Sunday, October 30, 2011
Video – Mod & Pro Stock A-main Leg 3 Categories - Racing, Report - comments closed
Marc Rheinard and Christopher Krapp complete the podium at the opening round of the 2011/12 Yokomo Euro Touring series after they finished 1-2 in the third A-Main at Mülheim-Kärlich watched on by overall winner Ronald Volker who after winning the first two legs of the final was able to sit out the final race of a very successful event.
With three drivers, Rheinard, Viktor Wilck and Alexander Hagberg, in contention for the overall runners up spot there was still plenty to play for in the third A-Main. With Volker’s car absent on the grid it was Rheinard’s Tamiya that had a clear track ahead of him but on two occassions the World Champion came under pressure for the win he would ultimately take. TRF team-mate Wilck closed the gap as the race entered in to the second half but the Swede was to roll on lap 16 loosing 4-seconds dropping him to fourth and fifth in the overall classification. Looking like he now had a comfortable victory in the bag Rheinard was also to roll his TRF417X just four laps from home allowing Krapp’s Kyosho to close to within a second. Holding off the 19-year-old Rheinard secured the win and second overall while the result ensured Krapp secured his first ever ETS podium finish.
Having said after taking fourth in the opening leg that he felt a podium was possible today, Krapp was delighted with finishing third overall. Really happy with his Orion powered TF6 he said he has made a lot of progress with his carpet set-up and the car was ’super easy’ to drive. With round 2 of the series also on carpet he is looking forward to Italy in January when he hopes he can put in a similar performance and add to his strong championship point tally.
Having accidentally hit the back of Andy Moore’s Hot Bodies early in the race through the Xray chicane and loosing out to Krapp as he waited to allow the British driver back through, Hagberg was disappointed at missing out on the podium. Finishing equal on points with Krapp but having to settle for fourth overall, Xray’s top contender said it was a shame to miss out on the podium but he is hopeful he can make it at the next round as he said his new T3 2012 felt really good.
While the winner of the first round of the new season in Modified was decided after the second A-Main in the Xray Pro-Stock class the battle went down to the third leg but there was to be a very popular first ETS win for the talented Slovak driver Zdenko Kunák. Starting out the successful weekend by securing his first ever ETS TQ honour on Saturday the 18-year-old, who also made the Modified A-Main, won the opening leg but pulled up early in the second after a mistake put him out of contention. Pressured throughout the final race by former winner Oliver Franke and reigning champion Martin Hofer he held on to take the win and the first international win for Xray’s new T3 2012. A long time competitor in the ETS, today’s win put him in serious contention for the overall title of the series biggest class in which 166 drivers took part this weekend.
Attracting a record 292 entries the fifth season of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series has got off to a hugely successful start and judging by the large contigent of Italian drivers who made the trip to Muelheim-Kaerlich this weekend the ETS’ first ever visit to Italy in January is sure to produce another great weekend for the world’s biggest electric touring car championship.
Ride Modified Leg 3 Result
1. Marc Rheinard (DE) – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 24L 5:05.031
2. Christopher Krapp (DE) – Kyosho/Orion – 24L 5:06.423
3. Alexander Hagberg – Xray/LRP – 24L 5:08.250
4. Viktor Wilck (SE) – Tamiya/Thunder Power – 24L 5:08.949
5. Andy Moore (GB) – Hot Bodies/HPI Flux – 24L 5:09.311
6. Yannic Prümper (DE) – Yokomo/Thunder Power – 24L 5:11.677
7. Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray/LRP – 24L 5:13.001
8. Freddy Südhoff (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 23L 5:01.220
9. Dominik Fleischmann (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 23L 5:01.455
10.Ronald Völker (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – DNS
Ride Modified Overall Result
1. Ronald Völker (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – 2
2. Marc Rheinard (DE) – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 3
3. Christopher Krapp (DE) – Kyosho/Orion – 6
4. Alexander Hagberg – Xray/LRP – 6
5. Viktor Wilck (SE) – Tamiya/Thunder Power – 7
6. Yannic Prümper (DE) – Yokomo/Thunder Power – 11
7. Dominik Fleischmann (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 12
8. Andy Moore (GB) – Hot Bodies/HPI Flux – 13
9. Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray/LRP – 13
10.Freddy Südhoff (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 18
Xray Pro Stock Leg 3 Result
1. Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray – 23L 5:06.137
2. Oliver Franke (DE) – Hot Bodies – 23L 5:07.188
3. Martin Hofer (DE) – Schumacher – 23L 5:11.754
4. Daniel Wohlgemuth (DE) – Tamiya – 23L 5:13.892
5. Steffen Leinburger (DE) – Xray – 23L 5:14.171
6. Ivan Laptev (RU) – Awesomatix – 22L 5:00.844
7. Tony Streit (DE) – Xray – 22L 5:01.589
8. Philipp Hagnauer (CH) – Yokomo – 22L 5:03.770
9. Carsten Madsen (DK) – Awesomatix – 22L 5:08.646
10.Michael Spiering (DE) – TOP – 22L 5:10.722
Xray Pro Stock Overall Result
1. Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray – 2
2. Oliver Franke (DE) – Hot Bodies – 3
3. Martin Hofer (DE) – Schumacher – 5
4. Tony Streit (DE) – Xray – 8
5. Daniel Wohlgemuth (DE) – Tamiya – 9
6. Ivan Laptev (RU) – Awesomatix – 10
7. Steffen Leinburger (DE) – Xray – 11
8. Philipp Hagnauer (CH) – Yokomo – 12
9. Carsten Madsen (DK) – Awesomatix – 14
10.Michael Spiering (DE) – TOP – 18
View complete race results here.
