Volker Top Qualifier in Austria
Ronald Volker’s domination of the 2010/11 Yokomo Euro Touring Series doesn’t look under any serious threat after the German ace secured his third straight overall TQ honours in as many races. Having set the pace in Q2 & 3, the Team Yokomo lead driver secured pole for tomorrow’s triple A-Mains by topping the final qualifier from young team-mate Yannic Prumper who will start 4th on the grid. Volker ran a narrower suspension setting on the front of his LRP powered BD5 in the hope of getting more steering and although he ran his best five minute run of the weekend said the changes didn’t give the desired effect. Aiming for a hat trick of ETS wins tomorrow Volker thinks the first final could be interesting as drivers use their second set of allocated tyres in particular Andy Moore. In the opening round of qualifying when everyone had fresh rubber Moore’s Hot Bodies TCX TQ’d with a time that stood the rest of qualifying.
Moore, who didn’t make the cut in the Czech Republic, is himself confident about his chances for the opening leg of the A-Main. Not so happy with his driving in Q4 after making too many small mistakes, he was pleased with changes made to the front suspension which should be even more evident on new tyres.
For the first time in the four year history of the ETS there will only be one Tamiya in the final. The TRF squad have struggled from the off to get a set-up for the asphalt track here in St.Polten. Their star driver Marc Rheinard lines up third but needs to pull something really special off if he is to get that important win he needs to have any chance of retaining his ETS crown. So far the World Champion has been no match for Volker but as he has shown in the past he has the ability to dig deep and pull off something special when the pressure is on.
17-year-old Prumper was very upbeat about the finals after his impressive run in the last heat during which he set the fastest lap of the weekend. Help from Volker with doing his tyre prep transformed the previous ETS race winner’s Yokomo and he has his sights set on making the podium tomorrow.
Ivan Laptev’s pit table is probably the most visited one in the hall and justifiably so as the Russian has put the unique Awesomatix in to both the Modified and Pro-Stock finals. A regular finalist in Pro-Stock this is his first time to make an ETS Modified final, lining up an impressive 5th. Having used his second set of tyres in Q3 when he was third fastest, Laptev will be at a disadvantage in the first A-Main but said his aim is to just get a good start and go from there. In Pro Stock he starts third but is confident the advantage he gains over other cars when on new tyres should give him a chance to challenge for the win.
David Erhbar lines up sixth and best of the Xray drivers with Martin Hudy 9th. Hudy ran a safe last qualifier to ensure he made the A-Main but plans to try the same set-up Ehrbar is using on the T3’11. After a promising start to the event Team Associated factory drivers Juho Levanen and Keven Herbert will start 7th and 8th respectively leaving them a bit of work to do if they are to give the TC6 its first podium. Having put in some impressive lap times Czech driver Michal Bok is the 10th qualifier making Yokomo the best represented brand in the A-Main.
In Pro Stock Martin Hofer got his new Schumacher contract off to the perfect start by claiming the British manufacturer’s first TQ honours in the ETS. Trying a different set-up on the rear of his Mi4CX in the last qualifier the German set the second fastest time behind a very much improved Tony Streit. Hofer will revert to his Q3 set-up for the finals and is very confident about his chances tomorrow as he chases his first ever ETS victory and the lead in the standings. Streit put his new found pace down to Xray boss Juraj Hudy who spent time showing him the best way to ensure the accuracy of the set-up being put on the car. The 21-year-old German expects a very close final tomorrow between himself Hofer and Laptev who starts just behind him on the grid.
Xenon Modified A-Final Grid
1. Ronald Völker (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – 310
2. Andy Moore (GB) – Hot Bodies/Moorespeed – 306
3. Marc Rheinard (DE) – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 305
4. Yannic Prümper (DE) – Yokomo/Speed Passion – 304
5. Ivan Laptev (RU) – Awesomatix/Speed Passion – 303
6. David Ehrbar (DE) – Xray/LRP – 302
7. Juho Levanen (FI) – Associated/Reedy – 299
8. Keven Herbert (CA) – Associated/Reedy – 298
9. Martin Hudy (SK) – Xray/LRP – 298
10.Michal Bok (CZ) – Yokomo/LRP – 295
Xray Pro-Stock A-Final Grid
1. Martin Hofer (DE) – Schumacher – 310
2. Tony Streit (DE) – Xray – 308
3. Ivan Laptev (RU) – Awesomatix – 308
4. Sandro Kuriger (CH) – Tamiya – 303
5. Oliver Franke (DE) – Hot Bodies – 301
6. Marco Kaufmann (DE) – Xray – 301
7. Radek Flek (CZ) – Yokomo – 300
8. Michael Koch (DE) – Hot Bodies – 299
9. Philip Tschupp (CH) – TOP Racing – 296
10.Dai Sakaguchi (DE) – Tamiya – 295
Full results can be found here.
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