August 7, 2010

Volker continues domination in France

Ronald Volker

Ronald Volker’s domination of the 2010 European Touring Car Championship continues on the second day of qualifying with the Team Yokomo driver topping Q3 in a new fastest time as the Top 3 for the round broke into the 16 laps.  Recording 16-laps in 5:17.156, the German said his car was loose in the beginning of the run, something he feels may be due to removing the tyre warmers too early as after a few laps his LRP powered BD5 feels ready good.

Viktor Wilck

Recording the second fastest time and the fastest lap for the round, Viktor Wilck was slightly more content with his car after adjustments to the rear wing gave his Speed Passion powered Tamiya more steering.  Despite putting in his best run so far the Swede is not happy saying the gap to Volker is still far too big.  Also suffering with his car being loose at the start of the run Wilck plans to warm his tyres for longer next time out.

Elliot Harper

TRF team-mates Elliot Harper and Jilles Groskamp took 3rd and fourth fastest respectively, both having headed Volker in the first half of the run.  The only other driver to make 16 laps, Harper said after 2-minutes he starts to lose around 1/10th of a second a lap to Volker although the car doesn’t feel any slower.  With three good results now to his credit the British teenager plans to use the remaining three qualifiers to test and try to close the gap to Volker.  Having run a Speed 6 bodyshell Harper plans to switch to an LTC-R for Q4.  Groskamp said he has to drive better admitting he lost concentration in the middle of the run.  The defending Champion will start Q4 behind Volker, Wilck and Harper and believes this could play to his advantage as he can chase them down rather than have to worry about their position behind him.  Team leader Marc Rheinard’s event isn’t getting any better the World Champion crashing again in the round and didn’t finish.

Having thought he had a bad set of tyres in yesterday’s second round of qualifying, Andy Moore later discovered that the problem was in fact a faulty tyre warmer cup.  With new cups fitted this morning, the factory Hot Bodies driver was back at the sharp end of the time sheets setting the fifth fastest time. Describing his run as solid, the 2006 Champion said he was surprised by his pace.  With his TCX pushing a little he plans to move the rear shock position to get more steering.

Yannick Prumper

Yannick Pruemper said his Yokomo developed bad understeer in the later part of the run but the German teenager was still able to set the sixth fastest time.  Looking to defend his European Junior title here tomorrow, he plans to try heavier shock oil in Q4.  Team-mate Steven Weiss set the ninth fastest time and although his car is better overall he continues to struggle to get it to be fast over the opening laps.

Team Corally’s Marc Fisher enjoyed his best run so far but the German said he is having to drive with caution to stop the rear end getting loose.  The German said tyre preparation is critical on this technical track, but even with that 100% he feels that Volker, Groskamp and Harper are going to be very hard to catch.  Once again Loic Jasmin was the best of the French competitors taking his Team Orion powered Tamiya to the eight fastest time with 2009 Finalist Lucas Urbain breaking into the Top 10 for the first time with his Losi.

Outside the Top 10 Olly Jefferies was the best of the Associated drivers recording the 12th fastest time while Manuel Henriet was fastest Schumacher in 16th three places ahead of the quickest Xray for the round driven by Martin Hudy.

Qualifying standings after 3 rounds
1. Ronald Volker (DE) – 0pts (Yokomo/LRP)
2. Elliott Harper (GB) – 8pts (Tamiya/Speed Passion)
3. Jilles Groskamp (NL) – 9pts (Tamiya/Team Orion)
4. Victor Wilck (SE) – 11pts (Tamiya/Speed Passion)
5. Yannick Preumper (DE) – 19pts (Tamiya/Speed Passion)
6. Loïc Jasmin (FR) – 21pts (Tamiya/Team Orion)
7. Andy Moore (GB) – 24pts (Hot Bodies/Nosram)
8. Steven Weiss (DE) – 29pts (Yokomo/LRP)
9. Cyril N’Diaye (F) – 30pts (Tamiya/LRP)
10.Marc Fisher (DE) – 33pts (Corally/GM)

Full results can be found here.

