Q3 Update – Orlowski TQ’s as Coelho rolls out

Round 3 of qualifying at the ISTC Worlds in California saw Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski record his first TQ as arch rival Bruno Coelho DNF’d the round.  Once again the two Europeans laid down the early pace with Orlowski having a slight advantage before Coelho rolled his Xray on lap 10.  Pushing to try make back some of the lost time, the defending World Champion would make another mistake in the closing minute while holding 4th after which he opted to pull up.  Having felt his car was too easy to drive in Q2, Orlowski said changes made for Q3 had given him a faster car with which he is confident he can now take the battle to Coelho, but added they made the car very difficult to drive so they plan to make a ‘very small change for the fourth round to try and dial it back’.  Unable to repeat the 29-lap pace of the previous round, he said once Coelho rolled his focus switched to making sure to bring home the TQ.  Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker would record a P2 for the round ahead of Axon’s Akio Sobue with Xray’s Alexander Hagberg posting his best run so far to bag a P4.  Star of the these Worlds, Mugen’s Jacob Cruz backed up Q2 performance with another P5 ahead of Lucas Urbain, the French driver the best of the Awesomatix drivers as Marc Rheinard once again DNF’d.

In Spec, it was a similar story as Simon Lauter, fastest in the opening two qualifiers, got caught out by the tricky track conditions, ending up P6, allowing team-mate Max Mächler to post a TQ.  Starting qualifying with a P3 and going P2 in the second round, the reigning 1:12 World Champion is finding his way and confidence around the Finishline RC Raceway track.  Behind Mächler, seeded in the second fastest heat Craig Xavier made it another Awesomatix 1-2 with the Xray pairing of Matus Benetin and Jan Ratheisky running the P3 & 4 times.

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