Drivers full of praise for Czech track
Round 3 of the Euro Touring Series is underway here in the Czech Republic and there is nothing but praise coming from the top drivers for the track that has been created by race host Michal Bok and his crew. Drivers are enjoying the challenge of the long and technical track, 19-seconds being the current benchmark lap time.
Making his international debut for the Tamiya Racing Factory team it is young Elliot Harper who is setting the early pace in practice. The British driver says the track is really nice and has a good flow to it. Still making small adjustments to his set-up, Harper said overall he is pleased with his car on used tyres but on a fresh set of Xenon tyres both he and his team-mates are struggling. ETS Championship leader Viktor Wilck described his early runs as only OK and is hoping that as the traction comes up he can find a better set-up on his TRF416X and avoid a repeat of his poor performance at the recent DHI Cup. World Champion Marc Rheinard made similar comments about his car but was very complimentary of the track layout.
It may have taken him an eventful 15 hours from the time he left his home in Italy till he arrived in Hrotovice but Nitro Touring Car World Champion Daniele Ielasi is here and settling into to his one off Toni Sport drive. Just moments before his flight from Malpensa Airport was due to take-off yesterday morning Ielasi’s plane filled with smoke following an engine fire. Finally getting airborne 8-hours later, in a new plane, Ielasi made it to Vienna from where he joined fellow racers for what was supposed to be a 2 hour journey that ended up taking three hours due to the snowy conditions here in the Czech Republic. Being run this weekend by Toni Rheinard who has equipped him with a Tamiya chassis and Speedpassion electrics, the Italian says he is still trying to adjust to his driving style to suit the carpet surface and the power deliver of the electric motor, which a lot more responsive that the nitro power he is used too.
Having now got the same set-up as that of DHI Cup sensation and Top Qualifier Christer Andersson, factory Team Associated driver Juho Levanen is really happy with his TC5. The Finn described the track as ‘awesome’ and is feeling confident of a good showing this weekend. Working alongside him in the pits is Associated UK team driver Olly Jefferies. Making his first appearance at an ETS race, Jefferies tried Levanen’s set-up but found it too aggressive for his driving style but he feels he has a good idea of what direction to take in terms of set-up for the next practice.
Schumacher Racing are very upbeat following the opening practice rounds. Chris Grainger and Chris Ashton are both very happy with their Mi4LP chassis. Ashton made the ProStock A-Main in Budapest and is hoping to better that result here this weekend. The man to beat in ProStock, Alexander Stocker, hasn’t had a good start to the day and admitted he is really struggling with the set-up on his Hot Bodies.
Elsewhere Team Xray’s Martin Hudy has ran the first few practices with the same set-up he used to make the A-Main at the DHI Cup earlier this month. The Slovak driver said he wants to wait for the traction to come up before he goes making adjustments to his T3 chassis. Hot Bodies factory driver Andy Moore described his start to the day as pretty decent and say he hopes he can maintain that form for the rest of the weekend.
Drivers still have one more round of practice in which to get their cars dialed in, with the Modified and Hobby classes ending today with the opening round of qualifying. For the huge Prostock entry they will have to wait till the morning for their first qualifier.
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Friday, January 29, 2010
World Champions go head to head as ETS makes first visit to Czech Republic
The third round of the 2009/2010 Euro Touring Series travels for the first time to the Czech Republic this weekend where almost 200 drivers from around the world will descend on the town of Hrotovice in the south of the country. While current electric Touring Car World Champion Marc Rheinard is no stranger to competing in the Xenon Racing backed series, this weekend the German will go head to head with the nitro Touring Car World title holder Daniele Ielasi.
The Italian’s participation in the 3-day event has come about after he met up with Marc’s brother Toni at the Italian Grand Prix back in December. Racing an old car he had borrowed from a friend, Ielasi made the A-Main impressing Toni enough for him to offer the man behind IDM engines the use of a Tamiya/Speedpassion combination for the Czech event. Keen to see how he would compare against his electric equivalent when using the same equipment Ielasi jumped at the offer.
