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Chassis Focus – Natanaele Senesi
Chassis – Gimar GTZ
Engine – Gimar Demon GT
Fuel – Maxima
Tires (handout) – GQ
Radio/Servos – Futaba/Futaba
Body – Gimar XXX12
Remarks – Italian brand Gimar are present at the SIGP with team driver Natanaele Senesi to test their new GTZ GT chassis in preparation for the World Championships in Florida. Unlike some of their competitors the GTZ is not using a buggy base but instead has been built specifically for the GT class. This new iteration sports a thicker 4mm chassis plate but which is narrower by 60mm than its predecessor which finished 2nd and 3rd at the most recent Euros. The car also uses a new engine, the Demon GT, which is also being used to good use by overnight TQ Felix Law. Completing the package is the XXX12 bodyshell, which is one of the only four bodies approved for the World Championships.
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Sobue to start 2nd in Mod as Quek secures Stock TQ
Akio Sobue won the battle to start 2nd behind Bruno Coelho in this afternoon’s triple A-mains. While it was the World Champion who once again took the top spot to make it 4 from 4 in qualifying, behind it was Sobue that took 2nd with his Infinity prototype while Dominic Quek, who had been poised to start 2nd, could only get 17th for the round. The Singapore driver spun his Xray coming onto the straight and flipped, losing him close to a lap. Afterwards he said he felt that the sugar water that they had sprayed on the track was still wet but was still positive about starting 3rd in such a competitive field. Behind, fellow Singaporean Nicholas Lee will set off from 4th on the grid, while his Yokomo team mate Meen Vejrak completes the top half of the grid.
In the Hobbywing class, things were a lot better for Quek as he secured the TQ spot thanks to his 2 TQ runs yesterday, the Xray driver only managing 2nd this morning. Taking the final round, German Max Machler made his intentions known for the A-finals as he ended up some 4 seconds clear at the front and will start just behind Dominic in 2nd. Stick King will start from 3rd for Serpent while Hobbywing team manager Salton Dong will set off on 4th. Simon Wang completes the top 5.
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Q2 Update
As light faded here in Xiamen and racing switched to being run under the floodlights it was Meen Vejrak who once again topped qualifying to take his 2nd TQ of the day and most importantly during what is expected to be the fastest conditions of the 3 rounds of qualifying. The Maxima driver topped Q2 by over a second once more from top seed Kim Ki Heung, the Shepherd racer recovering from a slow start to put in the fastest lap of qualifying on his way to 2nd. Behind it was Merlin Depta who finally had a solid run when it mattered, the Serpent driver beating out Mugen driver Motor King in 4th and team mate Jeff Hamon in 5th, the Australian running out of fuel on the final lap.
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Chassis Focus – Meen Vejrak
Chassis – Infinity IF8
Engine – Maxima Racing 20
Fuel – Maxima
Tires (handout) – Matrix
Radio/Servos – Sanwa/Power HD
Body – Xtreme Super Diablo
Remarks – Meen Vejrak is doing double duties this weekend, also running at the sharp end in electric touring, but it is in Nitro where he is performing his best, topping the opening 2 qualifiers today. His first time running the stock Infinity chassis, which was selected by his Maxima team, he feels it is more consistent and has more traction than previous cars he has tried but has similar steering to its competitors. His engine is the Racing 20 from Maxima, an OS based motor that has more torque than its predecessors.
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Meen Vejrak takes the opening SIGP Nitro qualifier
Meen Vejrak has taken the opening round of qualifying for 1/8th Nitro at the ARC International Raceway in Xiamen. The Maxima team driver ended the 4 minute run 1.5 seconds in front of top seed Kim Ki Heung from Korea. Behind the leading pair it was Gary Huang for Xray in 3rd, while Motor King took 4th with Matrix front man Cristian Boni completing the top 5. Vejrak commented that when he initially put his car down, the former 1/10th Nitro WC running an Infinity chassis this weekend, it had no steering but an adjustment to the rear toe-in and his car was much better. Happy to make a clean run, Meen felt that his Maxima engine was a little rich at the start but pushing it harder it meant it cleared out and he could put in a good run.
Topping seeding last night Kim Ki Heung was pleased with his run, having completed a clean 4 minutes. The Shepherd driver was another to feel the grip lower than last night and will change his car with the aim to find more rear traction for Q2.
Gary Huang took 3rd for the round but wasn’t so happy with the setting of his Max engine, it being set a bit too lean during the heat. Happy with the performance of his Xray chassis he will consult with his mechanic Gavin Kwok on the direction to go for the early evening 2nd qualifier.
Shanghai based Motor King, running an OS powered Mugen in Nitro, said his car was very stable and with no traffic during his qualifier he could finish the round in 4th. Saying that his car was understeering slightly he will make a change to the front spring for the final run of the day which he predicts will be the rocket round, a driver’s fastest run time counting towards their final qualifying position.
Claiming the first round of qualifying in the 1/8th GT class, Serpent driver Felix Law was over 2 seconds clear of Maxima driver Paphon Chanyasak, who is also running a Serpent chassis this weekend. Fai Ho would end the round in 3rd, followed by fellow Hong Kong driver Ali Lee in 4th.
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