in his M2, Pawel Trela, Andrius Vasiliauskas and others.
I’ve never beet to Long Beach, but weekend’s track layout was something really similar to that. Bikernieki was transformed into a street circuit.
Fact that Pawel Trela was back in Riga made my part of the brain that responds to excitement warm.
So what could possible hurt this beast of an event? Weather, surely, unpredictable baltic weather. As soon as qualifying ended is started to rain.
Believe it or not, after this flight, Sergey completed the run.
And yes, shower was already here, whoever ordered it..
Matt had troubles with the car, so was beaten early in Top 16. Bluss, Tuerck, Kabargin and Chelsea continued to Top 8 where few very strong Polish drivers were waiting for them. Piotr Wiecek was unbeatable and made his way easely to Top 4. Dawid Karkosik, even though he was driving Piotr’s spare car, was another Pole who made it to Top 4.
Bud Mat drivers met two Formula D drivers in the Top 4 – Tuerck and Denofa. Well, story short, Polaks beat their asses.
In the end Chelsea took 3rd from Ryan.
Crowds were prepared to witness the first ever final in Drift Challenge history and boy, was it a good one. Basically, first highlight on the day was The Flying Kabargin and second – door-to-door all-Polish final
Thank You HGK!