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August 6, 2010

Another TQ run puts Volker on target for pole in France

Ronald Volker Overnight TQ

Team Yokomo’s Ronald Volker is proving to be very much the man to beat here at the European Championships in France after backing up his fastest time in the opening qualifier with another TQ run in Q2, albeit in a slightly slower time.  The German, who is looking to regain the title he won in France in 2007, set the pace over the Tamiya’s of Elliot Harper, Jilles Groskamp and Viktor Wilck, and putting himself in a strong position to wrap up pole for Sunday’s final.  After the run Volker said despite not changing anything on his BD5 it was a little loose for the run but he still managed a new fastest lap for qualifying, recording a 19.796. Asked if he planned any changes for the morning the German said he would wait til the morning to see how the weather plays out with rain being the most common prediction here in the pits.

Elliot Harper action

Changing the camber links on his TRF416, Harper said his car was still easy to drive with the change making no noticeable difference.   Improving his time by 2/10th, the 17-year-old believes that his car is good enough to match Volker’s Yokomo and that the difference will have to come through his driving.  Groskamp echoed that view.  The defending Champion, who didn’t get to do any pre-event practice in Aniche, said he is still learning that track and his lack of consistency is where he is losing out.  Happy with his car, the Dutch Pro believes if he can get into a good rhythm tomorrow he should be able to challenge Volker for the overall TQ honours which he took on his way to winning his first ever European title last year in Luxembourg.  The other two members of the Tamiya Racing Factory remain unhappy with their cars.  Changing back to the set-up he ran in practice Wilck set the fourth fastest time but is far from comfortable with his car.  Marc Rheinard crashed in Q2 and tried to rejoin but said his tyres were ruined by the large amount of dust offline.

Yannick Prumper

Yannick Pruemper enjoyed his best run setting the 5th fastest time but once again the German teenager made a mistake.  Behind him Loic Jasmin was again fastest of the French drivers despite being hit by Rheinard as he tried to rejoin the track after his off.  Costing him around 1 second in time the incident didn’t cost Jasmin a placing.  Having raised the central bulk head on his Tamiya the French Champion said the car had more traction and better steering following the change.  Finishing just 6/10th adrift with the seventh fastest time was fellow countryman Cyril N’Diaye.  Running LRP electrics in his Tamiya, N’Diaye said his car is perfect and he just needs to push more as a driver.

Eight and ninth fastest for the round were German pairing Steven Weiss and Marc Fisher.  Small set-up changes had improved Weiss’s Yokomo and the former Euros Top Qualifier is happy he now has something to build on for tomorrow when he plans to change tyre additive.  Factory Corally driver Fisher said a change from Trinity Tyre Tweak to Marc Rheinard additive had made his car better over the full 5-minutes but he was annoyed by the driving of fellow countryman Freddy Sudhoff after the pair clashed despite the Hot Bodies driver being a lap down on the field.  Completing the Top 10 was French driver Jérôme Carpentier while Losi star Lucas Urbain recorded his first full run to set the 11th fastest time.

Qualifying resumes in the morning when hopefully we will be able to continue with four dry rounds of heats.

Qualifying standings after 2 rounds
1. Ronald Volker (DE) – 0pts (Yokomo/LRP)
2. Jilles Groskamp (NL) – 5pts (Tamiya/Team Orion)
3. Elliott Harper (GB) – 5pts (Tamiya/Speed Passion)
4. Victor Wilck (SE) – 9pts (Tamiya/Speed Passion)
5. Yannick Pruemper (DE) – 13pts (Yokomo/Speed Passion)
6. Loïc Jasmin (FR) – 13pts (Tamiya/Team Orion)
7. Cyril N’Diaye (FR) – 16pts (Tamiya/LRP)
8. Andy Moore (GB) – 19pts (Hot Bodies/Nosram)
9. Steven Weiss (DE) – 20pts (Yokomo/LRP)
10.Marc Fisher (DE) – 26pts (Corally/GM)

Full results can be found here.

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August 6, 2010

New in the Pits

Moore-Speed packs

Following the World Championships in Burgdorf a few weeks ago, new items in the pits are hard to come by however we have managed. Andy Moore is present racing and also showing off the first offerings under his own Moore-Speed brand, a complete range of LiPo batteries. The full line up utilise a cool matt black hard case and all packs are rate at 50C. Andy himself has chosen his 5600mAh pack but there is also a 5000mAh pack that is good for stock racing as well as 4600mAh saddle packs and 1S packs for pan car racing and all packs are available with either tube connectors or pre wired with Deans connectors. Available now from Ardent Racing in the UK, and in 2 weeks from the official Moore-Speed website.

