Vilkyčiai Turns the Rallycross Championship Upside Down: Latvian–Lithuanian Titles to Be Decided at Night Rallycross in Biķernieki

The penultimate round of the Latvian, Lithuanian and Baltic Rallycross Championships, held on Sunday at the Vilkyčiai motorsport complex, delivered everything this motorsport discipline is known for. Victories, positions lost in the final corners, close-contact battles, rollovers and heavy crashes followed the drivers throughout the day, while the twists and turns in Vilkyčiai made the fight for the championship titles even more exciting. Everything will now be decided at the season finale in Riga, where the “Night Rallycross” will take place at Biķernieki Circuit on 18–19 September.

Latvian drivers delivered strong performances across several classes in Vilkyčiai, claiming victories and top podium positions while further intensifying the championship battle ahead of the decisive final round.

The Latvian drivers were particularly dominant in the “Yaris 1000” class, sweeping the entire podium. Jēkabs Martinovs continued his winning streak, taking his fourth consecutive victory of the championship season in Vilkyčiai. Armands Krivenkovs finished second, while Kārlis Matuzonis took third place. Lithuania’s Germantas Geležinis finished just outside the top three.

In the “Lada RX” class, Rolands Bružāns claimed victory, making the championship battle even tighter ahead of the decisive final round. With his win in Vilkyčiai, Bružāns drew level with Niks Mežiņš in the overall standings, with the two drivers now tied on points. Mežiņš finished second in this round, while Emīls Krūmiņš took third place.

In the “Cross Car Mini” category, Marians Bērzkalns was the fastest in Vilkyčiai, with Marta Skustā finishing second. Lithuania’s Gedas Rutkauskas completed the podium in third place. The event ended prematurely for one of Lithuania’s fastest drivers, Kaspars Kažemēks, who rolled his buggy during qualifying following contact with a competitor. The buggy’s frame was damaged in the crash, bringing his weekend to an early end.

The “Cross Car” final proved particularly dramatic. Earlier in the event, one of Latvia’s leading drivers this season, Roberts Purmalis, was forced to retire after a heavy crash into the track barriers. This opened the door for Lithuania’s Kernius Šulinskas, who came very close to victory. However, at the decisive moment, Adrians Apsītis took control. In the penultimate corner of the final, Šulinskas nearly spun while taking the Joker Lap. Apsītis immediately capitalised on his rival’s mistake, took the lead and crossed the finish line first, securing another victory for Latvia in Vilkyčiai. Šulinskas finished second, while Matas Zavarskis took third place. Apsītis’ triumph was one of the most dramatic Latvian victories of the entire race day.

Latvian drivers were also at the front in the “Super 2000” class. After intense battles and several incidents that required review by the race officials, Kristaps Kasparovičs claimed the victory. Fellow Latvian Miks Gabrāns finished second, giving Latvia the top two positions on the podium. Lithuania’s Rokas Jakubauskas finished third. Even before the fifth round of the championship, the overall standings had been extremely close, with just seven points separating the drivers in second through fifth place behind championship leader Lenards Patriks Lepsis. The results from Vilkyčiai reshuffled the standings even further, keeping the championship battle wide open ahead of the decisive final round.

In the “Super 1600” category, Lithuanian home favourite Valdas Mikužis showed impressive pace throughout the day, winning all three qualifying sessions before confirming his dominance with victory in the final.

In the powerful BMW RX3000 class, Lithuania’s Lukas Sidabras claimed victory on home soil. He was the fastest driver in qualifying and went on to win the final as well. Latvian drivers Kristians Briedis-Strujevičs and Māris Zadināns joined him on the podium, finishing second and third respectively.

Overall, the Vilkyčiai round proved highly successful for Latvia’s rallycross drivers. Latvians claimed victories in the “Yaris 1000”, “Lada RX”, “Cross Car Mini”, “Cross Car” and “Super 2000” classes, while in several categories Latvian drivers occupied two or even all three podium positions.

The victories of Jēkabs Martinovs, Rolands Bružāns, Marians Bērzkalns, Adrians Apsītis and Kristaps Kasparovičs were among the standout performances of the weekend. Meanwhile, in the BMW RX3000 class, where home driver Lukas Sidabras took the win, Latvian competitors secured the remaining two podium positions.

The Vilkyčiai event also brought this season’s rallycross action on Lithuanian circuits to a close. Only one round now remains in the Latvian–Lithuanian Rallycross Championship, with the season finale taking place at Biķernieki Circuit in Riga on 18–19 September. The final promises to be a special one, with drivers and fans set for an exciting night rallycross event. As usual, the racing will be complemented by an entertainment programme, which promises to be particularly spectacular this year and provide an impressive conclusion to the rallycross season.

Photo: Rallycross.lv – Raimonds Volonts
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Additional information:
Communications Manager
Linda Vecgaile
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