Phend finally hits the top in Q4 Down Under
Having started out qualifying day at the IFMAR 1:10 4WD Offroad World Championships in Sydney with a P3, but then having two rough rounds, Dakotah Phend finally hit the top in Q4 heading a 1-2 for Xray as David Ronnefalk also ended the day with his best run. With Team Associated’s Marcus Kaerup getting his second TQ run of the day in the previous round, Q4 would see the Dane DNF, his car coming to a halt 3-laps in. While Kaerup didn’t have an explanation for the car stopping, Salton Dong from his electronics sponsor Hobbywing revealed afterwards that their data from car led them to believe it was a radio issue as a result of lost signal. Overall it was a tough round for Associated after they topped the opening three qualifier. Defending World Champion Davide Ongaro TQ’d Q2, but the Italian wouldn’t have a clean run and ended up 9th. Kouki Kato would be their fastest driver in P7. Behind Xray it would be Schumacher who were the next best in a repeat of Q3 when they finally got themselves somewhat into the mix. Orlowski, who went to the top of the timing screens for most of the run, would complete the Top 3 ahead of Broc Champlin and Daniel Kobbevik. Putting in the most consistent performance of the day Burak Kilic capped of a strong day with P6, his Mugen Seiki prototype never outside the Top 6 today having opening with a P2 run in Q1.
Reacting to his TQ run Phend said, ‘Finally I had a clean run. The previous run in Q3 I had a good run going and just cased the step up a little bit and flipped, unfortunately that would have been a Top 3 run but it is what it is so I have two solid points now and I need to try figure out how to get a good point tomorrow.’ On the fifth & final qualifier he said, ‘We will be at a little bit of a disadvantage with track conditions but we put ourselves in that position.’ On his car, the American said, ‘I made some changes to the car and it was the most comfortable I’ve been and I felt comfortable with the pace. We’ll try to finish out strong and get a decent starting position.’
Ronnefalk was relieved after his P2 performance. The Swede said, ‘It was very good. The run before I changed a couple of things to make it steer a little bit more because what I saw in 2WD was the track got a bit polished when the sun was out but now it was like opposite, the track was really grippy out there and I struggled with the car being too aggressive in Q3. It was one to throw out lets say.’ He continued, ‘I went back for the last one to what I had in Q2 because I knew the track was going to be faster and grippy without the sun being down. I had a slow first lap because I was scared of making the same thing I did in Q3 so I was really taking it slow and that cost me like a second and I was just 2/10ths back, I mean it is easy to say afterwards, but I am just happy to get the points and not have to go into the last round needing points to make something out of it. This should lock me in for Top 4 I think so we’ll see what happens in the last one.’ On that he added, ‘We are going to have the worst track cause it is the opposite running order so maybe you are going to see someone from the B heat in the mix, that’s why it was important for me to get point now. A good team effort there with me and Dakotah 1-2 on the last lap.’
Orlowski described his effort as ‘OK’, continuing, ‘I was leading all the way until the last lap, it was close.’ He continued, ‘the only positive is that we’re getting closer with the car for my driving style but I’m very far behind on the points and I need a magically Q5 to line up somewhere on the grid to have a chance.’ Saying he was ‘disappointed with my driving so far’, asked what it was he was struggling with in his driving style, the reigning 1:12 World Champion explained, ‘I’m way too smooth. Here you you need to drift around the corners and whenever my car goes sideways I let off and try and find the grip. I’m trying to drive it like a touring car but its not the way around this track.’
Backing up his break through Q3 with another P4 in Round 4, Champlin said, ‘it was pretty good for the most part, unfortunately I got caught up with lappers at the end and that honestly probably cost me the TQ which changes the dynamic of everything. I am going to have to TQ the last round if I want to start inside the Top 4.’ On his buggy the American said, ‘My car is awesome to be honest with you. I am going to try an alloy steering part to get a little more steering and let it shred in the warm-up and the final qualifier when it’ll be wet.’ Asked if Q5 would be a do or die drive the new 2WD World Champion replied, ‘yes, it was the same in 2WD.’
‘No progress this time with what I did but at least I’m locked into the main even though that’s not what I am aiming for’, that was how Kobbevik summed up Q4 having posted a Top 3 in the previous round. With Q5 an opportunity to better his counting scores, the 19-year-old said, ‘I will try to do some major changes and look at other cars in the team and look at my own car because it has been busy today so just make sure everything is ok after all the wrenching.’ Expecting ‘lower grip for sure’, he said ‘we are also be the first cars on the track, if they do 3-minute practice for sure it will be super low grip in the first one.’
Complimenting Kilic on a solid day, the 21-year-old replied, ‘It was a really good day and really consistent. I have never been out of the Top 6 all day.’ Despite his positive day, the Turkish driver was a little frustrated with his Q4 saying, ‘the last one there was so much traffic and the referee did not say anything so me and Broc were stuck there and lost, I think for me, a Top 4 run.’ He continued, ‘but we are in the final. I’m super happy with the new car and my electronics are just on fire here.’ Asked about his set-up he said, ‘I didn’t change anything on the car at all, I just drove it.’ With one more qualifier to go he said, ‘tomorrow we will try to make another Top 3 run to start more in front but with the new car already in the A-Main it’s a great result here.’