Wilck heads Tamiya 1-2-3 in Q3
The third round of qualifying for the Dutch ETS encounter was very much a Tamiya affair with the TRF squad setting the Top 3 times with Viktor Wilck fastest from team-mates Marc Rheinard and Jilles Groskamp. Wilck’s winning time of 19 laps in 5:08.376 was the slowest of the three qualifiers to date as rising temperatures made for slower track conditions. Switching to a Protoform LTC-R body, the Swede said his TRF416 felt better and the problem with the car being loose on the opening lap has been cured by keeping the tyre warmers powered right until the car is placed on the grid. The only driver capable of challenging Rheinard for this season’s ETS title, Wilck said he needs to be quicker than the German in the remaining two heats so as to secure the bonus championship point for taking Top Qualifier honours. Rheinard’s opening TQ run is the fastest so far and will be hard to beat as it was run yesterday when conditons were cooler and the track was faster.
For pre-event favourite Groskamp a lack of power is still a problem. Having reduced the power settings on his speedo after he blew a motor in Q2, the Dutch driver said he is having to push extra hard in the infield in order to make up for his lack of straightline speed. The reigning Euro Touring Series Champion is also concerned with the heat of the motor after the run and has little choice but to fit a heat sink and cooling fan for the next round. The Dutch driver has said its going to be hard at this stage to beat his Tamiya team-mates who have the edge right now on the rest of the field. Toni Sport driver Yannic Prumper once again finished fourth frustrated at not being able to break into the Top 3. The young German plans to try running the penultimate qualifier with no tyre additive. Top Danish driver Steen Graversen made it an all Tamiya Top 5.
For the Hot Bodies team it was not a good round as both their star drivers made mistakes. Andy Moore had two spins while Atsushi Hara had a costly off which cost him 3 seconds. The fastest non Tamiya driver, Moore said his new TCX feels more on the pace now but would still like a little more steering along with a run free of driver errors. Finishing right behind his team-mate on the times sheets, Hara was also happier with his car saying it feels more consistent now.
In Pro Stock Kyosho’s Vasco Christiaanse claimed his second TQ run in style by taking the round by over 2 seconds from Xray’s young charger Zdenko Kunák who had his fastest run of the weekend. Dutch driver Tjitte Miedema completed the Top 3 by outpacing Q2 pace setter Rob Janssen who couldn’t repeat the feat ending up fourth.
Full results can be found here.
View the event image gallery here.
