The fifth round of the Latvian Autocross Championship and Cup at the SK “Tepera” track in Smiltene is set to welcome a record-breaking 128 participants on August 22 and 23. This year’s entry list eclipses the previous benchmark of 117 competitors who started at the venue last season, signaling heightened stakes as the racing calendar barrels toward its decisive phase.
Beyond the domestic championship battles, the Smiltene weekend also doubles as the fourth round of the Estonian Autocross Cup for the B6000, D12, and D13 classes. Spectators gathered at the venue will witness a packed two-day schedule featuring timed qualifications, semifinal heats, and class finals spanning a diverse fleet of saloon cars, buggies, and heavy historic machinery.
“The end of the season is approaching, and the Smiltene round has a very significant meaning in the overall standings battle,” said Latvian autocross promoter Jānis Kozlovskis. “At this stage of the season, you can no longer afford mistakes, because every race, every earned point, and every place in the final can be very significant. The ‘Tepera’ track always provides exciting racing, so spectators will certainly have something to see.”
Heavy Machinery and Historic Classes Take Center Stage
The weekend program covers an extensive spectrum of motorsport categories, ranging from traditional touring classes to open-wheel buggies. Competitors will battle across 1600, 2000 Super, Open, Xtreme, Junior Xtreme, Buggy 1600, Mini Buggy 160 and 200 ccm, Cross Car MT09, and RWD 3000 classes. Alongside these divisions, the Estonian B6000, D12, and D13 classes bring out the iconic GAZ heavy trucks—affectionately nicknamed “crocodiles”—to test their endurance on the dirt layout.
The fierce competition across all categories reflects how tight the championship tables have become. With only a handful of events remaining on the calendar, dropped points or mechanical DNFs carry severe championship consequences.
Fierce Battles Shape the Youth and Junior Standings
In the Mini Buggy 200 ccm class, which boasts a grid of 19 entries, Rajens Čipens holds the championship lead with 67 points. However, the scramble for the remaining podium positions is wide open, with positions two through six separated by a deficit that can easily evaporate over a single race weekend.
The Mini Buggy 160 ccm category features Kristers Kuļikovskis firmly in command at the top with 76 points. Behind him, however, a three-way scramble for the last two podium steps is heating up. Lithuanian driver Majuss Gruzinskis and Ogre competitor Kārlis Mardoks are tied with 52 points apiece, while Dominika Neikšāne lurks just one point further back with 51 points.
In the Junior Xtreme class, a tense duel at the summit defines the championship chase following the previous round in Bauska. Klāvs Žvagins leads the standings with 83 points, holding a narrow three-point cushion over Emīls Mirošņiks. Lithuania’s Agnius Pilipavičius holds third in the standings, though Ritvars Elksnis remains within striking distance to challenge for the bronze medal.
“In this stage of the season, vairs nevar atļauties kļūdas,” Kozlovskis reiterated regarding the pressure mounting on young drivers managing championship points under intense race conditions.
Tight Title Chases Define Senior Touring and Buggy Divisions
In the senior ranks, the Super 2000 class stands out as one of the most volatile and unpredictable groups of the year. Emīls Sirica leads the standings with 43 points, closely pursued by Ritvars Zobens with 42 points—a remarkable feat given that Zobens missed the opening round of the season entirely. The championship depth is further illustrated by Guntars Gabrāns, who sits eighth with 27 points but retains a mathematical path to the crown heading into the final stretch.
Meanwhile, the 1600 touring division sees Linards Jasons sitting comfortably at the summit with 73 points. A dense pack consisting of Ģirts Kūzmanis, Juris Narubins, and Artis Ābols is fighting tooth and nail for the remaining podium steps, meaning one of these regular front-runners will inevitably finish the year outside the medals.
In the Buggy 1600 category, reigning champion Intars Grandāns leads the table with 82 points following the Bauska event. Aleksandrs Ņinkins trails by just five points on the strength of blistering pace all season. Behind them, a three-way deadlock for third place features Otomārs Skreija, Krišjānis Jānis Radiņš, and Māris Riekstiņš, all tied on 46 points.
The racing action at SK “Tepera” gets underway on Saturday morning, August 22, with practice and qualifying heats, culminating in the decisive final races on Sunday, August 23.
Worth a look
