Maifield tops final practice

Day 2 of the 2011 IFMAR Electric Buggy World Championship got underway in Vaasa, Finland this morning with a final round of practice that saw Ryan Maifield set the fastest time from Associated team-mate Ryan Cavalieri.  Having run 4-minute practice sessions yesterday with 12 cars per group, the final practice was the first opportunity to do a full 5-minute run with drivers running in the regrouped 10 car heat order that will be used for qualifying.

With yesterday’s timing based on a driver’s individual fastest lap, this morning the timing was based on the laps completed over the 5-minutes giving a more accurate indication of the form going into qualifying.  Covering the track with an impressive single piece tarpaulin the organising crew did a great job of protecting it from overnight rain however ground moisture meant traction was down on yesterday.

Setting the fastest lap of the morning practice with a 24.829, Maifield posted 12 laps in 5:07.392 compared with Cavalieri’s 5:08.304. Behind the AE stars it was two more US drivers with Kyosho’s Jared Tebo and Team Losi Racing’s Dustin Evans third and fourth fastest respectively.

The fastest non American was Japanese Kyosho driver Kohta Akimoto in fifth.  Fellow countryman Naoto Matsukura who topped the timing sheets yesterday with a blisteringly fast lap ended up 15th fastest over the 5-minutes, the Japanese Champion having a number of moments during his run.

Dakotah Phend backed up his strong showing yesterday with the sixth fastest time followed by Tamiya’s Lee Martin and Austrian Team Associated driver Peter Pinisch.  US Champion Mike Truhe and Steven Harston completed the Top 10.

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