Wilck opens Day 2 with TQ run
Tamiya’s Viktor Wilck has TQ’d the opening round of qualifying here on Day 2 of the Dutch ETS round setting the fastest time from team-mate Marc Rheinard who still retains the fastest time with his Q1 run yesterday evening at the MACH. Viktor, who failed to complete the opening round of qualifying, said his run was OK but he had expected it to be better with his 19 laps in 5:05.77 2-seconds off Rheinard’s opening TQ run. The Swede is struggling with his car over the opening lap something all the front running Tamiya drivers are reporting. Having run a Speed 6 body, the Kastellaun winner plans to try an LTC-R in the third of the 5 qualifiers. We may actually see two Wilck cars in the next round of qualifying as Rheinard is also keen to try the LTC-R but doesnt have one in his own colour and may have to borrow one of his team-mates.
Having taken his tyre warmer cups off at the very last minute to try keep heat in the tyres, Rheinard said his car is still really loose on the opening lap and is now charging up the battery in his Much More tyre warmer so as to bring the entire unit to the grid. Once the opening lap is done the German said his TRF416 feels good.
Third fastest was Hot Bodies’ Atsushi Hara. ‘Shit’ was how the Japanese ace described the handling of his car after changing to a different tyre additive for the run. Having tried the additive in open practice this morning he thought his car felt better but over the full five minutes of the qualifier his TCX became difficult to drive. Reverting back to the additive he used all day yesterday, the former World Champion also plans to go for a softer set-up. Running a lower power setting on the GM speedo, which he is running first time this weekend, he hopes with some fine tuning of the car’s handling he can turn it back up.
Happy with fourth in the opening qualifier yesterday following his late arrival at the track, talented German teenager Yannic Prumper was not as happy with recording the same position in Heat 2. The Toni Sport driver had a very slow opening lap, losing 7/10th to Hara and Rheinard there alone, and also struggled on the high speed corners, something he is putting down to running the LTC-R body. For Q3 the only change he plans is to run a Speed 6 body.
Behind Prumper it was Steen Graversen. The Danish racer said small set-up changes to his Tamiya hadn’t worked and the real key to a good run was getting the tyres to work on the opening lap. For defending Euro Touring Series champion Jilles Groskamp saw a potential TQ run go up in smoke. Having upped the power setting on his speedo having been conservative yesterday it was too much. Setting the pace in the top heat and with less than a minute to go his motor cried enough. 2006 World Champion Andy Moore also hit trouble when his Hot Bodies mysteriously understeered off the track on the opening lap forcing the British ace to pull up.
In Pro Stock Corally team driver Rob Janssen TQ’d the second round from Kyosho backed Vasco Christiaanse. Having made a strategic decision to sit out yesterday’s opening qualifying leaving him with a fresh set of tyres for today it paid off for last year’s Dutch ETS winner. The Dutch driver said the Phi 09 felt very good and he plans no changes for Q3 when he admits he will get a true indication of his actually pace against his rivals. Christiaanse, who started on pole for the last ETS visit to the MACH, said his new TF6 had a little understeer this time round. Having only recieved the car last week he said he is still learning it, working at the moment from advice sent to him by factory Kyosho driver Christopher Krapp. Completing the Top 3 for the round was Danish Tamiya driver Carsten Madsen.
Full results can be found here.
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