View the event image gallery here.
Video – Mod & Pro Stock A-main Leg 2 Categories - Racing, Report - comments closed
Team Yokomo’s lead driver Ronald Volker pulled off the perfect weekend to claim an early victory at the opening round of the 2011/12 Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Mülheim-Kärlich, Germany. Starting from pole, the German ace backed up his win of the first A-Main with an even more dominant performance in the second to secure the overall win. Able to sit out the third and final Main of the day, Volker’s performance which saw him top the time sheets for every round of practice and qualifying has put pressure firmly on his rivals to find something before the fifth season of the ETS moves on to Italy in January for Round 2 of 6.
Although the winning margin of the second A-Main was smaller than race 1, Volker controlled the race from the start this time. Pushing harder over the opening laps he said once Rheinard made a mistake on lap 8 of 24 he was able to run a controlled race. Admitting to a lapse of concentration on the final lap that saw him get his BD5 WXi up on two wheels, he said he was delighted to kick off his title defence in the same way he got his successful 2010/11 campaign underway. The winner of the opening three race last season, he said could not have expected a better weekend and although not sure what to expect at Round 2 as its is an all new event on the calendar he is really looking forward to moving onto the next round which is also on carpet.
Recovering from his roll Rheinard once again took a frustrating second behind his great rival. The World Champion said in testing on carpet his Speed Passion Tamiya TRF417x has felt really good but in race conditions it is no match for Volker’s Yokomo. Putting much of the champions domination down to Umino Yukijiro who has travelled from Japan to provide technical support, Rheinard said he hopes he can convince Tamiya to send chief designer Kiyo Suzuki to Italy so they can try halt Volker and Yokomo in their quest to defend the title they took away from Tamiya last season. Although Viktor Wilck set the fastest lap of the second A-Main, he too struggled to keep the car on four wheels dropping from second to sixth in the race.
After a tough first Main, Team Xray’s Alexander Hagberg enjoyed a good clean race to finish third. The Swede said while he benefited from others mistakes his new T3 2012 felt fast and with Volker sitting out the third leg the race for second overall is still wide open. Planning to run a harder front shock to reduce his steering he said he hopes he just gets a second chance at having a clean race. Making it four different brands of cars in the top four Kyosho’s Christopher Krapp repeated his Leg 1 result to again finish fourth from sixth on the grid.
With his Hot Bodies working much better this time round, Andy Moore was looking good for second until he got out of shape first allowing Rheinard passed before getting swallowed up by the pack when he got hit later in the lap causing his body to tuck. The British Champion lost 4 seconds as a result and in the end finished 9th.
In Pro Stock the overall winner of the season opener will go down to the final leg after Oliver Franke took a narrow win over champion Martin Hofer. Top Qualifier & winner of the opening leg, Zdenko Kunák led the race until lap 7 when he ran over a dot and got out of shape to get swallowed up and hit a number of times by the pursuing pack. Out of contention for a string finish, the Xray team driver pulled up. The result means three drivers, Kunák, Franke and Hofer, have a chance taking overall victory with a win in the final leg.
Ride Modified Leg 2 results
1. Ronald Völker (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – 24L 5:02.814
2. Marc Rheinard (DE) – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 24L 5:03.951
3. Alexander Hagberg – Xray/LRP – 24L 5:05.604
4. Christopher Krapp (DE) – Kyosho/Orion – 24L 5:06.244
5. Yannic Prümper (DE) – Yokomo/Thunder Power – 24L 5:08.942
6. Viktor Wilck (SE) – Tamiya/Thunder Power – 24L 5:09.114
7. Dominik Fleischmann (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 24L 5:09.247
8. Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray/LRP – 24L 5:10.255
9. Andy Moore (GB) – Hot Bodies/HPI Flux – 24L 5:11.154
10.Freddy Südhoff (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 24L 5:12.639
Xray Pro Stock Leg 2 results
1. Oliver Franke (DE) – Hot Bodies – 23L 5:11.388
2. Martin Hofer (DE) – Schumacher – 23L 5:11.958
3. Tony Streit (DE) – Xray – 23L 5:13.014
4. Philipp Hagnauer (CH) – Yokomo – 22L 5:02.407
5. Daniel Wohlgemuth (DE) – Tamiya – 22L 5:02.938
6. Carsten Madsen (DK) – Awesomatix – 22L 5:04.786
7. Ivan Laptev (RU) – Awesomatix – 22L 5:05.364
8. Michael Spiering (DE) – TOP – 22L 5:06.198
9. Steffen Leinburger (DE) – Xray – 21L 4:53.379
10.Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray – 7L 1:30.943
View complete race results here.
