USSR: Unbelievably Sweet Soviet Rallying

From about as long as there have been cars, there’s been racing. The Iron Fist of Bolshevism held Russia in its steely grip for most of the 20th century, and anemic Soviet cars were the only things around. So when life hands you a Lada, you go rallying! English Russia is a sort of a gateway drug into the strange, twisted world of Soviet vehicle design. From the ekranoplan to the screw-drive APCs, Russians addapted to the prevailing conditions with some really ingenious designs. So while the local cars were decided agricultural, built to handle the tough roads and bitter cold, it didn’t stop them from racing the crap out of them. Who cares if you’d just gotten off a 7-year waiting list to take delivery of your VAZ-2101? Take it racing! There’s plenty more pictures of Soviet winter rallying on English Russia. (Bonus points to any reader who can point us to more information about the open-wheeled cars seen in the post – a Soviet Formula Junior type racing class?) English Russia