In the championship it is Viktor Wilck who leads the way holding a slender one point championship lead over his Tamiya team-mate Rheinard. The Swede, who dominated Round 1 in Kastellaun from pole position, finished third in Budapest where Rheinard won but will be hoping to reverse that result this weekend and extend his lead in the standings.
Once again there will be a large team presence this weekend. Juho Levanen heads the challenge for Team Associated and will be joined by British team driver Olly Jefferies who makes his first ETS appearance. 2006 World Champion Andy Moore is in attendance for Hot Bodies, while Martin Hudy represents the Xray factory who took second last time out with Teemu Leino. Having made their official team debut in the ETS at Round 2, Schumacher Racing are back for more with 5 times British Champion Chris Grainger. Other big names set to do battle in the A-Main include talented youngsters Yannic Prümper and Elliot Harper. This will be Harper’s first international outing since his switch from Xray to Tamiya at the end of last season. Former factory Kyosho driver Steen Graversen will make the trip from Denmark and having enjoyed a very strong run to
fifth at the DHI Cup with his privately entered Tamiya will be one to watch.
One very interesting entry is Kiyo Suzuki, the man responsible for designing Tamiya’s very successful TRF416. Kiyo, is due in Europe for the Toy Fair in Germany the week after the race and is coming a few days early so that he can make his ETS debut. Kiyo is best known for being Marc Rheinard’s pitman at the World and European Championships but will now race against him in the Modified class.
In the 13.5T Pro Stock class a massive 120 drivers are entered setting the stage for action packed racing. There is really only one man they must aim to beat and that is German ace Alexander Stocker. The Hot Bodies driver won the opening two rounds and won the DHI Cup at his first ever attempt earlier this month. After a disappointing outing at his home race where he finished fourth defending Champion Balint Rajki will be looking to get his campaign back on track.
Round three of the Xenon Racing Euro Touring Series, which is also supported by Speedpassion, gets underway with practice on Friday and the event can be followed throughout the weekend on RedRC.net who will be in Hrotovice to report live on all the action.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Leino takes runner up spot with Leg 3 win
With Marc Rheinard securing overall victory in Budapest after Leg 2 of the A-Main and opting to sit out the final race of the day it was Xray’s Teemu Leino who took the win in Leg 3 to claim the runners up spot for the Hungarian round of the Xenon Racing backed Euro Touring Series. Starting from 4th on the grid, Leino was given his break on the very first lap when an impatient Viktor Wilck tried a move on Top Qualifier Ronald Volker at the final corner. Sending the Yokomo into a roll this allowed the Finn to pass them both and once in front he ran the perfect race as chaos broke loose behind.
Another attempt by Wilck to pass Volker resulted in the Kastellaun winner losing two places while further into the race Volker traction rolled out of second spot. Xray’s new T3 chassis now looked like it was on for a 1-2-3 finish in the Leg but it wasn’t to be. Unfortunately for 16-year-old Zdenko Kunak, who was putting in one of the drives of his life, he made contact in the infield with an out of shape Elliot Harper that sent the Slovak’s car rolling out on to the straight. Waiting for a marshal at the side of the track to put his car back in the infield he was collected by Sebastian Lein’s Tamiya, putting both cars out of the race. Kunak was clearly gutted to see his race end so cruelly but after such a strong showing the youngster will get his big day soon.
At the finish it was Volker who took second, four seconds adrift of Leino, with Wilck third. Ending the day on exactly the same points, the ETS Round 1 winner was given the final podium placing thanks to his faster race time in the opening Leg. Rheinard’s win and Wilck’s third means the Tamiya Racing Factory team-mates will go to the next race in the Czech Republic sharing the championship lead.
In Pro Stock it was all still to play for in the 3rd Leg of the A-Main with Top Qualifier Alexander Stocker and Yukijiro Umino having a win apiece but the No.1 car was the class of the field once again. Leaving the field behind Stocker did show he is still human making a mistake just as he entered his final lap. Losing 3 seconds, this allowed Umino’s Yokomo to close right up but the German remained calm and held on to claim the win and his second consecutive overall ETS victory. Upholding local honours, Gabor Forrai finished third ahead of defending champion Balint Rajki to stand on the third step of the podium.