View the event image gallery here.
Video – Mod & Pro Stock A-main Leg 1 Categories - Racing - comments closed
Reigning Yokomo Euro Touring Series champion Ronald Volker looks set to be on target to make the perfect start to his title defence with the Top Qualifier dominating the opening A-Main in Mülheim-Kärlich, Germany. Setting the fastest lap of the 5-minute encounter, the factory Yokomo driver took the win by over 5 seconds from the Tamiya’s of Marc Rheinard and Viktor Wilck who both struggled to match his pace.
Only in the opening few laps did it ever look like Volker might have a race on his hands but once the German found his rhythm he just checked out forcing his rivals into mistakes as they were forced to push their cars to the limit to try stay in contention. Volker said afterwards he felt a little pressure ahead of the first race and drove too carefully for the opening laps as a result allowing Rheinard to run on his tail, the World Champion making contact with the No.1 Yokomo at the start of the third lap. Getting his confidence with his LRP powered BD5 WXi, which he will leave the same for the second A-Main, he said once he started to push he could see his rival Rheinard couldn’t match his pace and he knew he had control of the race.
Rheinard said his TRF417x had the ‘worst combination’ of handling with it pushing, lacking corner speed and also traction rolling. An 8-time ETS race winner the former champion said he had to steer the car using the throttle. Suffering an unexplainable spin out, which Wilck repeated a few laps later at the same spot on the track, Rheinard said it been a frustrating8 weekend as on asphalt they have a great car but carpet is proving extremely difficult. With half of the six ETS rounds on carpet he said the team must find a solution if they are to have any chance of retaking the title they held for the first three season of the ETS.
Starting from sixth on the grid factory Kyosho driver Christopher Krapp finished fourth but felt 2nd was possible. After struggling with his Orion powered TF6 for the opening laps Krapp said the car came good and he was able to close in to Wilck but in his quest to find a way past the Swede he made a mistake. A World finalist, Krapp feels with better tyre prep finishing on the podium this evening is on the cards.
Best placed Hot Bodies was Dominic Fleischmann who took his LRP powered TCX to fifth ahead of the best placed Xray of Zdenko Kunák who started 10th in the grid. Starting fourth on the grid Andy Moore summed up his race as ‘One to forget’. The British Champion said his HPI Flux powered TCX was loose off the line and then wanted to be up on two wheels. His lack of pace was to cause an early pile up as the much faster No.5 Xray of Alexander Hagberg had to check up to avoid the slower Hot Bodies and in turn got hit from behind. Hagberg eventually finished 7th, one place ahead of Moore.
In the Xray Pro stock A-Main Zdenko Kunák converted his first ever ETS TQ into a win in the first A-Main seeing off pressure from the Hot Bodies of Oliver Franke. Kunák looked to have the race in the bag early on but Franke started to close the gap and under pressure the Xray driver made a mistake on lap 17 of 23 to allow the German to get to get on his bumper. With four laps to go Franke then had a moment of his own allowing the 18-year-old Slovak to take the win by 9/10ths of a second. Starting from fifth on the grid reigning Champion Martin Hofer came through to take third despite a spring change on his Schumacher leaving him with very little steering.
Ride Modified Leg 1 results
1. Ronald Völker (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – 25L 5:13.257
2. Marc Rheinard (DE) – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 24L 5:05.586
3. Viktor Wilck (SE) – Tamiya/Thunder Power – 24L 5:06.630
4. Christopher Krapp (DE) – Kyosho/Orion – 24L 5:07.151
5. Dominik Fleischmann (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 24L 5:08.573
6. Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray/LRP – 24L 5:12.181
7. Alexander Hagberg – Xray/LRP – 24L 5:12.953
8. Andy Moore (GB) – Hot Bodies/HPI Flux – 24L 5:14.952
9. Yannic Prümper (DE) – Yokomo/Thunder Power – 23L 4:55.532
10.Freddy Südhoff (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 23L 5:11.543
Xray Pro Stock Leg 1 results
1. Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray – 23L 5:08.591
2. Oliver Franke (DE) – Hot Bodies – 23L 5:09.476
3. Martin Hofer (DE) – Schumacher – 23L 5:13.014
4. Ivan Laptev (RU) – Awesomatix – 23L 5:14.168
5. Tony Streit (DE) – Xray – 22L 5:01.294
6. Steffen Leinburger (DE) – Xray – 22L 5:06.134
7. Daniel Wohlgemuth (DE) – Tamiya – 22L 5:06.134
8. Carsten Madsen (DK) – Awesomatix – 22L 5:06.825
9. Philipp Hagnauer (CH) – Yokomo – 22L 5:07.066
10.Michael Spiering (DE) – TOP – 22L 5:10.537
View complete race results here.