Yokomo LiPo chassis plate

Yokomo factory driver and front runner here Ronald Volker is using a new LiPo chassis plate on his BD5 World spec car. The new plate is the same 2.5mm thickness as the standard plate but has been milled out with additional holes to help aid flex on this low traction surface. The chassis is still in its prototype phase so the final design may change but they are aiming for an October release.

Yokomo Gear Diff

Also in use by Volker and other Yokomo team members here is the new Yokomo gear differential that was seen for the first time at the World Championships in Germany last month. The version here is the final production test piece and production of this item has now begun back in Japan. Suitable for the front and rear of the BD5, it is expected to available for sale in September.

Xenon Wheel

Xenon Racing from Japan showed us their all new touring car wheel suitable for indoor carpet racing. Expected to make its debut at the Euro Touring Series season opener in Kastellaun in October, it uses a softer Nylon material compared to the previous ABS material which makes it more durable. The softer wheel also changes the characteristics making it easier to drive and also helping reduce traction roll and because it is opaque the organisers can control if the racer uses the correct insert or not.

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August 6, 2010

Volker TQs opening Qualifier at 2010 Euros

Ronald Volker and Elliot Harper

Ronald Volker has carried his practice pace through to qualifying taking the opening round from defending champion Jilles Groskamp.  The Team Yokomo driver was happy to be fastest but was annoyed with himself for an early mistake when he carried too much speed and over shot the entry to the chicane costing him over 1 second.  Like many of the top drivers, the 2007 Champion felt the traction was off a little compared with this morning, most likely due to the opening ceremony which was held on the track after the completion of practice.  Happy with his BD5, last year’s Top Qualifier plans to run the same set-up again in the second round of qualifying which will bring Day 2 of the championships to a close.

Jilles Groskamp

Groskamp described his run as not so bad. The Dutch ace said over the opening laps his Team Orion powered Tamiya didn’t feel too good but as the run went on it got better and better, his fastest lap being his last one.  Encouraged at being able to reduce the gap to Volker, he said that having tried anti-dive for the round he will return to the normal set-up for the second qualifier this evening.  Making it the same Top 3 as we had after practice, TRF team-mate Elliot Harper set the third fastest time.  The young British driver said he had a pretty consistent run and was happy to open the event with a solid run.  Running Speed Passion electrics he felt his motor, which he had advanced for the round, lost power slightly near the end of the run as he hadn’t allow for the hotter conditions.  This effected his line off the narrow straight with his last lap being his slowest.  Elliot plans to reduce the timing for Q2.

Andy Moore

Setting the fourth fastest factory Hot Bodies driver Andy Moore said his run was steady.  The former World & European Champion had a slight problem with understeer on his TCX in the slow chicane but was otherwise pretty happy with the car.  Team-mate Freddy Sudhoff made it two Hot Bodies in the Top ten, the German taking his TCX to the 10th fastest time.

‘Pushing like a truck’ was how Viktor Wilck described his run to the fifth.  On advice from his TRF team-mates the Swede changed the camber link set-up on his TRF416 but said it felt terrible and he will revert to his own set-up for Q2.  Finishing 1.1 seconds behind him was team-mate Marc Rheinard who continues to struggle with the set-up of his Speed Passion powered Tamiya.  Managing the sixth fastest time, the World Champion is very open about not liking the track here in France but also admits he is lost as to what to change to get the car to work.

Loic Jasmin action

Holding up local honours with a very solid opening run is Loic Jasmin.  Driving a Tamiya, the French National Champion said he felt there was a little less traction but it was a good clean run and he was pleased to start the championships with a Top 10 run.  Suffering a small amount of understeer he will try moving shock positions for his next outing.  Another French driver to make the Top 10 was Cyril N’Diaye.  Also at the controls of Tamiya he was ninth fastest behind Yannic Prumper.  The reigning European Junior Champion Prumper said his Yokomo was really good but a stupid mistake three laps from home, when he put the BD5 on its roof, had cost a lot of time.

