The total length of this section of the Rally initiated by the President of Turkmenistan and supported by the leaders of Russia and Kazakhstan was 418 kilometres. The sportsmen could test their cars on the routes of different kinds and the landscapes typical of the Karakum Desert. As is known the final section of the route of the Kazan-Ashgabat Rally that gained the status of the Dakar series will cross the Karakum Desert – the biggest and severest deserts on the Eurasian continent.

The Turkmenbashi-Balkanabat section met the highest sports criteria. Its special section was 345 kilometres long. The caravan of the cars stretching along the route was a wonderful picture that the people of Balkan could enjoy. The cars and trucks of different brands including KAMAZ, TATRA, MAN, Mercedes, Toyota, Volkswagen and the others representing the world-renowned manufacturers run towards the finish overcoming numerous obstacles – the sand dunes and hills, saline lands indented by mud torrents, steep turns of the stony roads that run along the slopes of the mountain ridges of the Big Balkan.

In the middle of the day the Rally participants finished in the town of Turkmen oil industry workers. Standing along the streets and highways local people and fans greeted the sportsmen. The results achieved by the Turkmen racing drivers who are making their debut in the large-scale international competitions along with the veterans of motorsport pleased their fans. The Turkmen KAMAZ crew of G. Danatarov and R. Gaynulin ranked the 10th. The Turkmen Nissan crew of A. Annaev finished the 22nd. In the evening the Turkmen racers were very popular among the other sportsmen, who asked them about the specifics of the route they were to run along next day.

The racers’ camp was set up near the Balkanabat airport. The airliners decorated with the national symbols Turkmenistan, Russia and other countries had landed at the airport long before the finish to provide assistance to the unprecedented car racing. The yurts covered with the Turkmen carpets added the bright colours to the bivouac.

By tradition the preliminary results of the Kazan-Ashgabat motor racing were summed up during the press conference in the evening. The artistic groups and popular artists performed a concert for the sportsmen and their guests.

Tomorrow at the dawn the caravan of the Rally-Raid participants will start out on a journey. Thus, these two days will be the dress rehearsal on the eve of the last decisive bout for the victory in the Rally which is recognized as one of the brightest sporting events in 2009.