Volker & Hagberg complete podium at ETS Season Finale
Ronald Volker and Alexander Hagberg have completed the podium at the Season Finale of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Slovakia. With newly crowned Champion Bruno Coelho securing his fourth win from the six races in A2, the final race of the 12th season of the ETS was to decide who joined the Xray driver on the podium at the Hudy Arena. Effectively starting on pole as Top Qualifier Coelho sat out A3, Hagberg led away the field from Ronald Volker, the latter having finish the opening two encounters in P2. On the first run down the main straight Volker would pull off a spectacular high speed pass on Hagberg and once in front the Yokomo driver never looked threatened for the win. At the end the German would finish 1.5-seconds clear of Hagberg who in turn was over 2-seconds ahead of Christopher Krapp. Winner of the Season opener, the result secured Volker his third P2 race result with Hagberg third and Krapp fourth.
Speaking after the race, this season’s Vice Champion Volker said, ‘I was really desperate to save my P2 and the pass was great. I had nothing planned. I just pulled the trigger and it work out. Then I tried to pull away so as not to give the opportunity to come back at me’. The former Champion continued, ‘Overall the season was better than the previous one. We had a chance to fight for the overall title. It always comes down to the fine details and that is what we need to improve. Thanks to Hayato and Jurgen for all the support, and all the rest of the team’.
Posting the fastest lap of A3, Hagberg said, ‘I changed my car (for A3) and it wasn’t as good at the start. I couldn’t do anything to challenge Ronald’. Only his second podium of the season, his other being at the Season opener, the former ETS race winner continued, ‘I wanted to win (A3) but still a podium finish is a nice way to end the season’.
With all the class winners except Pro Stock being decided in A2, it was their A3 that would provide the main action. Starting from the TQ, Simon Lauter led away resisting pressure from No.2 starting Dominic Vogl. The Awesomatix due pulled clear of the field with Vogl looking menacing as he shadowed Lauter. With three laps to go they came into the front chicane before the loop and with Vogl braking later they made contact but immediately the Austrian handed the lead back to Lauter. Vogl wasn’t finished yet however and on the final lap got the inside on the leader through the sweeper exiting the straight with the two touching on the exit of the sweeper but it was a racing pass and Vogl could hold on for the win, which being 2-seconds quicker than Lauter’s A2 win, giving him the overall win. The meaning of the win clear from Vogl’s roar of celebration on the drivers stand. Having clinched the overall title in Apeldoorn, Lauter would finish his campaign with second with A1 winner Olivier Bultynck completing the podium.
In Formula, David Erbhar won A3 to join newly crowned Champion Jan Ratheisky on a podium which was completed by Matej Dobnikar. Søren Boy Holst won A3 of 40+ Masters to finish runner-up to Alexander Stocker while in Stock 17.5 Cham Dassanayake and A3 winner Marwin Riedelbauch joined inaugural champion Daniel Pöhlmann on the podium.
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