Modified final standings
1. Rheinard Marc (DE) – 2pts [1:1, 2:1 [3:10]]
2. Leino Teemu (FI) – 3pts [3:1, 2:2 [1:3]]
3. Wilck Viktor (SE) – 5pts [1:2, 3:3 [2:10]]
4. Völker Ronald (DE) – 5pts [3:2, 2:3 [1:10]]
5. Harper Elliott (GB) – 9pts [1:4, 2:5 [3:6]]
6. Prümper Yannic (DE) – 10pts [1:5, 3:5 [2:6]]
7. Hudy Martin (SK) – 11pts [3:4, 2:7 [1:7]]
8. Moore Andy (GB) – 13pts [2:4, 1:9 [3:9]]
9. Lein Sebastian (DE) – 14pts [1:6, 2:8 [3:8]]
10.Kunák Zdenko (SK) – 5pts [3:7, 1:8 [2:9]]
Pro Stock final standings
1. Stocker Alexander (DE) – 2pts [1:1, 3:1 [2:2]]
2. Umino Yukijiro (JP) – 3pts [2:1, 3:2 [1:10]]
3. Forrai Gabor (HU) – 5pts [1:2, 2:3 [3:5]]
4. Rajki Balint (HU) – 6pts [1:3, 3:3 [2:5]]
5. Faur Cristian (RO) – 8pts [3:4, 2:4 [1:6]]
6. Kunák Zdenko (SK) – 10pts [1:4, 3:6 [2:9]]
7. Miko Peter (HU) – 14pts [2:7, 3:7 [1:8]]
8. Ashton Chris (GB) – 15pts [1:5, 2:10 [3:10]]
9. Juhász Viktor (HU) – 15pts [2:6, 1:9 [3:9]]
10.Orlowski Blazej (PL) – 15pts [1:7, 2:8 [3:8]]View the full results from all classes here.
An event that saw the entry double from last year to 160 drivers from 16 countries, the organisers here in Hungary were once again excellent hosts. With a short break now to enjoy Christmas the next round of the Euro Touring Series, which is also supported by Speedpassion, will venture into new territory when the Czech Republic will be invaded by some of the best touring car drivers in the world on January 29-31. We hope you can join us then.
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Sunday, November 29, 2009
Rheinard secures Budapest victory
Marc Rheinard is the winner of the Hungarian round of the 2009/10 Euro Touring Series after the World Champion backed up his win in the opening leg of the A-Main with another convincing victory in the second here in Budapest. With Top Qualifier Ronald Volker again struggling to keep his Yokomo on four wheels, Rheinard found a way through at the end of lap four and once in front stamped his authority on the race. Setting a new fastest lap for the event of 12.200 the German headed home Teemu Leino with Volker recovering to claim third.
After a super clean start which saw the entire field get safely round the opening lap, lap 2 would see the demise of ETS Round 1 winner Viktor Wilck. Running third the Swede’s Tamiya got tipped in the rear by Leino’s Xray at the first corner sending it crashing into the barriers forcing him to retire a couple of corners later with a broken car. The big battle of the race was for third between Volker, Andy Moore, Elliot Harper and Yannic Prumper. Moore managed to get to the front of the group when the World Championship runner up got up on two wheels, but the pass was reversed when the British ace himself got a huge amount of day light under his Cyclone allowing Volker back through. In the end Volker did enough to hold on for third followed home by Moore who pulled off a number of great saves while up on two wheels. After the race Volker said he was lost as to why his car was so on edge having changed nothing since his TQ run this morning that secured him pole. Rheinard has opted to sit out the final leg of the final allowing Leino, Wilck and Volker to have a straight fight for the runners up spot.
In Pro Stock Yukijiro Umino completely turned things around by going from finishing last in Leg 1 to winning the second of the three A-Mains. The Japanese driver was helped when Stocker came undone while lapping traffic but he was still very happy to bag a win on his ETS debut. Admitting that Stocker was the class of the field, the Yokomo employee is hoping he can get another good result and secure a place on the podium. Hungary’s Gabor Forrai continued his strong showing on home soil with third for the Leg.
