Akzirve Challenge Takes the Breath Away

Round 2 of the Akzirve Challenge, organised by the Istanbul Off-road Club (İSOFF), was held on Sunday 12 November at the Akzirve Strada project site in Bahçeşehir. The drivers' breathtaking battles and the spectacular sight of the competing vehicles gave spectators a superb visual feast. Run in a head-to-head, two-car start format against the clock, the event saw drivers going to the absolute limit on a track made faster through minor modifications. With 20 drivers on the start list, every moment of the event produced the thrilling fights that come with a close-fought contest.

In Class 4, three CAN-AM Maverick X3 XRS Turbos driven by Erkan Birinci, Ali Doğaner and Saim Tekin started, along with two purpose-built DE TOROs driven by Tarık Gökbay and Kubilay Tüfekçi, Devrim Öztürk's TOYOTA HILUX and Burak Ayvaz's TOYOTA FJ70. Erkan Birinci, Tarık Gökbay and Devrim Öztürk, who made up the top three in the first event on 17 September, were again among the contenders in this group. In Class 3, Kenan Çarpışantürk, one of the former off-road racers, took part with a Mitsubishi Pajero, while Aziz Görkan and Bülent Acar in their Range Rovers and Tuncay Akbulut in a Jeep Cherokee also started in this group.
In Class 2, Cem Berk İşeri was the lone entrant in a Suzuki Grand Vitara, while in Class 1 his brother Ali İşeri took him on in a Suzuki Jimny. Class 1 also featured Bülent Karaduman in a Suzuki Vitara, Ozan Dağlı in a Suzuki Jimny and Diren Üykü in a Suzuki G. Vitara. In the Classic group, the CJ-series Jeeps stoked the sense of nostalgia, with Cihat Tuncer starting in a CJ8 and Müfit Çırpanlı, Somer Aydagül and Saltuğ Taşlıdağ in CJ5s.
At the Akzirve Challenge, 4x4 vehicles of different categories and power outputs start in pairs and race against the clock on two interlinked tracks. In the first stage, the 20 drivers each completed three laps and were ranked by their times at the end of the stage. The 10 drivers with the best times earned the right to start in the next stage. The first stage times averaged around 7 minutes, with Tarık Gökbay, Ali Doğaner and Ali Saim Tekin setting the best times by dipping below 7 minutes. This trio continued to put up a fine fight and keep their claims on the winner's trophy later in the event. Erkan Birinci, winner of the previous event and a strong contender again here, rolled in the very first stage because of a steering system failure and was out of the event.
In the 2nd stage, vehicles from Classes 3 and 4 led the start order, while two Class 1 drivers, Ali İşeri and Diren Üykü, earned places among these powerful vehicles in their Suzukis. In the second stage the drivers pushed more aggressively and set good times. This time Devrim Öztürk was also among the drivers to get below 7 seconds.
In the 3rd stage, the four fastest drivers were paired for the quarter-finals. The two fastest competitors from this stage would earn a place in the final. Ali Saim Tekin went out with Devrim Öztürk, and Ali Doğaner with Tarık Gökbay.
The most incredible scenes of the event came in the Ali Doğaner and Tarık Gökbay start. On the very first lap, Ali Doğaner put the left wheel up the bank, lost balance and rolled. After two rolls, Ali Doğaner luckily landed back on four wheels on the stage and, without hesitating, returned to the track and carried on without slowing. Meanwhile Tarık Gökbay kept completing laps at an ever-increasing pace. With one lap to go, as Tarık Gökbay approached the bridge crossing, the overheated brake disc broke, and control was lost under braking, sending the car off the bridge. The event was stopped. Gökbay escaped the accident unhurt and climbed out, after which the DE TORO was righted and towed away with the help of two tow vehicles.
With Tarık Gökbay out, all eyes turned to the names competing for the final. In the quarter-final round, Ali Saim Tekin had completed the stage in 6:32:37 and Devrim Öztürk in 6:59:65. Because the stage could not be completed due to the accident, Ali Doğaner was given a restart. Running alone to complete the stage, Ali Doğaner needed a better time than Devrim Öztürk to reach the final. After a run watched with great excitement, Ali Doğaner set 6:37:91, beating Devrim Öztürk's time and earning a place in the final.
In the final, two CAN-AMs came to the start line. The contest was head-to-head from start to finish. At the end of a race that all spectators watched holding their breath, Ali Doğaner was first across the finish line. Ali Saim Tekin, also in a Can Am Maverick X3 XRS Turbo, took second, while Devrim Öztürk was third in a Toyota Hilux.
Among the four classic CJs that raced sportingly on this speed-oriented stage, which is really not suited to the CJ-series classic Jeeps, Cihat Tuncer took the winner's trophy and Müfit Çırpanlı was second. Saltuğ Taşlıdağ, who entered in his father's CJ, took the third-place trophy. At the prize-giving, those placed in the overall classification received their trophies from Akzirve and Strada executives.
The 3rd round of the Akzirve Challenge will be held on the same track on 17 December.