Yokoyama Top Qualifier after opening round
Young Japanese driver Shinnosuke Yokoyama is the current early pace setter as the first full round of qualifying for the IFMAR 200mm World Championship has been completed here in Texas. The 17-year-old Xray driver was on target for the only 35 lap run of the round until his OS engine ran out of fuel on the last lap but he still managed to top the round with 34 laps in 9:58.355. Yokoyama said his objective for the round was just to stay calm and that approached paid off despite him not being entirely happy with the set-up on his NT1 which lacked steering out of the corners.
Making it an Xray 1-2 after the first of the five scheduled qualifiers, Germany’s Dirk Wischnewski was second fastest with 34 laps in 10:00.624. Running in the first group of the day, the European Champion said he drove a safe run as being first out on track after yesterday’s rain the track conditions were loose. Running Matrix tyres on his Orcan powered NT1 he plans to change the rear roll bar for the next round.
Setting the fastest lap of the round and the third fastest run was factory Kyosho/OS driver Takaaki Shimo. The Japanese ace, who is running an updated car which features a new radio tray and rear shock tower, said the car was very good but his driving was not.
Fastest of the Mugen drivers was Robert Pietsch despite the plug coming loose on his Novarossi engine. The German said his run to fourth was due to consistency rather than outright pace, the European 1:8 Champion admitting his MTX-4R is not as fast as that of his rivals. Running in the same heat as Yakoyama, he had led for much of the round but a mistake on the last lap cost him 2 seconds and a 35 lap time. Asked if he plans to change anything for Q2 he replied other than tightening the plug we will leave everything else the same.
Sweden’s Alexander Hagberg lost 2 seconds due to a mistake on his out lap after refuelling but said both his Max engine and Xray felt really good. Running Matrix tyres, the majority of driver here are running 32 shore fronts and 35 on the rear, he still managed the 5th fastest time but feels with no mistakes he has the pace to TQ the next round.
The winner of the Pre Worlds, Paolo Morganti was the sixth fastest and top Serpent. The American said he ran a safe run due to the track being a little loose and reported afterwards that the conditions had resulted in the greatest tyre wear of the event so far. Happy to leave the set-up on his 733 as is for Q2 he plans to adjust the clutch settings on his Novarossi.
Running in the slower A group of heats 2008 Worlds Top Qualifier Jilles Groskmap sits in 7th position. Having run his opening two qualifiers yesterday before the rain arrived, the Dutch ace is the top Team Shepherd driver at the moment. Team-mate and defending World Champion Daniele Ielasi was on a good run until he hit gearbox problems in the later part of the run ending up only 24th fastest while EP World Champion Marc Rheinard had throttle problems and broke his Velox V10.
Elsewhere Chris Tosolini lost a front wheel off his Serpent 733 which the American said was due to him running lexan discs on his wheels. DJ Apolaro recorded the seventh fastest time but was to have that disallowed later after the fuel tank on his Serpent failed scrutiny. Team Shepherd’s Josh Cyrul was also disqualified for the same infringement. Mugen’s Mike Swauger failed to start the round after suffering throttle servo problems. 2006 World Champion Keisuke Fukuda was 19th fastest while 2004 Champion Adrien Bertin retired his Kyosho just before the four minute mark.
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