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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August 1, 2010

Burch is World Champion

Burch is World Champion

Ralph Burch is the 2010 IFMAR 1/10th 200mm World Champion. The Texan won on home soil in convincing style to become the first American in 9 years to win a nitro onroad World title. The 43 year-old’s first World title, the victory also gives Xray and Max engines their first ever titles at World level. Completing the podium at the Gulf Coast Raceway was  Japanese factory Mugen driver Takehiro Terauchi and electric Touring Car World Champion Marc Rheinard. Top Qualifier Robert Pietsch led the race up until the first pit stop but fuel got into the receiver and his Mugen went out of control ending his race in the pitlane.

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July 31, 2010

Japanese invasion continues – 2010 World Final Grid finalised

Takehiro Terauchi

The second of the Semi Finals has seen another of Japan’s super quick teenagers take victory even with his Novarossi powered Mugen suffering a late flame out.  Takehiro Terauchi won the race with the fastest of time of the two Semi’s recording the only 100 lapper to finish ahead of European Champion Dirk Wischnewski.  The race saw three of the last World Championship finalist eliminated with Paul Lemieux and Christopher Tosolini both running out of fuel.  Getting back into the race they managed to battle their way back to finish 3rd and 4th respectively but with faster race times in the earlier Semi it is Team Shepherd’s Marc Rheinard and Australian Champion Philip Woodbury who get the final two places in the Main.  The fifth fastest qualifier overall, Alexander Hagberg started the race from pole but a broken fuel tank lid on his Xray ended his race, the Swede retiring just after the 10-minute mark.  Another finalist who wont be in the 2010 final is Dario Balestri.  The Team Magic driver had a rough race making contact with a number of his rivals before eventually retiring after 21 minutes.

A-Finalists

So the grid is set for the 2010 IFMAR 200mm World Championships and the biggest shock is that none of the finalists from Portugal are on it.  Japan looks strongest in terms of number with four drivers lining up for the big race.  Providing the opposition will be three Germans, two Americans and one Aussie.  Regarded as the masters of nitro onroad racing there is no Italian driver in the final.  In terms of chassis, 2006 World Champions Mugen are the best represented with four cars compared to three Xray NT1s and single entries from reigning Champions Kyosho, Serpent and World Championship debutants Team Shepherd of Germany.

Final starting order
1. Robert Pietsch (DE) – Mugen/Novarossi/Matrix/Sanwa/SRC Cruzer
2. Takaaki Shimo (JP) – Kyosho/O.S/Active/Futaba/SRC Cruzer
3. Shinnosuke Yokoyama (JP) – Xray/O.S/Xceed/Sanwa/Xceed Cruzer
4. Ralph Burch (US) – Xray/Max/Capricorn/KO/SRC Cruzer
5. Terauchi Takehiro (JP) – Mugen/Novarossi/ZAC Project/Sanwa/Blitz
6. Takumi Matsuda (JP) – Serpent/Mega/Xceed/Sanwa/Xceed Audi
7. Mike Swauger (US) – Mugen/Novarossi/Enneti/Airtronics/Xceed Cruzer
8. Dirk Wischnewski (DE) – Xray/Orcan/Matrix/Sanwa/SRC Cruzer
9. Marc Rheinard (DE) – Shepherd/Novarossi/Contact/Sanwa/Protoform P56
10.Philip Woodbury (AUS) – Mugen/Novarossi/Matrix/Futaba/Protoform P56

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July 31, 2010

New World Champion to be crowned in Texas as Ielasi drops out in Semi

Takumi Matsuda

A new World Champion will be crowned here at Gulf Coast Raceway after defending Champion Daniele Ielasi failed to make it through from his Semi, the Italian finishing the 30-minute encounter in only 6th position.  The Team Shepherd driver said he took a gamble on harder 47 shore tyres, having done so at the Pre-Worlds when he finished on the podium, but the gamble didn’t pay off and his reign is over. The race was won by young Japanese sensation Takumi Matsuda who bumps up into the Main having come through from yesterday’s 1:8 final.  The 14-year-old Serpent driver got past Mike Swauger’s Mugen as the American clashed with a backmarker as he was about to start his penultimate lap but progress to the Main event. Running at the back of after a number of incidents in the opening part of the race Matsuda put in a stunning recovery and by lap 72 was up to second having found a way passed Electric Touring Car World Champion Marc Rheinard who finished third and should go through to the Main based on his race time. The final two places on the grid will be determined by fastest race time of those not finishing in the top 2 of each Semi.  Starting from pole, Tadahiko Sahashi lead for the first 25 laps until his Picco powered Serpent flamed out ending his chances.  The race saw another of the finalists from Portugal drop out, Francesco Tironi finishing the race in last position after a flame out his Sirio powered Mugen having run as high as fourth.  Pre Worlds winner Paolo Morganti set the fastest lap of the race but a flame out ended the American Team Serpent drivers event.

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