Capacity entry for Xenon Racing Euro Touring Series opener
The third season of the Euro Touring Series kicks off this weekend when a capacity entry from 17 different countries will descend on the town of Kastellaun in Germany for the opening leg of an expanded six round 2009/10 race program. Welcoming a new title sponsor in Xenon Racing Products, who also become the official controlled tyre supplier of the series, the growing popularity of the ETS is reflected in the star line-up that will battle it out for this season’s title honours. Due to his recent relocation to Asia, defending champion Jilles Groskamp will not be going for a hat trick of titles. Despite his absence the title battle, which ended in a tie break last season between Groskamp and current World Champion Marc Rheinard, is expected to be even more closely fought than ever with many of electric touring car’s biggest names entered for Round 1.
Heading the entry for the top flight Modified class, which will adapt the recently passed IFMAR World Championship ruling on LiPo batteries, is two time World Champion Marc Rheinard. The German, who took the win in Kastellaun last year, faces a quality line up of rival factory drivers including his own Tamiya team-mates Viktor Wilck and last year’s Warsaw race winner Yannic Prumper. Hot Bodies will be present with 2006 World Champion Andy Moore, Yokomo will have the super fast Ronald Volker, flying Finn Teemu Leino and British young gun Elliot Harper front the Xray challenge, Associated are armed with Juho Levanen, a previous winner in Kastellaun, while German Champion Christopher Krapp heads up the Kyosho assault.
Biggest of the three classes that make up this season’s ETS is Pro-Stock with 125 drivers booked in for Round 1. Also switching to LiPo power, the class will run a 13.5 turn motor supplied by Speedpassion. Having taken victory at the previous two season openers in Kastellaun, Alexander Stocker heads the entry looking to make it a hat trick of Pro Stock wins but faces huge competition in the category that produced 5 different winners last season. Joining the schedule on a permanent basis after a number of successful experimental appearances during the 2008/09 Series is the Hobby class. Open to Tamiya TT 01, LRP Maverick Strada and HPI E10 Touring cars, the class is an important breeding ground for the future stars of the sport allowing them to hone their driving skills on the international stage.
Commenting on the upcoming 2009/10 Xenon Racing Euro Touring Series, race director Scotty Ernst, who together with Uwe Rheinard is responsible for bringing the ETS across Europe, said, ‘I can’t believe we are about to embark on our third season of the Euro Touring Series. It feels like my conversation with Uwe that led to us creating the ETS was just last week. The capacity entry we have for Kastellaun is a great endorsement for what we are doing and looking down through the names on the entry list we have all the ingredients for producing some awesome racing.’
The opening round of the Xenon Racing Euro Touring Series, which is also supported by Speedpassion, will kick off with practice on Friday and the event can be followed throughout the weekend on RedRC.net who will be in Kastellaun to report live on all the action.
