Euro Touring Series

July 17, 2010

Wilck fastest in Q3

Viktor Wilck

Viktor Wilck has become the third different driver and brand of car to top qualifying here at the ETS finale in Germany. The third & penultimate round of heats saw the Swede head team-mate Marc Rheinard by 1.2 seconds to move into provisional pole for tomorrow’s A-Main ahead of this evening’s final qualifier. Switching to the same set-up that took Thomas Pumpler to the second fastest time in Q3, Wilck said the car was a little better but feels his Speed Passion TRF416 is tweaked, with it suffering understeer through right hand corners.

Switching from a Mazda Speed 6 to an LCT-R, World Champion Rheinard said his car was pretty good now and he backed this up by setting a new fastest lap of 18.039, beating the previous time set Atsushi Hara in Q1. Although quicker than his team-mate, the German gave away 1.5 seconds on the third lap when he missed his line through the chicane and got badly out of shape.

Ronald Volker

Switching additive Ronald Volker enjoyed his best round of qualifying setting the third fastest time. Back running a gear diff in his Yokomo BD5, which he says he is getting more comfortable with, the German still needs to find more time with understeer causing him problems on the long right hand sweeper. The former European Champion plans to run lighter shock oil for the final qualifier. Yokomo team-mate Yannic Prumper can not be accused of being inconsistent as he again set the fourth fastest time. The German teenager used shorter camber links and LRP tyre additive but will revert to his Q2 set-up saying the changes had made his Toni Sport supported BD5 easy to drive but slow. Another Yokomo backed driver to make the Top 10 was Martin Hofer. Going back to a ball diff for the round the German said the car was much more predictable allowing him to run his best and the seventh fastest time.

Xray backed Czech driver Zdenek Hamak was fifth fastest. Trying a different shock position and running a fresh set of rubber he said his LRP powered T3 was better but knowing he was on a good run he got nervous and made a mistake 4 laps from home which cost him 3 seconds.

Loic Jasmin

Running a Tamiya TRF416 with a soon to be release 2.3mm Smokem chassis plate Loic Jasmin completed the Top 6. The French Touring Car Champion said a new set of tyres had allowed him to break into the Top 10 for the first time but in the final minute one of the rear tyres tried to part company with the rim costing him a little time. Fastest in Q2, Kyosho’s Christopher Krapp recorded his best 5-minute run but it was only good enough for 8th on this occassion. Andy Moore and Australia’s Simon Nicholson rounded out the Top 10.

Daniel Wohlgemuth

In Pro Stock we finally saw a different name at the top of the time sheets as Czech ETS winner Daniel Wohlgemuth set the pace from fellow Xray driver Michael Kiesewetter. Top Russian driver Ivan Laptev was third fastest ahead of Q1 & Q2 top qualifier Alexander Stocker who had to0 many incidents during his run. While the Modified and Hobby qualifying will be decided this evening, Pro-Stock drivers will have to wait till the morning for their fourth and final chance at securing a top starting position in the finals.

Qualification Ranking
Modified after Round 3 of 4
1. Wilck Viktor (SE) – 307
2. Rheinard Marc (DE) – 306
3. Krapp Christopher (DE) – 302
4. Völker Ronald (DE) – 302
5. Prümper Yannic (DE) – 302
6. Pumpler Thomas (AT) – 301
7. Moore Andy (GB) – 300
8. Hamak Zdenek (CZ) – 300
9. Hara Ataushi (TH) – 297
10.Hofer Martin (DE) – 293
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11.Maker Ryan (AU) – 293
12.Jasmin Loic (FR) – 291

Pro-Stock after Round 3 of 4
1. Stocker Alexander (DE) – 310
2. Wohlgemuth Daniel (DE) – 306
3. Kiesewetter Michael (DE) – 306
4. Streit Tony (DE) – 304
5. Tschupp Philip (CH) – 303
6. Laptev Ivan (RU) – 299
7. Klöckner René (DE) – 298
8. Larsen Thomas (DK) – 297
9. Madsen Carsten (DK) – 296
10.Janssen Rob (NL) – 293
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11.Still Steffen (DE) – 292
12.Hagnauer Philipp (CH) – 290

Full results can be found here.

View the event image gallery here and Live video stream here.

July 17, 2010

Krapp tops slow Q2

Christopher Krapp

Team Kyosho’s Christopher Krapp has topped the second round of qualifying for the ETS finale. The young German TQ’d the run despite running a slower time than in Q1 yesterday which was only good for the 8th fastest time. Afterwards Krapp said he had only taken the round because his rivals had messed up their runs with mistakes. Running the 2.5mm LiPo chassis over the 2mm chassis he used at the Worlds, following pre-event testing, he said a change to Hot Bodies springs had made his car super smooth to drive but the end result was a slower time. Lacking steering in the tight corners he will change the front geometry of the front suspension in the hope it will make the car more aggressive.

