The mini- rally competition is having a great time right now. So many participants are gathering that there is no need to even integrate this championship with the LARČ or LARSČ – this championship sustains itself. The rallies do not have many kilometers but recently attracted a considerable number of guests from other championships, who take the opportunity to move around during the breaks between the LARČ events. The fourth round of the Mini Rally Championship was held in Kražiai. The roads of this region are known to many, as one or another section is used in the LARČ Žemaitija rally. The participants of the rally drove seven special stages with a total length of 30.25 kilometers.
From the beginning of the competition it was clear that three crews – Rokas Steponavičius, Mikolaj Kempa and Ramūnas Čapkauskas – would fight for the victory in the overall and guest standings. All of them are more or less related to the N5 – Rokas and Mikolaj were now driving these cars, and Ramūnas was testing the N5 technology at the spring rally in Visaginas. Rokas Steponavičius, who had missed the Rokiškis rally due to health problems, showed the best pace from the first stage. He and Dovydas won all special stages of Rally Kražiai, but the late penalty pushed them to the end of the field. But the crew of “GSR Motorsport” did not complain about it, because the main goals were achieved in abundance – the form was recovered, partial training before Elektrėni was completed and the car was checked. In a good mood, this team will try to fight for the LARČ5 title in Elektrėnai.
While Rokas and Dovydas quickly pulled away from the others, Mikolaj and Ramūnas fought until the end for the second and – as it turned out later – for the first place. The two racers are very fond of this Ford Fiesta N5, which they rented from Darius Biesevičius. The guests from Poland were faster in five stages than Ramūnas Čapkauskas, who drove his old Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. After crossing the finish line, the gap between the drivers was twelve seconds, and just like in Ukmergė, Mikolaj and co-driver Marcin Szeja climbed to the top step of the podium. This was Mikolaj’s second victory in a mini-rally in Lithuania, and we hope that these guests will also appear in the LARČ events. After the rally, Ramūnas Čapkauskas did not spare feelings and good words for the car he started with in the spring:
“It was strange to contemplate my “love at first sight” that drove before me. I fell in love with this Ford Fiesta N5 from the first moment I sat down. I have driven Mitsubishi for many years, but this car seems like it was made for me. After sitting down in the N5, I realized that I did not want to drive a Mitsubishi anymore”
Ramūnas Čapkauskas
These were not the only highlights of the N5 at the Rally Kražiai. In the service area and on the special stages one could see some more familiar faces, and one of them was on the same podium as the winners of the rally. After the Mikolaj and Ramūnas took first two spots, Ginas Petraitis took the third place in the overall standings and in the guest class, for which Kristupas Adinavičius, the co-driver of Paulius Beniušis, read the pace notes. On another podium of the overall Mini Rally stood Martynas Samsonas’ co-driver – Ervinas Snitkas. Ervinas took over the task of co-driver for Tomas Žekonis, representing the team “Nordis”, where the newest N5 participant Deividas Gezevičius drives. Tomas is also fighting for the title of Mini Rally Champion.
Now we are all waiting for the approaching September, which will traditionally invite everyone to the Elektrėnai Rally
| Driver | Co-driver | Car | Team | Class | Time | Overall | Class | |||
 | Mikołaj Kempa | | Marcin Szeja |  | Ford Fiesta N5 | Mikołaj Kempa | Guest | 17:12:3 | 1 | 1 |
 | Rokas Steponavičius | | Dovydas Ketvirtis | | Ford Fiesta N5 | GSR Motorsport | Guest | 27:32:5 | 81 | 10 |
Photos – Rally Kražiai organizers