Japanese invasion continues – 2010 World Final Grid finalised

The second of the Semi Finals has seen another of Japan’s super quick teenagers take victory even with his Novarossi powered Mugen suffering a late flame out.  Takehiro Terauchi won the race with the fastest of time of the two Semi’s recording the only 100 lapper to finish ahead of European Champion Dirk Wischnewski.  The race saw three of the last World Championship finalist eliminated with Paul Lemieux and Christopher Tosolini both running out of fuel.  Getting back into the race they managed to battle their way back to finish 3rd and 4th respectively but with faster race times in the earlier Semi it is Team Shepherd’s Marc Rheinard and Australian Champion Philip Woodbury who get the final two places in the Main.  The fifth fastest qualifier overall, Alexander Hagberg started the race from pole but a broken fuel tank lid on his Xray ended his race, the Swede retiring just after the 10-minute mark.  Another finalist who wont be in the 2010 final is Dario Balestri.  The Team Magic driver had a rough race making contact with a number of his rivals before eventually retiring after 21 minutes.

So the grid is set for the 2010 IFMAR 200mm World Championships and the biggest shock is that none of the finalists from Portugal are on it.  Japan looks strongest in terms of number with four drivers lining up for the big race.  Providing the opposition will be three Germans, two Americans and one Aussie.  Regarded as the masters of nitro onroad racing there is no Italian driver in the final.  In terms of chassis, 2006 World Champions Mugen are the best represented with four cars compared to three Xray NT1s and single entries from reigning Champions Kyosho, Serpent and World Championship debutants Team Shepherd of Germany.

Final starting order
1. Robert Pietsch (DE) – Mugen/Novarossi/Matrix/Sanwa/SRC Cruzer
2. Takaaki Shimo (JP) – Kyosho/O.S/Active/Futaba/SRC Cruzer
3. Shinnosuke Yokoyama (JP) – Xray/O.S/Xceed/Sanwa/Xceed Cruzer
4. Ralph Burch (US) – Xray/Max/Capricorn/KO/SRC Cruzer
5. Terauchi Takehiro (JP) – Mugen/Novarossi/ZAC Project/Sanwa/Blitz
6. Takumi Matsuda (JP) – Serpent/Mega/Xceed/Sanwa/Xceed Audi
7. Mike Swauger (US) – Mugen/Novarossi/Enneti/Airtronics/Xceed Cruzer
8. Dirk Wischnewski (DE) – Xray/Orcan/Matrix/Sanwa/SRC Cruzer
9. Marc Rheinard (DE) – Shepherd/Novarossi/Contact/Sanwa/Protoform P56
10.Philip Woodbury (AUS) – Mugen/Novarossi/Matrix/Futaba/Protoform P56

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