Modified A-main Leg 2 results
1. Rheinard Marc – 25 laps in 5:04.485
2. Leino Teemu – 25 laps in 5:04.847
3. Völker Ronald – 25 laps in 5:10.642
4. Moore Andy – 25 laps in 5:11.151
5. Harper Elliott – 25 laps in 5:11.456
6 Prümper Yannic – 25 laps in 5:11.951
7. Hudy Martin – 24 laps in 5:00.433
8. Lein Sebastian – 24 laps in 5:02.377
9. Kunák Zdenko – 24 laps in 5:03.122
10.Wilck Viktor – 3 laps in 0:27.618
Pro Stock A-main Leg 2 results
1. Umino Yukijiro – 24 laps in 5:14.262
2. Stocker Alexander – 24 laps in 5:14.503
3. Forrai Gabor – 23 laps in 5:02.832
4. Faur Cristian – 23 laps in 5:05.346
5. Rajki Balint – 23 laps in 5:08.832
6. Juhász Viktor – 23 laps in 5:09.989
7. Miko Peter – 23 laps in 5:11.765
8. Orlowski Blazej – 23 laps in 5:12.716
9. Kunák Zdenko – 23 laps in 5:12.727
10.Ashton Chris – 9 laps in 2:01.099
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Sunday, November 29, 2009
Rheinard wins first A-Main
Marc Rheinard has won the first A-Main here in Budapest, heading home a Tamiya 1-2 after pole sitter Ronald Volker rolled out of contention on the second lap. Volker’s Yokomo led off the line with Rheinard’s Tamiya right behind but caught a dot on lap 2 that sent the LRP powered BD5 into a roll. Despite landing rubber side down the German dropped to fourth and next time round hit trouble again at the same section which ended his challenge. Up front World Champion Rheinard held the lead over his Tamiya team-mate Viktor Wilck, who set the fastest lap, to win by 2 seconds with Teemu Leino securing third a further 3 seconds adrift. Having just made it into the A-Main thanks to a strong last qualifier Yannic Prumper continued his improved form today to finish 5th behind Elliot Harper.
In Pro Stock Alexander Stocker easily converted his pole position start into victory crossing the finish line over half a lap up on second placed Gabor Forrai. In the early part of the race Yukijiro Umino looked like he might challenge Stocker, getting the jump on Forrai’s Tamiya, but the Yokomo driver made a mistake on lap four which put him out of contention. Further mistakes saw the former Japanese Champion finish last. Defending ETS Champion and last year’s winner here at the Dabas-Diego Sports Centre, Balint Raijki finished third with his Hot Bodies Cyclone. Biggest mover of the race was Schumacher’s Chris Ashton who came from last on the grid to take 5th.
Modified A-main Leg 1 results
1. Rheinard Marc – 25 laps in 5:01.962
2. Wilck Viktor – 25 laps in 5:04.029
3. Leino Teemu – 25 laps in 5:07.119
4. Harper Elliott – 25 laps in 5:10.534
5. Prümper Yannic – 25 laps in 5:12.025
6. Lein Sebastian – 25 laps in 5:12.585
7. Hudy Martin – 24 laps in 5:00.643
8. Kunák Zdenko – 24 laps in 5:07.916
9. Moore Andy – 21 laps in 4:19.254
10.Völker Ronald – 21 laps in 4:34.212
Pro Stock A-main Leg 1 results
1. Stocker Alexander – 24 laps in 5:04.849
2. Forrai Gabor – 24 laps in 5:12.868
3. Rajki Balint – 24 laps in 5:13.395
4. Kunák Zdenko – 23 laps in 5:01.845
5. Ashton Chris – 23 laps in 5:02.550
6. Faur Cristian – 23 laps in 5:03.190
7. Orlowski Blazej – 23 laps in 5:11.119
8. Miko Peter – 22 laps in 5:03.496
9. Juhász Viktor – 22 laps in 5:05.945
10.Umino Yukijiro – 22 laps in 5:06.688
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Sunday, November 29, 2009
Volker & Yokomo claim first ETS pole
Team Yokomo’s Ronald Volker will start on pole for Round 2 of the Xenon Racing backed Euro Touring Series after producing a blistering run in the final qualifier here in Budapest, Hungary. The German became the only driver to make 25 laps with a time of 5:12.338 and set a new fastest lap for the event taking his Yokomo BD5 around the large carpet track in 12.265. The new speed came thanks to Yokomo’s own R&D man Yukijiro Umino who, having tried a new set-up on his own car in Pro Stock, then transferred it to his team driver’s car. Volker said the changes made the car feel slower than in the previous rounds but it was a lot more stable allowing him get the time in. Having TQ’d the opening round of qualifying the result gives the recently crowned Japanese National Champion both his and Yokomo’s first ETS TQ honours.
