Tessmann fastest at end of Day 3

With three days of practice complete at the 1:8 Offroad World Championships it is Ty Tessmann who holds the edge with the HB driver setting a new fastest time in today’s final practice. Having moved to the top of the time sheets in the first of the day’s 12-minute practice rounds, the Canadian improved that 1:52.143 time to a 1:50.580 to again set the pace over defending champion Robert Batlle. Having set the pace on Day 2, reigning European Champion David Ronnefalk was, after a sleepy start to the day, able to improve his overall time to complete the Top 3.

Running a longer chassis on his OS Speed powered D812, Tessmann said the change was better giving the buggy greater high speed stability. Again running Pro-Line’s Suburb tyre, the US National Champion plans to test the company’s Fugitive offering. In terms of set-up changes he said they will discuss tonight what they plan to try out over the three 10-minute runs that make up tomorrow’s schedule, which is officially the final day of open practice.

Running a time of 1:51.905 in the second practice, Batlle declared himself ‘quite happy’ with his day. Changing tyres during the run, going from Procircuit’s Hot Dice tyre to a new unnamed pattern tyre, he said they gave his Novarossi powered MBX7 super high grip and he preferred the Hot Dice. Feeling the buggy has too much weight transfer for the morning the Spaniard plans to make a shock adjust as he looks to get more forward traction off the landings.

Changing the set-up on his second Orion powered MP9, Ronnefalk said he had to learn the car again but by the end of the run he was happy with both the consistency and speed. Looking to test his car on slicks he switched to a soft set of AKA Typo tyres which he said on the abrasive surface were slicks after 5 to 6 laps. With the car very easy to drive and the tyres providing good traction he was happy to conduct the test but added care needed to be taken that the tyre wall didn’t wear so much as to make it fail technical inspection.

Changing to a harder insert in his AKA Catapult tyres along with a shock set-up change Martin Bayer was able to improve on his time to end the day fourth. The factory Xray driver said changes gave him an easier to drive car as well as giving him more overall traction. Admitting he was ‘still quite far of Ty & David’ he said he was still really happy with pace which he hoped to be able to improve on tomorrow with further small tweaks.

One of the finds of the 2010 World Championships in Thailand, Australia’s Kyle McBride completed the day with a Top 5 run. Making the switch to Pro-Line’s Suburb tyre for his second run, the 18-year-old Kyosho team driver found speed but at the cost of consistency. Feeling his OS speed powered MP9 was not set-up for the edgyness of the tyre he is confident a few adjustments will make it more comfortable. Asked about the track he said traction is nothing like the loose conditions he is used to running at home but he is happy with the rhythm he has found for the super high traction.

Completing the Top 6, today’s time set to determine a reseed for tomorrow’s final day of open practice and the next day’s two rounds of controlled practice, was Team Associated’s Neil Cragg. Debuting an all new car at the event, the former 2WD Offroad World Champion said it is much easier to drive and more forgiving than is predecessor. Still learning the car, the British ace said with every run it is getting better and better. Disappointed with his morning run the car having felt good to drive but that not being reflected in the lap times, for the second run he took a leaf out of Tessmann’s book and ran a set of Pro-Line Suburbs. A big improvement he said he is pretty happy with how the day ended up but added he has ‘no idea where Tessmann’s pace is coming from’. For his next run he will try heavier diff oils as well as again following Tessmann by try Pro-Line’s new lexan rear wing.

Behind Cragg, Kyosho’s Jerome Aigoin set the 7th fastest time followed by Adam Drake, both drivers times being set yesterday. 1:10 Offroad World Champions Jared Tebo and Ryan Cavalieri, the Associated lead driver setting his time in the final practice, completing the Top 10.

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