Thomas Pumpler

Driving a Tamiya/Speedpassion combination Austrian Thomas Pumpler was second fastest for the round. Pumpler, who pits with Tamiya Racing Factory drivers Viktor Wilck & Marc Rheinard and advises them on set-up, said he ran the exact same set-up as yesterday on his TRF416 but a simple change from using paper to plastic on his tyres while in the warmers had transformed the car. Wilck was on target to TQ the round but rolled on his final lap losing over 2.5 second and ending the round third fastest. The Swede described his car as ‘bad’ saying it just lacked traction. Asked what he planned to change for Q3, the Kastellaun winner said he was going to run Pumpler’s set-up.

Heading the Yokomo challenge Yannic Prumper was once again fourth fastest. The German ran a different tyre additive for the round and was another on a possible TQ run until he too made a mistake on the last lap. Team-mate Ronald Volker could only manage 9th behind Aussie Yokomo driver Ryan Maker after he lost over 4.5 seconds following a mistake on lap 12.

Having adjusted the roll centres on his LRP powered Xray, Zdenek Hamak said the T3 was much improved allowing him to run the 5th fastest time. Opting to run a safe round the Czech driver said he still needs to find a set-up that will give him more rear end traction before he can really push the car. Hamak’s careful driving meant he was able to finish ahead of the last two World Champions with Marc Rheinard making one mistake on his way to sixth, while Andy Moore made two driver errors to end up 7th. Fastest in the opening qualifier, Atsushi Hara failed to complete the run saying he was not driving well due to a headache so he pulled up to save his tyres.

Tony Streit

In Pro-Stock Alexander Stocker once again TQ’d the round taking his Yokomo BD5 around the Andernach track in a slightly faster time than that he set this morning. The best non German in Q1, Switerland’s Philip Tschupp upped the pace to record the second fastest time getting to within just 9/100th off the champion elect. Driving a Hot Bodies, Tony Streit again completed the Top 3 followed by the Andernach club’s own Michael Kiesewetter.

Modified Qualifying Round 2 times
1. Christopher Krapp (DE) – 16 Laps in 5:01.873
2. Thomas Pumpler (A) – 16 Laps in 5:02.543
3. Viktor Wilck (SE) – 16 Laps in 5:03.595
4. Yannic Pruemper (DE) – 16 Laps in 5:03.921
5. Zdenek Hamak (CZ) – 16 Laps in 5:04.179
6. Marc Rheinard (DE) – 16 Laps in 5:04.278
7. Andy Moore (GB) – 16 Laps in 5:05.077
8. Ryan Maker (AUS) – 16 Laps in 5:05.322
9. Ronald Volker (DE) – 16 Laps in 5:05.558
10.Martin Hofer (DE) – 16 Laps in 5:06.299

Pro Stock Qualifying Round 2 times
1. Alexander Stocker (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:08.310
2. Philip Tschupp (CH) – 15 Laps in 5:08.401
3. Tony Streit (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:09.409
4. Michael Kiesewetter (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:09.936
5. Daniel Wohlgemuth (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:10.140
6. Thomas Larsen (DK) – 15 Laps in 5:11.187
7. René Klöckner (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:12.208
8. Ivan Laptev (RU) – 15 Laps in 5:12.336
9. Philipp Hagnauer (CH) – 15 Laps in 5:12.832
10.Rob Janssen (NL) – 15 Laps in 5:12.996

Full results can be found here.

View the event image gallery here and Live video stream here.

July 17, 2010

Racing resumes, Stocker TQ’s first Pro Stock qualifier

Alexander Stocker

After overnight rain caused a four hour delay to the start of Day 2 of the Euro Touring Series finale here in Andernach, racing has resumed with the first round of qualifying for the Pro-Stock class. Having struggled yesterday in practice, managing only the 8th fastest time, Alexander Stocker shot to the top today to TQ Round 1 of 4 by 2.8 seconds from local Xray driver Michael Kiesewetter.

Stocker, who is also running in Modified this weekend, radically changed the set-up on his Yokomo BD5 this morning and it was a huge improvement. The German, who will be crowned the 2009/2010 Pro-Stock Champion tomorrow evening irrespective of the result, said he was much happier with his new car and it was now almost perfect for today’s cooler conditions.

Heat 21 start

The opening round of qualifying was an all German affair in the Top 4 places with Tony Streit third fastest from ETS race winner Daniel Wohlgemuth. Fastest non German was Swiss racer Philip Tschupp in fifth just ahead of Danes Carsten Madsen and Thomas Larsen. Having set the pace in yesterday’s practice Rob Janssen had his run ruined when a slower car knocked him off the track as he tried to pass. The Dutch Team Corally driver pulled up following the incident.

