Wilck TQ’s first qualifier in Andernach
Viktor Wilck has carried his practice pace through to the first qualifier here at the 2008/2009 ETS finale recording the fastest run ahead of Ronald Volker. The Swede said his Tamiya felt OK for the run and was surprised by how far off his rivals were having not expected his own pace to be good enough to TQ the round. Volker said he had to switch to safe mode for his run after finding his Yokomo difficult to drive on the fresh set of controlled tyres. The car improved during the run but the former European Champion was still not happy with the feeling of his BD5 compared with yesterday. Very surprised by the pace of his Swedish team-mate Marc Rheinard took third. The World Champion said he was happy with his run until he watched Wilck who was super fast from the first lap. The third of the factory Tamiya/Speedpassion drivers Jilles Groskamp was pretty happy with fourth having predicted the track here in Andernach would suit the driving style of the three drivers ahead of him. Caught out badly by the new set tyres on his first lap, the Euros Warm Up race winner said that by the end of the heat his car was running well allowing him to run on the same pace as Rheinard and Volker.
Young Kyosho team driver Christopher Krapp was fifth for the round despite a mistake that launched his car into the track’s perimeter fence. The incident tweaked his Stallion but the multiple German Junior Champion said he was happy with the run. Top Xray for the round was Steven Wiess who completed the Top 6.
‘Perfect start’ was how first round Pro Stock top qualifier Matthias Lang described his heat. The German Xray driver said conditions were tricky but luckily he made no mistakes allowing him record 17 laps in 5:09.95. Running a new set of the controlled Sweep tyres, Lang feels he can go quicker in the second heat as used rubber has so far suited his T2 009 better. Posting the second fastest time was local racer Michael Kiesewetter who made good use of his home track knowledge to mix it with the established ETS Pro Stock front runners. There were big changes overnight for defending champion Alexander Stocker. Having hit the fence at the end of the main straight in free practice last night he destroyed his Hot Bodies Cyclone chassis. Having planned to change to Xray after the series finale, the German was forced to make the switch early. Stocker adapted quickly to his new chassis posting the third fastest time and afterwards said his intial impression of the T2 009 was good. Fourth went to Hungarian ETS winner Balint Rajki who described his run as ‘good for now’. Driving a Hot Bodies Cyclone, he said he paid attention to the curbs and could have been slightly faster if he had taken more risks through the chicance. Happy with the handling of his car he feels he could do with more straightline speed and so will change his gearing for the next outing. Daniel Wohlgemuth took fifth for the round after loosing two seconds when he rolled his Xray. Having set the pace in final practice Rob Janssen had a terrible run ending up 32nd. The Dutch Corally team driver said the problem with the rear of his car had returned but he thinks he may have found the problem.
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