Hara fastest in Q3

Defending World Champion Atsushi Hara has topped the third round of qualifying on Day 4 here in Pattaya, the Hot Bodies driver taking maximum points for Q3 ahead of Team Losi’s Billy Fischer and Kyosho’s Jared Tebo.  The Japanese ace said it was another safety run on what he described as being a much more difficult track today.  With the Top 5 heats having been run at the beginning of the rounds yesterday they are now last to run and a lot of ruts have appeared since Q2.  Hara said the high speed sweeper has become very difficult with two bumps having developed since yesterday and they were to catch out a number drivers including yesterday’s pace setter Ryan Maifield who lost over 7 seconds when his Associated tipped over.  Asked about set-up Hara said his OS powered D8 was working really well but that the track was not really about car set-up but getting around without crashing.

Giving Losi their best round so far, Fischer put his run down to just crashing less saying his 8ight has been working great all the time.  Running Losi’ red compound Blockheads tyre he is however still making small changes to his set-up to suit the changing track conditions which he said has become really tricky now due to the ruts.  His team-mate Adam Drake once again set the fourth fastest time and is enjoying the tougher conditions saying bumpier tracks have always suited his technical driving style more. The American said he was pleased with taking his third top 4 run which brings him one step closer to ticking the first item off his check list which is qualifying directly into the Semis.  Overall Drake sits second in the qualification ranking equal on points with provisional Top Qualifier Maifield with Tebo third, a single point behind.

23-year-old Tebo changed his Orion powered MP9 ahead of the days first qualifier moving the positions of rear shocks and camber links but said it wasn’t suitable for the much rougher conditions.  Having to back off through the sweeper he will change the car for Q4 but will wait till nearer the time of his run to decide on what to change depending on how track conditions change.

Setting the fifth fastest time Renaud Savoya was the top Mugen.  A mistake free run, the European Champion is playing it safe for the moment working towards a Top 16 placing rather than overall TQ honours.

Despite getting a Stop&Go penalty for hitting a car as he tried to pass a group of three cars, Cody King took his Kyosho around in the 6th fastest time. After a troubled first day of qualifying 2008 Top Qualifier Mike Truhe finally managed a Top 10 time with his Losi 7th fastest ahead of Team Associated’s Ryan Cavalieri.  Describing conditions as being like running on a new track, Cavalieri said he was not fast but didn’t make mistakes allowing him to equal his best round so far.

Elsewhere Team Durango’s Ryan Lutz finally saw his luck change after failing to complete a full run yesterday.  Setting the fastest lap of the round with a 44.450, he was glad to do a full run but said while the car was good he made too many mistakes.

Qualification Ranking after Round 3 of 6
(Best 4 to Count)
1. Ryan MAIFIELD (USA) – Associated/Reedy – 14/10:35.283 – 543
2. Adam DRAKE (USA) – Losi/Novarossi – 13/10:04.684 – 543
3. Jared TEBO (USA) – Kyosho/Orion – 13/10:01.509 – 542
4. Atsushi HARA (JPN) – Hot Bodies/OS – 14/10:44.154 – 536
5. Renaud SAVOYA (FRA) – Mugen/RB – 13/10:04.366 – 530
6. Ryan CAVALIERI (USA) – Associated/Orion – 13/10:11.734 – 526
7. Billy FISCHER (USA) – Losi/Novarossi – 13/10:12.322 – 516
8. Tyler TESSMANN (CAN) – Hot Bodies/OS – 13/10:16.407 – 509
9. Matthew CASTELLANO (USA) – Losi/OS – 13/10:12.324 – 508
10.Darren BLOOMFIELD (UK) – Losi/NR – 13/10:16.116 – 505
11.Jeremy KORTZ (USA) – Hobao/Werks – 13/10:18.046 – 503
12.Teemu LEINO (FIN) – Xray/Orion – 13/10:18.660 – 503
13.Yannick AIGOIN (FRA) – Losi/NR – 13/10:11.614 – 501
14.Joshua WHEELER (USA) – Xray/OS – 13/10:18.611 – 499
15.Mark PAVIDIS (USA) – Kyosho/OS – 13/10:16.701 – 496
16.Tyler VIK (USA) – Kyosho/RB – 13/10:20.067 – 489

View the official event results here.

View the event photo gallery here.