Certain victory of Tolyatti team. The first “Grand Slam” of the new monocup. 7 stages, 5 racing tracks and one cup for two.

To the delight of auto racing lovers, the Russian touring program has been expanded to include a new mono cup race “LADA Granta”. In October the seven races will show the names of the first Cup winners, in which the teams (of 2 people) will drive identical 235-strong stylish “Lada Granta Sport” cars (VAZ-2190 Sport).

The first race has taken place as a part of the new series’ first stage. Viktor Shapovalov, an experienced racer famous for his participation in the World Touring Car Championship, had the most successful start. After several laps Dmitry Bragin, the recent winner of the Russian Championship Tolyatti Stage in rallycross, took the lead. Despite the competitor’s fierce attacks, the Tolyatti racer managed to remain in the front of the peloton until the pit stop for mandatory change of drivers and tires.

The second half of the race saw Granta #8 (Pavel Kalmanovich/Alexandr Kobenko) getting ahead. The qualification hero gradually gained advantage and came in first with confidence, leading his nearest successor by 18 seconds. The Tolyatti team’s victory in the race and qualification was supported by the best lap time achieved by Kalmanovich - 1:49.54. This was the first “Grand Slam” of the new Russian Cup.

The results of the first stage of the Lada Granta Cup 2011:

1. Kobenko/Kalmanovich (Tolyatti) 51:24.69
2. Shalunov/Shapovalov (Moscow) + 17.907
3. Simonov/Bragin (Tolyatti) +58.297
4. Akiniyazov/Petrikov (Mytishi) + 1:31.706
5. Nikolaev/Ryabov (Samara) +1 lap
6. Makushin/Maleev (Samara) + 2 laps
7. Chaban/Sokolov (Tolyatti) + 3 laps

http://carclub.ru/sport/Turing_Debyut_Kubka_Lada_Granta_v_Myachkovo.html