Matsukura dominates Leg 1
There was no real surprise in the opening leg of the A-Main at the 1:12 World Championships as defending champion & Top Qualifier Naoto Matsukura dominated the race to take the win comfortably ahead of Andy Moore and Rick Hohwart despite the young Japanese star’s prototype Yokomo getting knocked around as he was lapping the mid pack three laps from the finish. Running wide at the first corner, an opportunity that the No.2 starting Associated of Ronald Volker failed to exploit, the 18-year quickly got into his rhythm to break clear of the pack. As if he needed it, that gap was further extended as the chasing pack tripped one another up on more than one occasion.
Having passed Marc Rheinard after the Touring Car World Champion got out of shape on lap 2, Moore closed down on Volker but on lap 10 the former European Champion hit the side of the German after his Associated ran wide sending the car airborne. Slowing to let Volker rejoin, this set off a series of crashes involving the pursuing cars with Elliot Harper coming off the best to move into second ahead of Jilles Groskamp. A mistake then by the 19-year-old British driver allowed Groskamp up to second, but setting the fastest lap of the race it was Moore who was on the real charge.
Taking second with a nice inside pass on Groskamp through the sweeper at the end of the main straight, Moore eventually finished 3.5 secs behind but was slightly frustrated at not being able to get through to second earlier in the 8-minute race as he said his Hobby Wing powered CRC has the pace to challenge Matsukura.
After an early incident, Rick Hohwart said he just stayed out of trouble for the rest of the race and result came to him. A veteran of the sport and having last been a 1:12 Worlds finalist 2 years before Matsukura was even born, the American said coming here he never expected to be in with a chance of a podium finish but after seeing what can happen in Leg 1 and with his R5 now working really well its not beyond possibility.
A-Main Leg 1 Result
1. Naoto Matsukura (JP) – Yokomo – 38/8:01.796
2. Andy Moore (GB) – CRC – 38/8:05.340
3. Rick Hohwart (US) – Associated – 38/8:06.593
4. Ronald Völker (DE) – Associated – 38/8:07.022
5. Jilles Groskamp (NL) – Onpoint – 38/8:11.944
6. Marc Rheinard (DE) – CRC – 38/8:12.891
7. Simo Ahoniemi (FI) – CRC – 37/8:00.828
8. Hideo Kitazawa (JP) – Corally – 37/8:02.278
9. Elliot Harper (GB) – CRC – 37/8:02.992
10.Alexander Hagberg (SE) – Xray – 37/8:04.142
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