Andersson on pole for 10th Anniversary DHI Cup

Having just signed a new contract with Team Associated last week Finnish star Christer Andersson has opened his new term with the American company in the best way possible by claiming the Top Qualifier spot at the opening international touring car race of 2010, the 10th Anniversary DHI Cup.  The 18-year-old claimed his third consecutive international pole position start when he backed up his Q2 and Q4 TQ runs with second in the final qualifier behind Ronald Volker.  His third time to qualify for the A-Main of the prestigious Danish event, Andersson said he is really pleased with the result which he sees as just reward for the hours of development work he has put into the TC5 over the past 12 months.  Having achieved a best result of seventh here last year he says he is pretty confident about his prospects for tomorrow’s finals as his retires for the night knowing he is the fastest man around this technical track over five minutes thanks to his Q4 run.

Having improved his pace with each outing today, Team Yokomo’s Ronald Volker ended the day on a high by topping the final round of qualifying.  The result will see the German line-up second on the grid and considering how the day started out he said he is very happy with the result and encouraged by the progress his team made today in getting a good set-up on his LRP powered BD5.  The 2007 Winner admitted that in the later stages of Q5 Andersson was faster but says he is still confident that he can challenge for Yokomo’s first DHI Cup win tomorrow.

Despite managing only 11th in the last qualifier defending champion Marc Rheinard will start third on the grid, but the German doesn’t appear overly confident about becoming the first driver to stand on the top step of the DHI Cup podium three times.  Making it four different manufacturers at the sharp end of the grid Teemu Leino, who TQ’d the opening round, will line up fourth for Team Xray followed by local hope Steen Graversen and Yannick Prumper.  One man to watch tomorrow is ‘Fast’ Freddy Südhoff who set another fastest lap in the last qualifier with a 15.702.  The German starts eight just behind last years Top Qualifier Alexander Hagberg. Completing the grid is factory Corally driver Marc Fisher and Xray’s Martin Hudy.

A number of big name drivers didn’t have a good day in the office and will find themselves unusually low down the field.  In contrast to their team-mates Associated’s Juho Levanen, a former winner of the event, will start sixth on the grid in the B Main two places ahead of another former winner Viktor Wilck.  Factory Hot Bodies driver and former World Champion Andy Moore finds himself in the C Main along with current 1:12 World Champion Naoto Matsukura.

Modified overall qualifying results
1. Christer Andersson – 4pts (Associated/LRP)
2. Ronald Völker – 5pts (Yokomo/LRP)
3. Marc Rheinard – 5pts (Tamiya/Speedpassion)
4. Teemu Leino – 7pts (Xray/Team Orion)
5. Steen Graversen – 12pts (Tamiya/Team Orion)
6. Yannic Pruemper – 15pts (Tamiya/Speedpassion)
7. Alexander Hagberg – 16pts (Xray/LRP)
8. Freddy Südhoff – 18pts (Xray/LRP)
9. Marc Fischer – 24pts (Corally/GM)
10.Martin Hudy – 27pts (Xray/LRP)

View the full Modified qualifying standings here.

Pro Stock overall qualifying results
1. Alexander Stocker – 3pts (Hot Bodies)
2. Tommy Bergfeldt – 5pts (Hot Bodies)
3. Henry Salmén – 9pts (Tamiya)
4. Thomas Larsen – 10pts (Tamiya)
5. Yukijiro Umino – 13pts (Yokomo)
6. Ola Westholm – 15pts (TOP)
7. Carsten Madsen – 15pts (Tamiya)
8. Daniel Horn – 19pts (Xray)
9. Bastian Hennig – 23pts (Xray)
10.Tony Streit – 24pts (Hot Bodies)

View the full Pro Stock qualifying standings here.

View our event image gallery here.