Moore tops opening qualifier in Austria
2006 World Champion Andy Moore has topped the opening qualifier for the third round of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in St.Polten, Austria. The factory Hot Bodies driver recorded 19 laps in 5:05.010 and becomes only the third driver this season to post a TQ run beating championship leader Ronald Volker and defending champion Marc Rheinard who are the only other drivers to have achieved the feat. After a disappointing performance at Round 2 in the Czech Republic, Moore looked strong throughout practice on the indoor asphalt track and ends Day 1 of the event in the provisional pole. The British ace was pleased with his run but thinks there is more in the car as he struggled with the Moorespeed powered TCX at the start of the run, something he believes is down to his tyre prep as the car feels good by the end of the 5 minutes.
Volker, for whom this was only the second time in 11 rounds of qualifying that he has not posted a TQ run, said he knew having watched him in practice that Moore had a stronger car in the latter half the run and that it would be a close call. In the end the factory Yokomo driver, who has so far dominated the 2010/11 season, lost out by 4/10ths.
Having not really featured in practice Tamiya’s Marc Rheinard managed to pull off the third fastest time but the German is frustrated by his lack of pace finishing 1.4 seconds off Moore’s time. The three time World Champion said he can only get his Speed Passion powered TRF417 to work for the first three laps after which the car just wants to push. Rheinard said he has changed pretty much everything on the car but the same problem persists. It wasn’t a good first day for the TRF squad with Elliot Harper only managing the 16th fastest time and Viktor Wilck pulling up early after a mistake ended any chance of a competitive qualifier.
Juho Levanen got the better of his Team Associated team-mate Keven Hebert with the TC6s stopping the clock in the 4th and 5th fastest times respectively. Levaven said adjusting the rear toe made his car feel fast but that didn’t transfer into extra speed. Herbert regretted his descision not to change the set-up for Q1 feeling a drop in front shock oil would have prevented the front end pushing on.
Former ETS race winner Yannic Prumper completed the Top 6 followed by Team Yokomo team-mate Michal Bok who is driving really well here this weekend, the Czech driver setting a new fastest lap of 15.735 for the track.
In Pro-Stock it was a big day for Awesomatix as Ivan Laptev took a very popular TQ run. The Russian driver has been the talking point all day here mixing it with the best in the world with the unique A700 in both Pro-Stock and Modified. Running the set-up from his modified car on his Pro Stock chassis for Q1 he said it worked really well and he was delighted with the result for those involved in the exciting new Russian project. Having set the pace in practice Martin Hofer had a difficult qualifier with a number of rolls leaving his Schumacher only 14th fastest. German Xray driver Tony Streit set the second fastest time with Czech Yokomo driver Radek Flek completing the Top 3.
Xenon Modified Qualifying – Round 1 Top 10
1. Moore Andy (GB) – 19L 5:05.010 [Hot Bodies/Moorespeed]
2. Völker Ronald (DE) – 19L 5:05.429 [Yokomo/LRP]
3. Rheinard Marc (DE) – 19L 5:06.480 [Tamiya/Speed Passion]
4. Levanen Juho (FI) – 19L 5:07.667 [Associated/LRP]
5. Herbert Keven (CA) – 19L 5:08.760 [Associated/LRP]
6. Prümper Yannic (DE) – 19L 5:09.550 [Yokomo/Speed Passion]
7. Bok Michal (CZ) – 19L 5:10.291 [Yokomo/Speed Passion]
8. Ehrbar David (DE) – 19L 5:11.192 [Xray/Speed Passion]
9. Krapp Christopher (DE) – 19L 5:11.725 [Kyosho/Orion]
10.Hudy Martin (SK) – 19L 5:12.178 [Xray/LRP]
Xray Pro Stock Qualifying – Round 1 Top 10
1. Laptev Ivan (RU) – 18L 5:02.927 [Awesomatix]
2. Streit Tony (DE) – 18L 5:05.245 [Xray]
3. Flek Radek (CZ) – 18L 5:06.257 [Yokomo]
4. Kaufmann Marco (DE) – 18L 5:06.797 [Xray]
5. Koch Michael (DE) – 18L 5:11.301 [Hot Bodies]
6. Kuriger Sandro (CH) – 18L 5:11.875 [Tamiya]
7. Tschupp Philip (CH) – 18L 5:12.386 [TOP]
8. Klöckner Rene (DE) – 18L 5:13.086 [Tamiya]
9. Stangl Toni (AT) – 18L 5:13.150 [Tamiya]
10.Stutz Beni (CH) – 18L 5:13.422 [Tamiya]
Full results can be found here.
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