Dmitrij Sribnyj wins Monster Energy Gymkhana Grid at Santa Pod

Driving a Pfitzner Performance Gearboxes equipped and sponsored Subaru Impreza, Russian driver Dmitrij Sribnyj scored an emphatic victory at last weekend’s 2015 Monster Energy Gymkhana Grid European Gauntlet at Santa Pod Raceway, when he beat none other than Ken Block in the Grand Final.

Impressed by his raw natural talent and success in Barrel Sprints, Automotive Gymkhanas and – more recently – Rallycross, high performance gearbox manufacturer PPG recently took the decision to back Sribnyj for the remainder of this season and throughout 2016. The support includes the supply of a six-speed sequential gearbox system.

Having aced the Barrel Sprint qualification round at Santa Pod earlier this year, the UK-based driver was assured of a place in last weekend’s Gymkhana Grid European Gauntlet. Intent of making the most of the opportunity, Sribnyj went on to win the All-Wheel-Drive category – and scored his fourth European Championship title in the process – which meant he found himself in the Grand Finale against the most famous Gymkhana Grid driver of them all: Ken Block, the on-line video star with over 300-million You Tube viewers who is responsible for creating this crowd-pleasing form of motorsport and broadcasting it to a global audience.

The Gymkhana Grid Grand Final comprised two heats, with Sribnyj in his PPG-equipped Subaru just edging out Block – who was driving his AWD 845bhp Mustang Hoonicorn RTR – in the first run. The pair then swapped lanes and again, it was the Subaru that crossed the finish line first, making it a clear victory for Sribnij, who not only claimed the AWD title against the world’s most famous Gymkhana specialist, but also set the fastest overall time earlier in the whole competition.

“I could not believe it. Winning Gymkhana Grid 2015 – and against Ken Block – is just fantastic’, said Sribnyj. “The car ran perfectly, as did the PPG gearbox. When you consider that we use sticky tyres with low air pressure to get the best possible grip, this puts a lot of stress on the transmission. The gearbox handles the traction and power so well and the shifting is extremely positive – both up and down – which makes such a difference to the car’s performance.”
In an interview following the event, Ken Block was complimentary about his rival’s performance, commenting that: “Dmitrij drove well, was quick, fun to watch and did a great job.”

Global Operations Director for PPG David Gammon was also delighted with the outcome: “Having watched Dmitrij‘s progress over the past few years, I was convinced that, with a little bit of help, he could cut it with the best. I’m very pleased we were able to provide him with a gearbox ahead of the Gymkhana Grid and we’re extremely impressed with the result. I’m sure that the combination of his talent and the improved performance that’s provided by the gearbox, he’ll go on to achieve further success in what ever discipline he chooses to do.”