CP2 Update – Groskamp fastest
In the second round of controlled practice for the Nitro Touring Car World Championships in Bangkok, Jilles Groskamp posted a blistering time to become the first & only driver to complete three consecutive laps of the RC Addict track in under 45 seconds. With a qualifying set-up on his Capricorn, the Dutch ace ran a time of 44.984 to bump CP1 pace setter Atsushi Hara back to second, the Hot Bodies driver unable to improve on his morning time. Describing his LAB C-02 as ‘really good’, Groskamp felt he could have gone even quicker had the tuning of his Maxima engine not been off. Based on a Novarossi engine, and hand modified by Maxima who are the official fuel supplier at this year’s Worlds, he said the engine was not as fast as he was expecting but having had a look at it after the run his mechanic believes a bad plug was the cause for the slight lack of power.
While none of the Top 6 from CP1 could improve on their times second time out, 17-year-old local racer Chavit Sirigupta managed to knock almost half a second off his time to go third fastest. Also finding a chunk of time was Thailand’s most famous rc racer Surikarn C., the former Electric Touring Car World Champion setting the fourth fastest time. Changing his set-up from the morning when he posted the 17th fastest time, Surikarn said his Xray was much better but overall it was still only ‘OK’ as it was very close to traction rolling especially on the left side of the track.
Another Xray to improve in CP2 was Dirk Wischnewski who having followed the same direction as team-mate Alex Hagberg in running softer springs set the fifth fastest time. A finalist at the World Championships in Portugal in 2008, US National Champion Paul Lemieux set the 28th fastest time in CP2 but the RC America driver says he is working to his own plan and actually feels quite happy with his Max powered NT1. Being realistic about his chances of qualifying in the Top 4, who will go directly into the Main final, he said when up against the likes of Groskamp and Hara its too big of an ask and so he is focusing on getting his car good for 30-minutes hoping he can make the main from the Semi finals.
Top 15 after Controlled Practice 2
1. Jilles Groskamp – Capricorn/Maxima – 44.984 (2)
2. Atsushi Hara – HB/OS Speed – 45.073 (1)
3. Chavit Sirigupta – Mugen/Maxima – 45.082 (2)
4. Surikarn C – Xray/Max – 45.122 (2)
5. Dirk Wischnewski – Xray/Orcan – 45.139 (2)
6. Teemu Leino – HB/LRP – 45.269 (1)
7. Dario Balestri – KM Racing/Novarossi – 45.298 (1)
8. Andy Moore – HB/Maxima – 45.366 (1)
9. Takehiro Terauchi – Mugen/Novarossi – 45.410 (1)
10.Alexander Hagberg – Xray/Orcan – 45.468 (1)
11.Mark Green – Serpent/Novarossi – 45.507 (2)
12.Alessio Mazzeo – Serpent/Max – 45.520 (2)
13.Francesco Tironi – Capricorn/Capricorn – 45.533 (2)
14.Robert Pietsch – Mugen/Novarossi – 45.542 (1)
15.Biagio Spataro – Xray/G-Mar – 45.553 (2)
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