January 10, 2009

World Champion TQs Round 3

It is all to play for here at the Speed Passion supported DHI Cup as World Champion Marc Rheinard became the third different driver in as many rounds of qualifying to top the time sheets.  A switch to a light weight body and heavier shock oil on his Tamiya TRF416 have transformed the German’s performance which up to now was far from what we have come to expect from the reigning World & European Touring Car title holder.  Recording 21 laps in 303.10, Rheinard was a massive three seconds clear of the next fastest man, team-mate Jilles Groskamp who was just 5/100th ahead of Round 2 pace setter Teemu Leino.

Rheinard described his Tamiya as ‘way better’ following the changes which have made the car much easier to drive.  Putting much of the improvement down to the lighter body, the 2006 DHI Cup winner will make some small changes for the penultimate qualifier to fine tune the new set-up.

Making it a Tamiya 1-2 for the round Groskamp put his strong performance down to fresh tyre additive that he borrowed from early Tamiya pace setter Jonas Kaerup.  The ETS Champion said his car felt much better and that it must be down to Jonas’ bottle of additive being fresher as they both use the same brand.  With three solid results in the bag the Dutch ace will use the final two qualifiers to test a number of changes including the same shock oil as Rheinard.

Xray filled the next two places with Leino and Alexander Hagberg third and fourth respectively.  Leino swapped times with Groskamp throughout their heat and lost out to his former team-mate on the last lap.  A mistake on the opening lap cost Hagberg any change of his second maximum score.   The Swede is going to make some small changes to try and improve corner speed but is otherwise happy with his car.  The third member of the factory Xray squad Martin Hudy managed his best result so far with 10th fastest.  The Slovak driver dumped in the first heat and made a mistake in the second but is starting to get better performance from his T2 009.  Hudy said he is unable to copy the set-up of his team-mates as they both have very unique driving styles in particular Leino.

Marc Fisher had another solid run as the top Corally representative setting the fifth fastest time followed by 17-year-old Christer Andersson.  The young Finn described his Associated TC5 as ‘Just perfect’ but after a troubled first heat he is now targeting a safe fourth run in an attempt to secure him a place on the grid for the A-Main.

Germany’s Freddy Sudhoff was disappointed with seventh feeling its not a true reflection of his pace.  Behind him Kyosho’s Steen Graversen and emerging German talent Yannic Pruemper shared the 8th fastest time, the 15-year-old protege of Toni Rheinard finally got a clean run together.

Elsewhere defending champion Viktor Wilck had another poor run managing only the 11th fastest time while Hot Bodies factory driver Andy Moore found himself in unfamiliar territory with the 22nd fastest time.  The former World Champion is able to record quick laps times with the Cyclone TC but says the hard part is stringing them all together.

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