Pro Stock Qualifying Round 1 times
1. Stocker Alexander (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:09.931
2. Kiesewetter Michael (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:12.745
3. Streit Tony (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:13.556
4. Wohlgemuth Daniel (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:14.270
5. Tschupp Philip (CH) – 15 Laps in 5:17.111
6. Madsen Carsten (DK) – 15 Laps in 5:17.155
7. Larsen Thomas (DK) – 15 Laps in 5:17.631
8. Lütjen Christian (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:18.294
9. Laptev Ivan (RU) – 15 Laps in 5:18.893
10.Klöckner René (DE) – 15 Laps in 5:20.526

Full results can be found here.

View the event image gallery here and Live video stream here.

July 17, 2010

Rain delays start of Day 2 at Andernach

Rain delays start of Day 2 in Andernach

Overnight rain in Andernach has forced the start of the Day 2 of the 2009/10 Euro Touring Series finale to be delayed. The day was scheduled to start with the first round of qualifying for the Pro Stock class. The rain has stopped with the skies above remaining very threatening but officials are busy clearing the track of standing water in the hope we can return to racing shortly.

View the event image gallery here.

July 16, 2010

Hara TQ’s opening qualifier at Andernach

Atsushi Hara

Atsushi Hara has TQ’d the opening qualifier at the sixth & final round of the 2009/10 Xenon Racing backed Euro Touring Series. Reverting to the set-up he ran this morning, the Japanese ace topped the time sheets in Andernach ahead of World Champion Marc Rheinard and his own Hot Bodies team-mate Andy Moore. Having to pass both Rheinard and Moore during the run, the 2008 Andernach Top Qualifier & race winner finished over 1.7 seconds faster than the German despite an overshot on the penultimate lap after he out braked himself in front of the drivers’ rostrum. Hara described the set-up on his TCX as ‘traditional Cyclone’ and plans to leave it the same for Q2 tomorrow morning.

Marc Rheinard

Rheinard said his Tamiya didn’t start off well and this was compounded by him driving badly too. Passed by Moore who started just behind him, his TRF416 did get better in the second half of the run and he re-passed the British driver who suffered the opposite problem. The former World Champion said his TCX was really good at the beginning of the heat but after 2 and half minutes it developed huge understeer. After, Moore found his front right tyre had strangely de-laminated which wouldn’t have helped but he believes his set-up needs more work to stop the car from creating too much rear traction in the second half of the heat.

Yannick Prumper was fastest of the Yokomo team in fourth but he felt his BD5 was capable of more. ‘The car was good but I was too slow’ was how the the German teenager summed up his opening qualifier and he plans a much more attacking approach for tomorrow. Behind Prumper with the fifth fastest time was team-mate Ronald Volker. Going back to a standard ball diff for Q1, Volker said he was more confident in the corners but the car had developed a little understeer since the switch. The German felt his driving wasn’t good with him making too many small mistakes losing him time.

Viktor Wilck

Completing the Top 6, Viktor Wilck’s Tamiya was very loose at the start of the run and he lost over a second to his rivals in the first lap alone. The laid back Swede said afterwards he didnt know why his Speed Passion powered TRF416 was such a hand full at the start because on the next lap he recorded his fastest lap of the run which was identical to that set by Moore.

Thomas Pumpler

Driving a Tamiya Thomas Pumpler was seventh fastest ahead of Kyosho’s Christopher Krapp, Ryan Maker and Zdenek Hamak. Running gear diffs in the front and rear of his Yokomo BD5, Maker was on a fast run until just after the four minute mark when he rolled losing him over 2.5 seconds and the chance of recording 17 lap. The Australian said the roll was totally his own doing as the car, the only one here fitted with two gear diffs, feels great.

Qualifying Round 1 times
1. Atsushi Hara (JP) – 17 Laps in 5:12.217
2. Marc Rheinard (DE) – 17 Laps in 5:13.955
3. Andy Moore (GB) – 17 Laps in 5:14.977
4. Yannic Pruemper (DE) – 17 Laps in 5:15.287
5. Ronald Volker (DE) – 17 Laps in 5:15.392
6. Viktor Wilck (SE) – 17 Laps in 5:15.466
7. Thomas Pumpler (A) – 17 Laps in 5:16.589
8. Christopher Krapp (DE) – 17 Laps in 5:18.504
9. Ryan Maker (AUS) – 16 Laps in 5:02.318
10.Zdenek Hamak (CZ) – 16 Laps in 5:03.414

Qualifying continues here in Germany in the morning, starting off with the first round of heats for the Pro Stock class.