Olly Jefferies

Setting the 11th fastest time Britain’s Olly Jefferies was fastest of the Team Associated drivers, followed by 2007 Top Qualifier Steven Weiss and Alexander Hagberg who was best of the Xray team drivers.

Qualifying results after round 1
1. Ronald Volker (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:01.977
2. Jilles Groskamp (NL) – 15 Laps in 5:03.231
3. Elliott Harper (GB) – 15 Laps in 5:03.434
4. Andy Moore (GB) – 15 Laps in 5:04.029
5. Victor Wilck (SE) – 15 Laps in 5:04.600
6. Marc Rheinard (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:05.515
7. Loïc Jasmin (FR) – 15 Laps in 5:08.087
8. Yannick Preumper (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:09.213
9. Cyril N’Diaye (FR) – 15 Laps in 5:10.309
10.Frederic Sudhoff (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:11.184

Full results can be found here.

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August 6, 2010

Volker sets practice pace in France

Volker sets practice pace in France

France is the venue for 12th running of the Electric Touring Car European Championships with the small town of Aniche in the northern tip of the country.  The third time that France has hosted the EFRA organised championship, only 106 drivers have made the trip but among those are 8 of last years Euro finalists and 7 of the finalists from last month’s World Championships in Burgdorf, Germany.

Jilles Groskamp

For defending Champion Jilles Groskamp yesterday’s practice was his first time to sample the track as his participation on the Nitro Touring Car World Championships in Texas meant he was unable to fit in any pre-event testing.  The Dutch ace, who is suffering with a head cold since returning from the US, said considering his lack of mileage on the very technical track he is pretty happy with his practice pace, which is based on each drivers best five consecutive laps, ending up fourth fastest.

Ronald Volker

Setting the pace over the 6 rounds of controlled practice is the last man to win a European title on French soil Ronald Volker.  The 2007 Champion, who did 2 days testing here last week, said while the track layout is quite difficult he actually likes it. With Team Yokomo’s R&D man Yukijiro Umino engineering his LRP powered BD5, the German ace said he is very happy with how his Yokomo is working saying it is easy to drive and still capable of fast lap times.  Although he struggled with the gear diff Yokomo introduced for the World Championship he is back running it here having got to terms with the change of feeling it gives.  The Top Qualifier from at the 2008 Euros in Spain he will be hoping to carry his practice form into the first of today’s two qualifiers.

Volker’s team-mate and defending European Junior Champion Yannic Prumper also likes the track layout but the 16-year-old said the curbing gives little room for error saying ‘if you make a mistake your car is going to end up in the next country’.  The 16-year-old German struggled yesterday but in the final controlled practice managed to set the 6th fastest time and he is now more confident that he can repeat his 2009 result when he finished 6th in the Main final.  Yokomo also have the Top Qualifier from the last French Euros in Steven Weiss but the German said while his BD5 feels really good his lap times are well off the pace.

Viktor and Marc

For World Champion Marc Rheinard yesterday was his first time on the narrow track due to his busy race program which saw him finish on the podium in Texas last weekend. The German was far from complimentary about the track and ends practice with the 7th fastest time.  His team-mate Viktor Wilck, who tested here last week along with Elliot Harper, was best of the Tamiya team with the second fastest time.  The Swede said its going to be a though event as mistakes are very costly around the track due to the curbing and lack of run off area.  The Speed Passion driver said Yokomo have found something that is giving them a big advantage and believes they must also make a big discovery if they want to be able to mount any sort of challenge to Volker.  Still on a high from his podium finish at the World Championships, 17-year-old Harper is happy with his car despite the big gap to Volker.  The TRF driver said the number of corners make the track hard but unlike his team-mates he doesn’t find it too bad, getting more and more used to it with each outing. Another of last year’s finalists running Tamiya, Steen Graversen has taken time out from r/c since the Worlds and while the Dane says he feels really fresh he is struggling for pace at the moment.

Heading the Hot Bodies challenge is 2006 European Champion Andy Moore.  Fifth fastest in practice the British ace was happy with how his new TCX chassis, which went on general sale last week, has been working.  The former World Champion is debuting his own LiPo battery here in Agile which is the first in a range of products he will launch under the Moorespeed brand which he has taken full control of himself.  Pitting alongside Moore is new team-mate Freddy Südhoff.  The German, who outpaced both Moore and Atsushi Hara on his Hot Bodies debut at the Worlds, said due to the bumps on the track you have to be very careful with choosing your lines but he is enjoying working alongside Moore.

