RTCC: Kvita shines, while Ukhov keeps his lead at Nizhniy Novgorod

31 Aug 10

Rookie driver Oleg Kvitka and double champion Mikhail Ukhov shared victories at round six of the YOKOHAMA-supplied Russian Touring Car Championship (RTCC) at the N-ring in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia, on 27-29 September 2010.

Drivers’ Standings leader Ukhov started race one on wet-weather set-up as rain was expected to hit during the session, while his closest challenger Kvitka took a different stategy as he prepared for a dry race. Kvitka’s gamble paid off: the BMW driver had the edge to keep his lead throughout the race, crossing the finish line first. Ukhov recovered from a spin early in the race to finish in second, while Kvitka’s Honda team-mate Smetskiy Andrey rounded out the podium places. Sotnikov Aleksandr claimed the Touring Light class honours, ahead of Kozlovskiy Mikhail and Kuzmin Vladislav, completing a Ford Fiesta 1-2-3 in the category.

Ukhov proved unbeatable in Sunday’s race two, setting the pace from the start and charging to victory in his BMW 320. Kvitka lost some time as he went wide at the start but managed to stay behind Ukhov, bringing his Honda Accord home in second, ahead of Radoshnov Andrey’s Honda Civic in third. Mikhail claimed the class win in the Touring Light category with fellow Ford driver Vladislav second, while the Lada Kalina entry of Sheshenin Vladimir took the chequered flag third.

Round seven of the RTCC will take place at Smolensk, Russia, on 10-12 September.