Video – 4wd Buggy Qualifying Rd2

2 from 2 for Neumann in opening 4WD qualifiers

Defending Champion Joern Neumann got 4WD Buggy qualifying at the DHI Cup underway in the best way possible by posting two TQ runs in the opening two rounds at the Danish event. Chasing a fourth consecutive win of the title, offroad being introduced at the famous touring car event in 2012, Neumann would headed an unchanged Top 3 on both occasions with HB’s David Ronnefalk claiming a pair of 2nd places ahead of Xray’s Martin Bayer.

Pleased with his performance, having struggled a little in 2WD qualifying, Neumann said in the opening qualifier he found his now privately run standard kit Durango to be a little edgy.  Putting this down to running on new tyres and adjusting his driving back from having run the four rounds of 2WD qualifying he said leaving the car unchanged for Q2 it was ‘good’ second time round.  Happy with how the car with which he took the overall TQ at the 2013 World Championship is performing he said he had no plans to make any changes. However having received some new double jointed driveshafts which Arrowmax have made for the DEX410 the German said he might use them in Q3 to alleviate issues he is having with the standard shafts on full steering.

Making no changes to his new D413 between qualifiers mistakes were the biggest problem for new HB signing Ronnefalk.  The 18-year-old said after early mistakes in Q1 he managed to keep it clean for the rest of the heat to salvage good qual points getting second on the last lap after Bayer crashed.  Overall a better Q2, setting the fastest lap, he said on hearing it was very close between himself and Neumann he ‘went for it on the last lap’ but ‘got a bit too excited’ leading to a crash that cost him over 3-seconds.  Looking to make his Orion powered buggy a little easier to drive for Q3 he plans to go up in the oil in the rear diff.

‘Speed OK, car feels good, just doing stupid stupid mistakes’, that was Martin Bayer’s straight up summary of where he was at.  The former European Champion who was Neumann’s main challenger for the win here in Odense last year said he has the equipment to again challenge and its simply bad driving that is letting him down.  Making just a gear ratio change between heats he said his focus is now just on improving his driving.

Behind the three race contenders it was former European Touring Car Champion Jonas Kaerup who was best of the rest in Q1 while Team Associated team-mate Niclas Mansson who was fourth in Q2 ahead of Dane’s Frederik Hovgaard and last year podium finish Jesper Rasmussen.

View the event image gallery here.

Video – 2wd Buggy Qualifying Rd4

Ronnefalk 2WD Top Qualifier at DHI Cup

David Ronnefalk got his 2015 season of to a positive start as he became Top Qualifier in 2WD Buggy at the DHI Cup.  The newly signed HB driver, who is running a Team C in 2WD, secured pole position for the A-Main with a third TQ run in the final round of qualifying at the Danish event.  Posting the third fastest time in Q4, it is former 2WD Champion Joern Neumann, also using Team C’s successful carpet track TM02 chassis, who will start second.  Neumann’s former team-mate Michal Orlowski who now represents defending champion manufacturer Schumacher secures third on the grid.

After struggling to fifth in Q3 after a rear tyre insert change left him with an edgy car due, Ronnefalk went back to the larger insert he used to TQ the opening two qualifiers yesterday. With this his Orion powered buggy again was more stable and having better grip the Swede duly delivered another TQ run, setting the fastest lap enroute to finishing 3.3-seconds up on Orlowski.  Asked about the finals, the reigning back to back 1:8 Offroad European Champion said with the ‘track not so difficult’ with the exception of the back jump he expects the finals to provide some ‘exciting’ racing.  Having ran the car unchanged throughout the event the 18-year-old said the key to keeping it in front is going to be down to ‘keep mistakes at a minimum’.

‘Too many mistakes’, was how Neumann summed up his final qualifying performance.  Currently without a chassis sponsor, his cars carrying prominent branding from his key sponsors Orion and Maxima, said less anti-squat in the rear of his TM02 gave him the less rear roll he was seeking but the change had led to too much roll in the front now.  Also running a new set of the handout Schumacher tyres, he said this left him a bit slow at the start.  To cure the front end roll he will move the front shocks out one hole on the tower.  The first time he will race head to head with Ronnefalk with identical equipment (chassis, electric and tyres), he said he prefers starting second to Ronnefalk as its easier to follow than lead.

Loving his new Cougar KF, saying unlike his previous buggy he doesnt have to change the set-up each run which is allowing him to focus on improving his driving, Orlowski says securing third place overall should be easy.  The 13-year-old added while Ronnefalk and Neumann are slightly faster he is ready to take advantage if the should they trip up.

Behind Orlowski, Team C’s Tom Maquel starts fourth followed by the Schumacher of 18-year-old David Hassel.  Last year’s Top Qualifier Oskar Levin will carry the No.6 for the final with Xray’s Martin Bayer starting 7th. Team Associated pairing Jesper Rasmussen & Niclas Månsson and British Schmacher driver Tristram Neal complete the A-Main line-up.

View complete offroad event results here.

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Neumann post first TQ run in Q3

Joern Neumann took the penultimate round of 2WD qualifying this morning at the DHI Cup.  The European Champion posted his first TQ run of the event ahead of the Schumacher’s of Michal Orlowski and David Hassel with Team C’s Tom Maquel fourth. Having taken the opening two qualifiers yesterday, David Ronnefalk’s third run would contain too many mistakes leaving him to post only the 5th fastest time just ahead of Team Associated’s up & coming Danish driver Jesper Rasmussen.

Setting the fastest lap of the round, with a late 18.640 time, Neumann was much happier with the performance of his TM2 today. Going even stiffer with the diff and fitting Team C stock springs the former 2-time 2WD winner said the changes made it ‘way more consistent to drive’ and it was now ‘diving less in the rear’.  Still looking to get less roll in the rear the German said he is considering his options but added he will change something.

‘Unlucky but lucky I finished’, that was Orlowski’s reaction to Q3.  Looking on target to top the round, the 13-year-old would stuffer a stripping belt on his Cougar KF.  Adjusting his driving to a more smooth use of the throttle to nurse the car home unfortunately on the last lap the loss of traction would result in a mistake at the back double leading to a 22-second lap. Despite his issues the Polish star said he was pleased to come away with a second.

Having been on a competitive run in Q2 only to put his Cougar KF on its roof, Hassel said he just focused on putting in an error free 5-minutes with that approach paying off.  Very happy with how his buggy is working, the 18-year-old Swede said the only change he will make for the final qualifier is to fit a new set of the event controlled Schumacher tyres having done the first three qualifiers on the same set.

Making an error on his opening lap and four further mistakes including a very lengthy roll on the last lap, Ronnefalk said a change of rear tyre insert left his Team C ‘edgy to drive’.  Switching to a smaller insert which he said most of his rivals are running the Swede said he will go back to what he ran yesterday for the final & TQ deciding qualifier.  Elsewhere, Martin Bayer would have a short lived Q3 as he popped a ball cup on his Xray.

View the event image gallery here.

Video – 2wd Buggy Qualifying Rd2