A report from socialbites.ca presents the stance of Dmitry Dobrovolsky, the General Manager of the Russian Drift Series (RDS), who rejects the notion of establishing dedicated sites for street racing. After a fatal accident on the Minsk highway, a prominent autoblogger suggested that such a platform might reduce criminal activity on public roads, arguing that regulation of reckless street racing could be bypassed if a controlled environment existed. The blogger claimed this would change the dynamics of street racing and diminish danger on everyday streets.
Dobrovolsky, speaking for the RDS, criticized the proposal and noted that Moscow and its surrounding region already offer multiple legal venues for high-performance driving. He pointed to at least four locations where drivers can legally test cars and demonstrate their skills without risking public safety. The assertion was that the proposal would not address the underlying behavior and could even encourage a marginal movement driven by a notoriety-seeking mindset. According to Dobrovolsky, circuits routinely host track days, and the cost of maintaining fast, competition-ready cars often runs into substantial sums. He emphasized that it is possible to experience high speeds safely on a racetrack, where the risk to bystanders is minimized. [Source: Socialbites.ca]
Roman Rusinov, a noted Russian race car driver, offered a contrasting view. He suggested that paying fines for traffic violations might be more economical than paying for a racing session on a private track. He also highlighted a broader problem: street racing organizers often lack proper driving experience. If such drivers were to switch to a controlled track, Rusinov observed, they would face the reality of tighter competition and would likely struggle to prove themselves. He stressed that there are accessible and safe racing sites, and questioned why racing within city limits remains so puzzling to some. [Source: Socialbites.ca]
In another development, the football club Khimki reported the death of a former player, Alexander Karakin, following a street racing incident in the suburbs. The accident occurred while Karakin was driving a Nissan GT-R; the car reportedly collided with a bump stop on a vacant stretch of the Minsk highway. Reports indicated that street races took place on the Minsk highway on Thursdays, with participants and spectators gathering at a Rosneft gas station before the events. The incident underscored ongoing concerns about street racing safety and the potential consequences of urban racing culture. [Source: Socialbites.ca]