Rheinard claims first TQ of the season at home track
Marc Rheinard has claimed his first Euro Touring Series TQ honour since starting last year’s season finale at Andernach from pole position enroute to lifting the overall title. Having claimed his first win as champion of the series at Apeldoorn last month, the German secured the honour of Top Qualifier by topping the final round of the Xenon Modified heats from Yannic Prumper.
Rheinard, Volker and Apeldoorn Top Qualifier Jilles Groskamp went into the final run of the day as the only drivers capable of claiming the pole. Rheinard eventually took the round convincingly after Volker rolled his Yokomo through the chicane on the final lap as he tried to pull back a 2/10th deficit to his big rival. Ending up fourth fastest, Volker will start second in front of Dutch ace Groskamp who is very pleased with 3rd as this is a track he traditionally does not do well at.
Thanks to his run to second for Q4, Prumper will start the triple mains from fourth on the grid with his Yokomo lining up in front of the Tamiya of Viktor Wilck. Andy Moore fills the sixth spot on the grid while a poor last heat for Hot Bodies team-mate Atsushi Hara will see him start 9th making his chances of repeating his 2010 podium finish a tough one. Adding three other brands of cars in to the mix are Christopher Krapp whose Kyosho will carry number 7, Steen Graversen who qualified eighth for Awesomatix and Xray’s Eric Dankel who takes the final spot on the grid. With a seven way battle for the 10th spot in the grid there was a wager, started by Toni Rheinard, going on in the pits prior to final heat. Dankel, a two time Pro Stock winner this season, was the most popular choice with those who bet on the German getting a €21.50 return on their €5 bet.
In Pro Stock Ivan Laptev secured a second TQ honour of the season for small Russian manufacturer Awesomatix as Apeldoorn winner John Bruins turned around a tough weekend here in Germany to top the final round of qualifying. Taking Q4 ahead of former race winner Daniel Wohlgemuth, Bruins said the result was totally unexpected. Having struggled since arriving in Germany the Dutch racer said he finally got a good feeling with his Tamiya and into a rhythm on the very technical track layout they are running this weekend.
Only 8th fastest in Q4, Laptev said he struggled in the sweeper due to the wind but is confident he has a good safe car for the finals as shown in Q1 & 2 when he set the pace. Having failed to convert pole in Poland to victory with champion elect Martin Hofer taking the win, Laptev is confident he can claim the first ever all Russian win tomorrow. Xray driver Tony Streit starts second on the grid while Hofer, who is set to be crowned champion of the Xray Pro Stock class tomorrow, will line-up 7th, his lowest starting position of the season.
Xenon Modified A-Final Grid
1. Marc Rheinard (DE) – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 310pts
2. Ronald Völker (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – 308
3. Jilles Groskamp (NL) – Tamiya/Orion – 307
4. Yannic Prümper (DE) – Yokomo/Thunder Power – 305
5. Viktor Wilck (SE) – Tamiya/Thunder Power – 304
6. Andy Moore (GB) – Hot Bodies/Moorespeed – 302
7. Christopher Krapp (DE) – Kyosho/Orion – 301
8. Steen Graversen (DK) – Awesomatix/Speed Passion – 299
9. Atsushi Hara (TH) – Hot Bodies/Reedy – 298
10.Eric Dankel (DE) – Xray/LRP – 293
Xray Pro-Stock A-Final Grid
1. Ivan Laptev (RU) – Awesomatix – 310pts
2. Tony Streit (DE) – Xray – 308
3. Michael Spiering (DE) – TOP – 306
4. Daniel Wohlgemuth (DE) – Tamiya – 304
5. Michael Kiesewetter (DE) – Xray – 303
6. René Klöckner (DE) – Tamiya – 302
7. Martin Hofer (DE) – Schumacher – 301
8. John Bruins (NL) – Tamiya – 300
9. Steffen Leinburger (DE) – Xray – 299
10.Andre Schäfer (DE) – Serpent – 299
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