Blistering pace finalises grid for intense showdown
The final round of qualifying for the Euro Touring Series has been completed at a blistering pace with all the signs that we are in for an intense evening of Finals here in Germany.
Modified saw another round victory for Atsushi Hara who yesteday wrapped up the TQ but the Japanese ace wasn’t saving himself for the finals instead setting the quickest run of the weekend and becoming the first driver to break into the 18 laps. Closest to the former World Champion in the final qualifier was Dutch ace Jilles Groskamp, the Tamiya factory driver also making 18 laps in heat No. 11, the final of 55 heats run at the event. Current World Champion Andy Moore, Pre Worlds winner Viktor Wilck and 2004/2005 World Champion Marc Rheinard also broke into the 18 laps setting us up for a thrilling finale to the inaugural ETS Series.
In terms of the A Main Modified grid Hot Bodies have secured the top 3 spots with Hara on the pole followed by European Champion Ronald Volker with Moore in 3rd. In total four manufacturers are represented in the final with Steen Graversen the first non HB driver with his Shin prototype Kyosho in fourth followed by American ace Paul Lemieux’s Xray and Rheinard’s Tamiya.
2007 Euros Top Qualifier Steven Weiss will start pole for the B Final with his Xray just ahead of the top Austrian Team HB driver Thomas Pumpler.
A Main Grid
Modified
1. Atsushi Hara – Hot Bodies – 0
2. Ronald Völker – Hot Bodies – 7
3. Andy Moore – Hot Bodies – 9
4. Steen Graversen – Kyosho – 10
5. Paul Lemieux – Xray – 11
6. Marc Rheinard – Tamiya – 11
7. Viktor Wilck – Tamiya – 13
8. Jilles Groskamp – Tamiya – 15
9. Bastian Schaefer – Hot Bodies – 19
10.Christopher Krapp – Kyosho – 23
In Pro Stock we had another closely contested qualifier with two drivers breaking into the 17 laps for the first time of the weekend. Meik Niemann won the round from overall Top Qualifier Alexander Stocker as the two set a blistering pace around the Andernach circuit and as a result the Xray driver will line-up alongside the Hot Bodies racer on the front row of the grid. Third in the heat was Tony Streit with Matthias Lang fourth and the pair will line up in the reverse of that order on the grid for what is set to be an intense 2 legs of racing.
Stocker won the opening round of the ETS at Kastellaun and is currently on form to become the inaugural champion if he can finish ahead of the other three championship contenders who have made the final – George Spitteler, winner in Heemstede, Tony Streit and Christoph Thiele. Unfortunately current points standing leader Nicolai Nielsen’s challenge for the title looks dead as he qualified only 3rd for the B Final. There is a very slight chance the Danish racer can lift the title but he needs his challengers to hit trouble. Vasco Christiaanse is another to drop out of the title chase as he starts pole in the B.
A Main Grid
Pro Stock
1. Alexander Stocker – Hot Bodies – 0
2. Meik Niemann – Xray – 5
3. Matthias Lang – Xray – 8
4. Tony Streit – Hot Bodies – 8
5. Dominik Reschke – Corally – 9
6. George Spitteler – Corally – 17
7. Dai Sakaguchi – Tamiya – 17
8. Kai Maurus – Hot Bodies – 20
9. Steffen Koch – Yokomo – 20
10.Christoph Thiele – Xray – 22
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