Words by Martin Wallek

Out in Baku here there is a Caledonian Society of which Keith, Alan and I are members. Each year we have 3 special Scottish evenings, Burns Night, Chieftains Ceilidh and St Andrews night, at which we dust off the kilts, and the wives get to buy a new ball gown and show them off to the other expat community wives. These are special nights for the wives as you can imagine, so even if we didn't want to go, WE HAD TO GO!!! This year the St Andrews Ball happened to be on the same weekend as the second ever 4x4 competition in Azerbaijan (we found out about the first one, last year, after it happened). As things are out here, rules, regulations and organizations of local events are always very vague to say the least. We were initially told that the competition was going to be over the whole weekend leaving on the Saturday morning and driving 2 hours north of Baku to a place called Kuba. Returning to Baku on Sunday night. So, we had the difficult task of asking/telling/pleading with the wives for us to go (and miss St Andrews night!!) Alan did it first and got a lip for a few days from his wife but she eventually got over it. Then it was me, 3 days it took me to build the courage to ask, and the reply I got? "Yes of course baby, I know how much your car means to you!!!!!!" I could not believe it! My wife is Russian and if you knew her you would never want to upset her! Well, our mountain was climbed!! 2 days before the event, we found out it had changed (Surprised? Not). They had changed it to just outside Baku on only the Sunday!! Note, by this time we had cancelled our tickets for the St Andrews Ball, including the wives ones, and they had all sold out. This was another story that still hurts!!

Sunday morning, we arrived at the meeting point in Baku Centre and got issued our numbers and stickers for the cars. After a few photos were taken, we then drove in convoy with a police escort out of Baku through red lights and stopping for nothing. I felt like the president!!

At the track, we could not believe it, all it was, was a bumpy track maybe about a kilometre long. Nothing too serious for any standard 4 wheel drive. I even think, if driven correctly, a 2wd car could have gone around it. We all gathered around to hear the rules and regulations. Our translators were not too good as we were told that you had to stay within the white line and NOT hit any cones, they were very vague and advised us that it was a 5 second penalty for every time you hit a cone or white line.

We then had to pick our starting numbers out of a hat, Keith got 5th, Alan got 7th and I got 9th. The first car was a Hyundai Galloper (the old style Mitsubishi Shogun in the UK). Before the start, Alan Keith and I talked about taking it easy as some of the bumps if hit wrongly at speed, would bend our front springs, so we thought we would not go too fast. When the first car went, he floored it all the way around obviously not caring about his car. Then the next, and next, until Keith. Keith started off going at a good pace and no penalties. Alan next, and thought to himself, "I'm going all out", he did and got 3 penalties. Then I went around with the same attitude as Alan and I got 2 penalties and 3 seconds slower than Alan. We quickly counted the (supposedly 5 secs per penalty) times and I or Alan were in the lead. Lunch time came and it was all laid on for us with the local food of 'Shash Lik' (Kebab on a skewer).

As we had time to kill before the next round, I thought I would go for a play. Up on the hill was few rocks and ditches I thought would be fun!! I went a bit too far and at one point I had my car vertical, the spare back wheel was what stopped me going right over on to my roof! This brought a bit too much attention and the event organiser was not too pleased! As you could imagine, our cars brought a lot of attention and with us being foreigners, we were interviewed by the local TV.

On the second round, it was the same track but round the opposite way. Keith went around with no penalties, nice and easy. Alan next, he took it a bit easier but with one penalty. Then I blatted around 7 seconds faster than Alan and about 30 seconds faster than Keith, and no penalties. Everyone told me I had the fastest of the day. After everyone had completed the second round we then went on convoy to the Autoclub restaurant/museum of Baku for the presentation. The 1st, 2nd & 3rd places were called for the standard cars. Then the Modified class were about to be called and because there was only 4 competitors (us 3 and the UAZAVR, see link) in the modified class, there was only a 1st place. At the call of first place, Keith nearly swallowed his cigarette in shock!! He won a DVD player and bottle of Mobil 1 engine oil. And of course, a winners cup and medal. It later turned out that each penalty was either 30 or 40 seconds, depending on what it was and how the judge felt at the time!

Keith says he is going to put his cup on a special shelf in his garage so each and every time we go in his garage it will be in full view of Alan and Me!!!

All in all, it was great day out had by all. We all thoroughly enjoyed the event and are looking forward to the next one. We even met a few other 4x4 nutters like us that want to come with us on our treks up in the Caucasus Mountains. We were also invited to join the 4x4 club of Azerbaijan.

The event sponsors were:-

Atesgah - The biggest insurance company in Azerbaijan

Mobil 1 - You've got to know that one

Autograph - A local Car Magazine

Autoworld - A weekly TV program on one of the national TV Channels "LIDER"

Pictures by Martin Wallek and courtesy of 4X4.az Offroad Club