Latvian rallycross drivers dominate the Vilkyčiai track: Six victories secured in the third round of the Latvian-Lithuanian and Baltic Rallycross Championship
06.07.2026
Last weekend, the third round of the Latvian-Lithuanian and Baltic Rallycross Championship took place at the Vilkyčiai track in Lithuania, where Latvian rallycross drivers demonstrated a convincing performance, securing six victories and a total of 19 out of 24 podium spots. Intense competition in all classes, confident starts, and exciting finals confirmed that as the season reaches its midpoint, the battle for championship titles is becoming increasingly fierce.
In the Yaris 1000 class, Jēkabs Martinovs remained unbeaten, increasing his lead over his closest competitors in the overall championship standings with a victory in Vilkyčiai. Magnuss Baumanis finished second, while Armands Krivenkovs secured third place.
Particularly exciting battles took place in the Cross Car Mini class. This time, the winner's honors went to nine-year-old Gustavs Korņējevs, who convincingly left Alvis Pinkulis behind in the final, while Marians Bērzkalns finished third. Notably, when asked about his goal for the day on the morning of the race, Gustavs' answer was short and confident – "to win." After the finish, Korņējevs admitted that successful starts were the deciding factor, allowing him to control the pace of the race.
The most emotional races took place in the Cross Car Junior class, where intense rivalry prevailed until the final. Everts Grava celebrated the victory, leaving Patrīcija Neikšāne behind, while Mārtiņš Dreibe took third place. P. Neikšāne demonstrated a high-level performance in all heats, taking the lead within the first few meters and maintaining a stable pace throughout the race. Meanwhile, although Dreibe finished the competition in third place, he set the fastest lap time in the final, confirming his potential to fight for higher positions.
The "Hornet Racing" team athletes demonstrated excellent performance in the Cross Car class – Roberts Purmalis convincingly climbed to the top step of the podium, while his teammate Adrians Apsītis finished second. The only one who managed to diminish the dominance of the Latvian athletes in this class was local driver Jokūbas Bagdanavičius.
In the Lada RX class, only Latvians stood on the podium – Niks Mežiņš celebrated the victory, Rolands Bružāns finished second, and Niks Cinītis third. In the Super 1600 class, the locals held the upper hand this time, having a very convincing round. Victory went to the track owner's grandson, who, after a many-year break, is winning at home again – Valdas Mikuzis, leaving Rytis Rutkauskas behind. Estonian Kaspar Allik stepped onto the third step of the podium.
Meanwhile, in the Super 2000 class, after a challenging start to the season, Lenards Patriks Lepsis returned to the Vilkyčiai track with a very convincing performance and a win in the final. For Lepsis, the victory in Lithuania was crucial as it secured valuable points, providing confidence that the season is far from over and everything is still possible in the fight for leadership. The dominance of Latvian athletes in this class was absolute – Varis Žentiņš took second place, and Kristaps Kasparovičs third.
In the powerful BMW RX3000 class, local driver Lukas Sidabras remained unbeaten on his home turf, while Latvians Jānis Olle and Helmuts Bartkevičs finished second and third respectively, securing valuable points in the championship standings. After the finish, both athletes admitted that the Vilkyčiai track is one of the most interesting of the season – very fast and technically demanding. The drivers also offered praise to the organizers, highlighting the well-prepared track and the professional conduct of the competition as a whole.
After three rounds, Lukas Sidabras (BMW RX 3000, 104 points), Valdas Mikuzis (SUPER 1600, 62 points), Niks Mežiņš (LADA RX, 70 points), and Jēkabs Martinovs (YARIS 1000, 70 points) maintain stable leads in their respective classes, while in the youth Cross Car class and Cross Car Mini category, Roberts Purmalis (95 points) and Gustavs Korņējevs (97 points) have moved to the front. Meanwhile, the most intense intrigue reigns in the SUPER 2000 class, where, after three rounds, only a single point separates leader Lenards Lepsis (88 points) from second-place Varis Žentiņš, while the "SK Garkalne Racing" team holds a confident lead in the team standings with 177 points.
Rallycross.lv's 3rd competition round will remain in everyone's memory, because alongside the sound of engines and the tension of the race, the entire rallycross family witnessed a truly heartwarming event. Before the parade lap, Lithuanian driver Dovydas Padgurskis proposed to his partner. We wish them endless love, harmony, and a beautiful life journey together!
On July 18 and 19, an international rallycross festival will take place at the "Mūsa Raceland" track in Bauska, which will also host the 4th round of the Latvian-Lithuanian Rallycross Championship.
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Publicity photo: rallycross.lv / Raimonds Volonts
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Communications Manager
Linda Vecgaile