Alexander Hagberg

Not the freshest looking team in the paddock having just claimed their first ever World title in Texas last week, Xray will be counting on Alexander Hagberg and Teemu Leino for success this weekend.  The Slovak team didn’t get to test here due to their busy summer racing schedule and their drivers are having to re-adjust their driving from nitro to electric.  A finalist last year, Hagberg said practice has been difficult due to his lack of track knowledge but if it rains tomorrow, as is being forecast, things could be a lot more interesting.  Former European Champion Leino said he could have done with a Satnav fitted to his Team Orion powered T3 for the opening practice.

Juho Levanen

In the Associated camp former two time European Champion Juho Levanen said he is getting faster with each run on the track having not tested here prior to the event.  The Finn, who travelled to England last week to join team-mate Olly Jefferies for testing at the Cotswold track as part of the development program for the new TC6, said he has focused on driving yesterday rather than car set-up.  One concern for the Associated team is that running a prototype car on a track that gives little room for error they have to be careful as spare parts are limited. Jefferies said he thinks they still have to find the right additive and plans to try Xenon’s offering once the owner of the Japanese company, Terutaka Hanaumi, arrives at the track.

Having made the final last year with his ageing Losi, Lucas Urbain will be hoping to bring local success come Sunday evening.  The star of Luxembourg, he has good knowledge of the track having raced in the French National Championship rounds that have been held here for the past two years.  Urbain said in yesterday’s practice the traction levels were already higher than at the end of a French National.  Happy with his car he said his driving has so far been far from perfect.  One noticeable absentee from the event is factory Kyosho driver and fourth place finisher at the Worlds Christopher Krapp who due to starting a new job was unable to get time off to attend.

Currently the opening ceremony is underway which will be followed by the first of the six scheduled rounds of qualifying.  Four of those rounds are scheduled for tomorrow when the weather is giving rain so in the pits drivers are busy preparing their wet cars.

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August 1, 2010

Texan takes title in Texas – Ralph Burch is World Champion

Ralph Burch

He was last after the first corner but Ralph ‘Smokin Fast’ Burch didn’t let the opening drama get to him as the Texan climbed his way back through the field to take a convincing victory at the Gulf Coast Raceway to become the 2010 Nitro Touring Car World Champion.  Starting from fourth on the gird, the 43-year-old American got spun out at the first corner and was hit by most of the pursuing field dropping him down to tail of the pack.  Taking a few laps to regain his composure he set about a stunning recovery that would see him hit the front just before 10-minutes after a thrilling battle with the then leader Marc Rheinard and the sensation of these championships Takumi Matsuda.  Although he was running shorter fuel stops to his rival, pitting every 4:45, Burch took control of the hour long race once in front only loosing the lead to fellow Xray driver Dirk Wischnewski when he pitted for tyres on 32 minutes.  Such was his pace he was able to lap the entire field with only Takehiro Terauchi managing to get back on the lead lap with 12 minutes to run. After the race, the first American Onroad World Champion for 9 years said he knew after the practice session for the Top 4 Direct Qualifiers that he had the pace to win and throughout the race was always within his limits.  Asked about his early fuel stops, the RC America front man said having watched the earlier finals he had told his pit crew he wasn’t letting an empty tank be the reason for him not winning his first World title. The result also marks the first ever World Championship success for Slovakian company Xray and Italian engine company Max Power.

Winners Podium

Finishing second, factory Mugen driver Terauchi said his race went to plan but admitted he found the hot conditions very tiring.  Having been able to unlap himself, the 18-year-old Japanese driver said he pushed 100% right till the end for the win but there was noting he could do about Burch. His first World Championship final appearance he said finishing second was quite good but he is already looking forward to going one better in two years time.

Having lead the race following the demise of Top Qualifier Robert Pietsch, Marc Rheinard said he was just unable to match the pace of Burch. The three times Electric Touring Car World Champion said other than a flame out after his scheduled tyre stop the race went to plan with his Velox V10 working well.  Only his third ever nitro touring car race, the German said Top 3 at a World Championship is ‘not too bad’ and he is pleased that he was able to give Team Shepherd a podium placing on their 200mm Worlds debut.