View the event image gallery here.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Video – Modified qualifying action Categories - Racing, Report - comments closed
Team Xray’s Zdenko Kunák claimed his first ever TQ in the Euro Touring Series when he ran the fastest 5-minutes of the weekend in the fourth & final round of qualifying this evening in Germany to put his T3 2012 on pole for tomorrow’s Pro-Stock A-Main. Pushed hard by the Awesomatix of Carsten Madsen, the Slovak driver took the round by just 6/10th of a second from the Dane to deny former race winner Oliver Franke from claiming his first TQ in the series.
A regular at ETS events, in which he competes in both the Xray Pro Stock and Ride Modified classes, Kunák was delighted at clinching his first TQ honour but says he expects a tough race tomorrow with Oliver Franke. Admitting that starting from pole position adds a little pressure he said he hopes to be able to take advantage of having a clean track in front of him.
The 18-year-old looked like he might pull off a surprise double in the final round of qualifying as he set the early pace in the top heat of Modified. Setting the pace he was to get it wrong on his sixth lap losing 7 seconds but thanks to strong runs in Q1 & Q3 he makes both A-Mains starting the Ride Modified A-Main from 10th.
While Ronald Volker wrapped up the overall TQ honours for the premier class in the third round of qualifying, Q4 would determine the order of the 9 drivers who would start behind the reigning champion. Despite a quick roll at the first corner on his opening lap, Volker made it four out of four. Having used the run to try a different set-up on his Yokomo the German said his car was ‘dialed’ and he could push it really hard allowing him to run a new fastest lap of 12.773. Catching his team-mate Yannic Prümper in the run, he said he opted not to pass him as he knew a good run was more important to the teenager.
Prümper set the third fastest time of the round which saw him scrape into the A-Main. Finishing on the same points as Kunák he will start 9th tomorrow. Having run Volker’s set-up in Q3 and found it not aggressive enough for his driving style, the former race winner decided to run it again as it made for a very safe car and that gamble was to pay off. Starting from the back of the grid and with little to lose by taking risks Prümper said he will switch back to a more aggressive set-up for tomorrow.
Setting the second fastest time of the closing qualifier Andy Moore was much happier with his Hot Bodies. Running less rear toe on the HPI Flux powered TCX he said it resulted in a huge improvement in how he could take the first corner at the end of the main straight although just like Volker the British Champion also had a quick roll there on his first lap which he said was just down to driver error. Admitting he is still some way off the pace of Volker and Rheinard he said he has his eye on a podium finish for tomorrow when he will start fourth behind Viktor Wilck. Hot Bodies are the best represented brand in the final with Freddy Südhoff and Dominik Fleischmann securing 7th & 8th respectively on the grid.
Behind Moore, Alexander Hagberg is the best placed Xray on the grid lining up in what is sure to be a disappointing fifth position for the determined Swede. Completing the Top 6, Christopher Krapp carries all the hope of Kyosho.
Ride Modified A-Main Grid
1. Ronald Völker (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – 310
2. Marc Rheinard (DE) – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 306
3. Viktor Wilck (SE) – Tamiya/Thunder Power – 304
4. Andy Moore (GB) – Hot Bodies/HPI Flux – 303
5. Alexander Hagberg – Xray/LRP – 303
6. Christopher Krapp (DE) – Kyosho/Orion – 302
7. Freddy Südhoff (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 299
8. Dominik Fleischmann (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 299
9. Yannic Prümper (DE) – Yokomo/Thunder Power – 298
10.Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray/LRP – 298
Xray Pro-Stock A-Main Grid
1. Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray – 310
2. Oliver Franke (DE) – Hot Bodies – 310
3. Carsten Madsen (DK) – Awesomatix – 305
4. Ivan Laptev (RU) – Awesomatix – 305
5. Martin Hofer (DE) – Schumacher – 303
6. Tony Streit (DE) – Xray – 302
7. Steffen Leinburger (DE) – Xray – 299
8. Daniel Wohlgemuth (DE) – Tamiya – 299
9. Philipp Hagnauer (CH) – Yokomo – 294
10.Michael Spiering (DE) – TOP – 293
View complete race results here.
View the event image gallery here.