Second fastest in Q4 was Yannic Prumper who pulled out a great drive to lift himself onto the back of the grid at the expense of Team Associated’s Juho Levanen who takes the unenviable BQ honours. Having struggled with traction roll throughout qualifying, Prumper ran Marc Rheinard’s T car, his race chassis from the European Championship in Luxembourg, and was finally able to complete his first clean run. The protege of Toni Rheinard, the young German will now revert back to his own TRF416 which Toni has fully rebuilt this morning and now features the belts moved to the opposite side of the chassis.
Martin Hudy set the third fastest time after opting for a safe set-up on his Xray T3. The Slovak driver who finished on the podium here last year, said the car had a lot of push but it was stable and this allowed him to drive a clean run and record his fastest time. Starting from 7th on the grid, Hudy will revert to his earlier on edge set-up for the first of the three A-Mains.
For the Tamiya Racing Factory pairing of Marc Rheinard and Viktor Wilck, both of whom were in contention for the overall TQ honours, Q4 didn’t go to plan. Rheinard pulled up early to save his tyres for the finals when a mistake cost him any hope of topping the round while Wilck broke his car with a spectacular roll that saw him clear half the track. Rheinard will start from second on the grid followed by Wilck, with Teemu Leino securing fourth position ahead of Xray team-mate Elliot Harper. 2006 World Champion Andy Moore, who found himself on the back of the B-Main grid in Kastellaun, completes the Top 6 on the grid for Hot Bodies.
In Pro Stock Japan’s Yukijiro Umino TQ’d the final qualifier but Alexander Stocker had done enough yesterday to secure his second consecutive ETS TQ honours. Umino, who says he is really enjoying his first ETS outing, will line up 3rd on the grid with his Yokomo behind local driver Gabor Forrai and is pretty confident he can challenge for the win. Having TQ’d the first round of qualifying, Forrai hopes he can finish on the podium but said his main focus is finishing first of the local drivers as this race is a counting round of the Hungarian National Championship.
Modified A-main grid
1. Völker Ronald (DE) – Yokomo/LRP
2. Rheinard Marc (DE) – Tamiya/Speedpassion
3. Wilck Viktor (SE) – Tamiya/Speedpassion
4. Leino Teemu (FI) – Xray/Team Orion
5. Harper Elliott (GB) – Xray/Nosram
6. Moore Andy (GB) – Hot Bodies/Team Orion
7. Hudy Martin (SK) – Xray/LRP
8. Kunák Zdenko (SK) – Xray/LRP
9. Lein Sebastian (DE) – Tamiya/Speedpassion
10. Prümper Yannic (DE) – Tamiya/Speedpassion
Pro Stock A-main grid
1. Stocker Alexander (DE) – Hot Bodies
2. Forrai Gabor (HU) – Tamiya
3. Umino Yukijiro (JP) – Yokomo
4. Kunák Zdenko (SK) – Xray
5. Faur Cristian (RO) – Serpent
6. Miko Peter (HU) – Hot Bodies
7. Rajki Balint (HU) – Hot Bodies
8. Orlowski Blazej (PL) – Tamiya
9. Juhász Viktor (HU) – Losi
10. Ashton Chris (GB) – Schumacher
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Sunday, November 29, 2009