A main start

The man everyone was talking about in qualifying Shinnosuke Yokoyama finished fourth after a troubled run. Running out of fuel just before his second stop the Xray driver also broke a rim but once fitted with new tyres, and with his OS engine tuned to make the five minutes, he was very fast, recovering to finish as the top rookie of the championships.  Running the entire race on one set of tyres European Champion Wischnewski’s gamble looked like it was going to reward him with at least a podium finish until with a quarter of the race to run he got radio interference.  Sending his Orcan powered NT1 around in circles on the main straight, marshals brought it back to pits from where he was able to rejoin the race and continue with out any further issues, eventually finishing fifth.  The very disappointed German said afterwards his no tyre stop strategy was a good call but no one could plan for something like radio interference.

Robert Pietsch retires

Wischnewski was not the only driver to hit problems.  Fellow countryman Pietsch was leading the race until his  Novarossi powered Mugen went crazy in the pitlane after fuel got into the receiver during the first round of pit stops.  Driving out of control in the wrong direction down the pitlane it made contact with the No.2 car of factory Kyosho driver Takaaki Shimo.  Shimo was to hit bigger problems 34 minutes into the race when a clash with another car broke the rear wing of his shell. With his car impossible to drive he had to make a stop for a bodyshell change but he retired shortly afterwards.  The only other American in the final Mike Swauger had the four screws holding his Novarossi into his Mugen come loose causing him to strip a gear.  With a new gear fitted and the engine screws tightened he got back on track only for his LiP o reciever battery to pack in just as the race entered the final 15 minutes.

Rheinard chased down by Matsuda

Even younger than we were originally told, 13-year-old Matsuda showed he is a potential future World Champion. Battling with established stars of the sport for a podium placing in the Main, the searing Texas heat was to catch out the Japanese kid.  Just after the second round of fuel stops sweat ran into his eyes causing him to crash his Mega powered Serpent resulting in a broken rim. Although he didn’t feature strongly on the radar in qualifying the youngest ever 200mm World Finalist showed he is one name we are sure to hear a lot more of in the future after bumping up three finals to gain himself a ranking as seventh best driver in the World.  Starting from 10th on the grid Australian Champion Philip Woodbury was the big benefactor of the various drivers troubles bringing his Mugen home in sixth despite a number of flame outs.

So after Paul Lemieux came so close to doing it in Portugal, America finally has its first 200mm World Champion as Burch becomes the fourth different winner from the fourth different country to lift the crown.  We now have to wait 2 years to find out if he can become the first driver to defend that title when China is expected to host the fifth IFMAR 200mm World Championships.

Final Result
1. Ralph Burch – Xray/Max – 198 Laps in 1:00:09.28
2. Takehiro Terauchi – Mugen/Novarossi – 197 Laps in 1:00:02.71
3. Marc Rheinard – Shepherd/Novarossi – 196 Laps in 1:00:02.15
4. Shinnosuke Yokoyama – Xray/OS – 194 Laps in 1:00:19.54
5. Dirk Wischnewski – Xray/Novarossi – 191 Laps in 1:00:04.16
6. Philip Woodbury – Mugen/Novarossi – 188 Laps in 1:00:15.14
7. Takumi Matsuda – Serpent/Mega – 186 Laps in 1:00:05.67
8. Takaaki Shimo – Kyosho/OS – 146 Laps in 47:49.754
9. Mike Swauger – Mugen/Novarossi – 133 Laps in 45:54.425
10.Robert Pietsch – Mugen/Novarossi – 17 Laps in 4:52.354

The complete final results can be found here (PDF).

Red RC would like to thank Roger Bourland, Race Director Bob Ingersoll and all the crew at Gulf Coast Raceway for their support during are stay in Texas. One nice gesture during this event which we feel deserves a mention is that of title sponsor Byron Fuels.  The controlled fuel for the event, their 16% Gen2 blend, was supplied  free of charge to all 122 drivers for the duration of the event. Finally thanks to the sponsors of our coverage, Matrix tires, Team Titan and Reds Racing engines, without whom are trip from Europe to Texas would not have been possible.

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