Rheinard World Champion

Marc Rheinard is the new Touring Car World Champion after a dramatic victory in the final Leg here in Thailand.  The German, who becomes the first double World Champion, battled intensely with Top Qualifier Atsushi Hara eventually squeezing his way past his great Japanese rival. The real drama unfolded when Hara rolled his Hot Bodies in the last minute dropping to fourth and handing Rheinard the title. Finishing second Ronald Volker becomes Vice Champion with Masami Hirosaka completing the podium.

Full report to follow shortly.

Hara gets it done in A-Main 2

After the drama of the opening Leg, the second A-Main here at the RCS in Bangkok was a far more straight forward affair with Atsushi Hara taking a comfortable win over Marc Rheinard. The result means the outcome of the fifth Touring Car World Championships will go down to the third and final leg.

Based on the performance we have just seen Hara certainly looks on target to become the first driver to win the Touring Car world title twice with his main rival Rheinard almost admitting defeat saying if the opportunity arises he will go for it but that he must also be careful so as to protect second spot as a mistake could cost him a podium.

Third for the Leg was Ronald Volker, the German having to throw his LRP powered Cyclone TC across the line to fend of intense pressure from Leg 1 winner Masami. Andy Moore finished fifth ending his reign as World Champion while fellow countryman Elliot Harper completed the Top 6.

So five minutes of racing separate us from finding out who will enjoy the rewards of holding the World title for the next two years but right now it looks as it is going to be the same guy that hold the same crown for 1:8 Off Road.

A-main leg 2 results
1. Atsushi Hara (HB/Team Orion) – 19 Lap 5:04.334
2. Marc Rheinard (Tamiya/SpeedPassion) – 19 Lap 5:05.719
3. Ronald Volker (HB/LRP) – 19 Lap 5:07.388
4. Masami Hirosaka (Yokomo/Nosram) – 19 Lap 5:07.562
5. Andy Moore (HB/Team Orion) – 19 Lap 5:08.427
6. Elliot Harper (Xray/Nosram) – 19 Lap 5:11.304
7. Hayato Matsuzaki (HB/LRP) – 19 Lap 5:14.178
8. Meen Vejrak (Xray/LRP) – 18 Lap 5:01.676
9. Jilles Groskamp (Tamiya/SpeedPassion) – 17 Lap 4:46.103
10. Viktor Wilck (Tamiya/SpeedPassion) – 10 Lap 2:46.960

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Masami wins first A Main

There was a big surprise in the opening Leg of the A-Main here in Thailand with Masami Hirosaka taking the win after title favourites Atsushi Hara and Marc Rheinard touched on the third lap allowing the Yokomo driver to take an early lead. Once out front the Japanese legend never looked back to head home Ronald Volker and ever impressive Elliot Harper.

‘Very lucky’ was Masami’s reply when asked about how the first A Main went but a win is a win and with his car looking much better today his ambitions to lift the one title that alludes him are very much alive. Having suffered with tyre choice during qualifying, Masami said his car was now very easy to drive and he is feeling confident for the next Leg.

‘Just a racing incident’ was how Hara, who eventually finished fourth, described the incident that could be the main talking point of many a discussion on the 2008 Worlds depending on the outcome here later today. The Japanese driver said Rheinard was a little faster in the opening part of the race and that he was just trying to hold the inside line when the Tamiya touched the back of his Hot Bodies. Holding a lot of respect for one another, Rheinard waited for Hara to retake the position but Viktor Wilck got involved in the incident allowing the trio of Masami, Volker and Harper to take up the lead battle.

Hot Bodies driver Volker was very happy with second in the opening leg after making a bad start. Benefiting from the clash between the two former World Champions, the German said it was a tough race as Harper, who set the fastest lap of the race, pushed him all the way to the finish. Having changed the set-up on his Xray after this morning’s practice Harper said his T2 009 was ‘amazing’ but couldn’t find a way past the German who drove flawlessly.

Defending Champion Andy Moore had an early ‘throw away round’ after he finished seventh following a rough opening race. Having got muscled out at the first corner, the Englishman found himself last at the end of the opening lap. Trying to make his way back up the order he then made contact with his Hot Bodies team-mate Hayato Matsuzaki ending any hope of a good result.

A-main leg 1 results
1. Masami Hirosaka (Yokomo/Nosram) – 19 Lap 5:03.464
2. Ronald Volker (HB/LRP) – 19 Lap 5:04.003
3. Elliot Harper (Xray/Nosram) – 19 Lap 5:04.182
4. Atsushi Hara (HB/Team Orion) – 19 Lap 5:08.224
5. Marc Rheinard (Tamiya/SpeedPassion) – 19 Lap 5:08.559
6. Viktor Wilck (Tamiya/SpeedPassion) – 19 Lap 5:08.934
7. Andy Moore (HB/Team Orion) – 19 Lap 5:10.350
8. Jilles Groskamp (Tamiya/SpeedPassion) – 19 Lap 5:10.550
9. Meen Vejrak (Xray/LRP) – 19 Lap 5:13.679
10. Hayato Matsuzaki (HB/LRP) – 19 Lap 5:16.502

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Practice update

The Top 10 touring car drivers in the World have just completed their practice final here in Thailand with Hara leading home Masami, on the time screens that is. As expected Hara and Rheinard battled up front from the start followed closely by Volker and Masami but catching a kerb Rheinard rolled his Tamiya onto its roof.  Once up right again the German waited for Hara to come round slotting back into second just ahead of Masami. Sandwiched between Hara and Masami, who got passed Volker when he too rolled after riding a kerb, Rheinard closed right up on the bumper of his great rival. While he failed to get passed we suspect that neither driver was showing their true hand saving that extra 5% for when the results will really count.

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