Yokoyama ups the pace in Texas
Young Japanese sensation Shinnosuke Yokoyama has upped the pace at the World Championship this morning becoming the first and only driver to record 35 laps around the Gulf Coast Raceway here in Houston, Texas. The 17-year-old, who is making his Worlds debut, achieved a time of 35 laps in 10:17.208 despite getting hit from behind on laps 2 & 4 which cost him over 3 seconds and left him last on the timing screens. Describing the set-up on his OS powered Xray as ‘perfect’, the 2006 Japanese Sport Class National Champion was able to put in a spectacular recovery recording the fastest lap of the round enroute to the new TQ time. Being referred to as the ‘super fast Japanese kid’, Yokoyama was unheard of before this event and even he is surprised by his pace against the sport’s established drivers. Racing since the age of 9 the smiley teenager said he was a little anxious coming to the event but now he is really enjoying the experience.
Making it a Japanese 1-2, factory Kyosho driver Takaaki Shimo managed to shave almost 3/10ths of his Q1 time to jump ahead of European Champion Dirk Wischnewski who failed to improve. Shimo said the track was not so good this morning but small changes to his OS powered V-One RRR chassis had helped and he is confident it is good enough to challenge for the TQ later today. Dropping to third, 28-year-old Xray driver Wischnewski said his Orcan powered NT1 was really good but he ran out of tyres in the second half of the 10-minute run.
Another young Japanese driver making a name for himself here is Takehiro Terauchi. Having raced rather unsuccessfully at the last World Championships in Portugal, driving then for Serpent, the factory Mugen driver put in a run that sees him jump from 9th fastest into the elusive Top 4 which if he can stay there will see him directly qualify for the final. Racing since the age of 12, the now 18-year-old has TQ’d the Japanese 1:8 Nationals so while his pace is a surprise to many here its no real surprise to him.
Pushed out of the Top 4 Robert Pietsch, who is running in the same heat as Yokoyama, was on a 35 lap TQ run until his Mugen stripped second gear. The Top Qualifier at last years 1:8 Worlds, the German said he came to Texas expecting to make the 1/4 Final but as he gets more track time with the 1:10 his confidence is growing. Running factory Novarossi engines the European 1:8 Champion is very happy with the set-up on his MTX-4R.
Top American after Q3 is Ralph Burch who together with RC America team-mate Paul Lemieux both broke into the Top 10 for the first time setting the 7th & 8th fastest times respectively to demote fellow countryman Paolo Morganti who failed to better his Q1 time. Burch said a change of roll centres on his Max powered Xray had improved the car and the set-up suited the track conditions at the time but he plans to change the front diff for today’s second round. US National Champion Lemieux said he had a clean run but is struggling to get set-up changes to translate to the track conditions. Morganti described his Serpent 733 as terrible in Q3 and believes a bad set of tyres were to blame. He plans no set-up changes for Q4 saying he just needs to find a well matched set of tyres.
Elsewhere Electric World Champion Marc Rheinard put his Shepherd in the wall coming on to the main straight as did 2008 World Finalist and factory Team Magic driver Dario Balestri. Jilles Groskamp who got no running yesterday due to the rain and his lower heat seeding lasted just eight laps as his Shepherd wouldn’t change into second gear but his Tuesday time still keeps him in the Top 10. Defending Champion Daniele Ielasi was on a good run until his Picco powered Shepherd keep stepping out on the rear, something that was later discovered to be due to part of the rear tyre parting company with the wheel.
Overall Qualification standing after 3 rounds
1. Shinnosuke Yokoyama – 35 Laps in 10:17.208
Xray/O.S/Xceed/Sanwa/Xceed Cruzer
2. Takaaki Shimo – 34 Laps in 10:00.557
Kyosho/O.S/Active/Futaba/SRC Cruzer
3. Dirk Wischnewski – 34 Laps in 10:00.624
Xray/Orcan/Matrix/Sanwa/SRC Cruzer
4. Takehiro Terauchi – 34 Laps in 10:01.139
Mugen/Novarossi/ZAC Project/Sanwa/Blitz
5. Robert Pietsch – 34 Laps in 10:01.144
Mugen/Novarossi/Matrix/Sanwa/SRC Cruzer
6. Alexander Hagberg – 34 Laps in 10:01.457
Xray/Max/Matrix/KO/SRC Cruzer
7. Ralph Burch – 34 Laps in 10:02.134
Xray/Max/Capricorn/KO/SRC Cruzer
8. Paul Lemieux – 34 Laps in 10:03.806
Xray/Max/Contact/Futaba/Protoform P56
9. Paolo Morganti – 34 Laps in 10:03.945
Serpent/Novarossi/Matrix/KO/Xceed Cruzer
10.Jilles Groskamp – 34 Laps in 10:05.530
Shepherd/Team Orion/Capricorn/KO/Protoform P56chassis/engine/tyres/radio/bodyshell
Complete listing after 3 rounds can be found here (PDF)
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