Chagin: "We learned to crawl on the sand KAMAZ»

KAMAZ-Master "again won the Dakar, the ninth for the Russian team and sixth efforts of the crew of Vladimir Chagin. After returning home and a little rest, the team leader Semyon Yakubov and pilot Chagin met with journalists to share their experiences and plans for the future. 32-e account Dakar, according to tradition, was the first race of the year. The departure was given on January 1 in Buenos Aires, where participants drove the route, Argentina - Chile - Argentina length of 9,000 km. Fought for the victory of 600 riders from different countries - 184 motorcycles, 138 cars and 50 trucks. Got to the finish line only 88 motorcycles, 57 jeeps and 28 trucks. The Russian team "Kamaz-Master" exhibited at the race three of the crew headed by Vladimir Chagin, Firdaus Kabirov and Ilgizar Mardeeva. On all 14 stages of the rally were the leaders of KAMAZ trucks, and victory in the class of trucks went to the crew Chagin. According to the winner, the biggest challenge of Dakar-2010 "was a permanent replacement tires. On the track had a lot of rocks and vegetation, which, due to arid climate hardened. "Small knots, which in Russia can safely travel in Latin America were strong as iron, and the wheels are constantly cut. During this "Dakar" We spent about 70 buses, along with us was not so much rubber, so you had to even remove the wheel with our "technicals", which is already shod in our worn-out "battle" bus. " One of the teams sponsor was a company selling and repairing of rubber, and bivouacs in their trailer ever queue. "Every day we come to the bivouac with the hissing wheels - says Vladimir. - Well, in our truck tires have the option to swap out of the cabin, which can provide from 1.5 to 6 atmospheres. Had to constantly adjust the pressure in the tires, that saved us on long sections, because we could cut the wheel at the 50-kilometer area and drive the pumping another 350 left, and we were nervous all the time that the wheel may crack. " Winning director of "KAMAZ-Master" explains a wealth of experience in the "Dakar" and the professionalism of the crew members. A pilot of the winning quote one of the slogans of the rally: "The winner is not someone who goes quickly, but he who does not break." Note that about half of the cars rolled off the road due to breakdowns, and the Russian team only reached the finish without a loss. Chagin authoritatively stated that "Kamaz" - a good Russian car, thanks to the reliability of which he managed to finish with a big margin. "It was a lot of sand, complex plots on sandy areas, sometimes dunes reach a height of 10-storey building, some participants failed to call them - engines could not cope. But we have relied on his 20 years of experience have taught KamAZ crawl on the sand "- says Vladimir. Yakubov also noted that the organizers took into account the shortcomings of previous years, in particular, is too dusty stretches of road that kept overtaking, and this year the track has become more varied and interesting. "Race in Latin America was a success, so we think, and many of the participants. Last year, the skeptics did not accept transfer of Dakar in Africa, but this year a lot of organizational issues has been established. "Dakar" - not only in Africa, Dakar. The following year, in carriages, "Kamaz-Master" will be a permutation - pushed to the forefront of young pilots. "It is time to give way to them, - said Yakubov. - I will not in the crew team, but will help them and share experiences as a coach. " The question of the venue of the next "Dakar" has not yet been resolved - a contract to organize rallies in Latin America has expired. But Semyon Yakubov and Chagin calmly waiting for a decision, they have already begun to prepare for upcoming tests. Text: Olga Zabelkina.