Wilck heads Tamiya domination of penultimate Qualifier
The penultimate round of qualifying for the 2009 EFRA 1:10 Electric Touring European Championships was an all Tamiya affair as their drivers set the Top 5 fastest times with Viktor Wilck (17/5:17.016) claiming the TQ even after flipping his TRF416WE. Despite the warmer track condition the Swede was on target to beat his teammate Marc Rheinard’s Round 3 time, currently the fastest run of qualifying, but once again made a mistake at the hairpin flipping his car. Luckily it landed rubber side down but the incident cost him over a second and a half, time that would have moved him in to the overall provisional TQ spot. Second fastest, Jilles Groskamp (17/5:17.909) reported his run was ok but the hotter conditions had made his car a little loose. The Euro Touring Series Champion said it was again very close but admitted Wilck was the faster man. Currently heading the Qualification ranking after 4 rounds, the Dutch racer said its all down to the last heat now and he could easily drop to fourth on the grid with himself, Wilck, Rheinard and Ronald Volker all still in the hunt to become the 2009 Euros Top Qualifier.
Rheinard (16/5:01.445) took third for the round but felt he got a bad batch of tyres as his Tamiya, which he hadn’t changed since the third round, felt terrible. Fourth fastest and completing the Tamiya Racing Factory lock out at the top of the time sheets was Hupo Honigl (16/5:03.294). The Austrian said his LRP powered TRF416 felt a little loose on the left corners but it was faster and was he was delighted that he wont be appearing 11th on the qualification ranking having taken the BQ honours at the indoor European Championship earlier this year, at the Worlds last November and at this same event in Spain last year.
Tamiya Junior team driver Yannic Pruemper ran a new motor for the round and managed his best position with the fifth fastest time. Fastest non Tamiya driver was Kyosho’s Steen Graversen with another sixth placing followed by fellow Team Orion driver Teemu Leino who took his Xray to seventh.
Unfortunately it was another bad run for Round 1 Top Qualifier Ronald Volker. Caught be the faster car of Wilck, the Team Yokomo driver moved off line at the end of the straight to allow the Tamiya driver through but the rear of his BD5 stepped out on the dirty track. Although the former European Champion held the car he lost time and any chance of a good run.
Full results from the event can be found here.
View our event image gallery here.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Heat 15 Round 3 – Video
Embedded above is a video from the 3rd round of qualifying, showing Heat 15 which contains some of the quickest drivers at this event, including Marc Rheinard, Jilles Groskamp, Ronald Volker and Viktor Wilck.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Rheinard TQ’s Round 3
Defending European Champion Marc Rheinard (17/5:15.987) got the second day of qualifying off to a good start by TQ’ing the third round of heats but only after Tamiya teammate, and overnight TQ holder, Jilles Groskamp (17/5:17.660) dumped less than half a lap from the finish line. The German described the run as OK saying he missed his lines a number of times and over the last minute found his Speedpassion powered TRF416 lost traction. A much happier Viktor Wilck (17/5:16.054) claimed second for the round having finally got his Tamiya to go the full distance. Switching to older batteries and running lighter shock oil, the Swede said the car was working better today but his ‘own mistake’ cost him a TQ run. Wilck was right on Rheinard but in the closing laps caught a curb at the hairpin in front of the drivers stand loosing him valuable tenths. Groskamp, who still retains the provisional TQ, said he wasn’t too bothered by his short run time as he had used the run to test new batteries. Finding the new pack dropped off without warning the Dutch ace said he will now revert back to his older packs.
One would never have predicted a Losi making it into the A-Main of the 2009 European Championships but another amazing drive by Lucas Urbain looks set to ensure a JRXS-R will line up on the 10 car grid. The French driver claimed fourth for the round just missing out on a 17 lapper due to a small driver error. Applying tyre additive for longer made for a faster more consitent car and Urbain said he has already reached his goal now of making a place in the Main. For the penultimate qualifier he plans to try used tyres which he said in practice had suited his Losi better than new ones.
‘Finally getting my electric driving style together’ was Alexander Hagberg’s response to setting the fifth fastest time. Runner-up at the 1:10 Nitro Touring Euros in Italy last week, the Swede said less rear tow on his Xray T2 009 had given him more steering but that more fine tuning was required. A finalist last year he feels it is going to be hard to get close to the pace of the Tamiya team but is hopeful of a better run in the next qualifier.
Next up were the two factory Kyosho’s of Steen Graversen and Christopher Krapp. Graversen was pleased with his Stallion and feels the hotter conditions expected for the next round should suit his car even better. The Dane, who missed out the A Main last year in Spain, said he needs another Top 6 finish to be sure of an A Main spot as he feels there are around 15 drivers in with a shout of making the final right now. 16-year-old Krapp wasn’t happy with his run to seventh. The German said he made mistakes and with his Team Orion powered Stallion working perfectly it should have been better.
Unfortunately for Team Yokomo’s Ronald Volker, the only person right now who looks capable of challenging the Tamiya domination here in Luxembourg, pulled up after a lap due to a badly glued rear tyre on his BD5.
Full results from the event can be found here.
View our event image gallery here.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