View the event image gallery here.

July 16, 2010

Volker ends practice on top

Ronald Volker

At the end of practice it is Team Yokomo’s Ronald Volker who is top of the time sheets ahead of Hot Bodies’ Andy Moore. The German ran the fastest 3 laps of the day in the final practice along with recording the fastest five minute run seen so far but despite his pace plans to switch back to a ball diff for this evening opening qualifier. Volker said over three laps the gear diff is pretty good but for 5-minutes he is not 100% comfortable with the feeling of his LRP powered BD5 and so will revert to standard kit diff for Q1.

Having moved the rear shock positions on his TCX, Moore said it was now felt more stable. Loosing a little low speed steering following the changes, the former World Champion thinks new tyres for the opening qualifying round should dial that out.

Having been quite a bit off the pace earlier, Yokomo new boy Yannic Pruemper found a big improvement in Q4. Having reduced the oil in the rear gear diff to 2K along with giving his shocks a full rebuild, the teenager found is BD5 a lot better and the German thinks he now has a good set-up for qualifying.

Atsushi Hara

Fastest after Q3 Viktor Wilck was unable to improve his time but the Swede said his Tamiya still feels OK and he plans to stick with the same set-up for Q1. Also failing to improve their times were Atsushi Hara and Simon Nicholson who end practice 5th and 6th fastest respectively. Running an earlier prototype version of the TCX to Moore, Hara went for a set-up he thought would give him more traction but it had the total opposite effect. Nicholas had to pull up after three laps as one of his self glued tyres parted company with the rim.

Having switched to a TRF416 fitted with a standard ball diff, World Champion Marc Rheinard found no difference between it and the gear diff he ran earlier. Unable to better his Q3 time, the German said he is struggling to get a set-up and is not sure what to change. Classified 7th, the Tamiya Racing Factory team leader is almost half a second off the pace of Volker.

Christopher Krapp

Improving his pace by almost 2/10th of a second, factory Kyosho driver Christopher Krapp found his TF6 a little different to drive in Q4 after he ran the controlled tyre combo for the first time. Fitted with a different insert and slightly smaller Xenon wheel he said his car felt different to earlier in the day and he just needs to adjust his driving slightly. Running only very small changes to the set-up he used to take fourth at the Worlds, Krapp is confident he is in good shape for the opening round of heats.

In Pro Stock Dutch ace Rob Janssen driving his new Corally Phi prototype set the pace from the Xrays of Daniel Wohlgemuth and local Andernach driver Michael Kiesewetter. Champion elect Alexander Stocker ended the day 8th fastest. While the Pro Stock drivers are now finished for the day, the Modified and Hobby classes now have the first of their four qualifiers.

View the event image gallery here.

July 16, 2010

Wilck heads Hara after P3

Viktor Wilck is setting the pace in practice for the sixth and final round of the Xenon Racing back Euro Touring Series here in Andernach. The Swede is fastest over three consecutive laps and also over the full five minutes around the Andernach track which is running a slightly different layout to that used last year. Behind the factory Tamiya driver is the Hot Bodies pairing of Atsushi Hara and Andy Moore.

A late arrival at the track this morning, Wilck missed the opening round of practice. Running the exact same car and set-up as the Worlds he said it is working well and having only run two packs at this event while others tested yesterday he is very happy with his early pace. The winner of the opening round of this season’s ETS at Kastellaun, Wilck plans to run the gear diff in his TRF416 for the remainder of the event saying, ‘it doesn’t need maintenance and this is good for me’.

Andy Moore

Hara feels he heated his tyres too much prior to his latest run but other than that is pleased with how his ball diff equipped TCX is working. Moore, whose example is fitted with a gear diff, said a new set of tyres gave him lots of steering which made the rear end get loose a number of times but he plans to widen the track width to make it more stable for the final practice. Asked about the gear diff he said he doesn’t feel like the car is any faster with it fitted but it is very consistent.

Simon Nicholson

Simon Nicholson set the fourth quickest time along with recording the fastest single lap. Running a totally different set-up to that which he used during the Worlds he is more comfortable with the prototype Corally now but said its hard to drive it fast consistently. The Aussie has got his head around the camber links settings and this has increased the cars corner speed. On the old car the camber links were mounted on the rear shock tower but now mounted on the bulk head he can now make more accurate adjustments.

Marc Rheinard

Fifth fastest after three rounds of practice Marc Rheinard doesn’t like the feel of his Tamiya. Having run a gear diff he said the car is pushing and feels loose on power. For the final practice he plans to run his second car which is fitted with a standard ball diff.

Completing the Top 6 for the moment Ronald Volker has also been testing the gear diff. Running old tyres, the Yokomo ace said his BD5 feels good and he is hopeful that it will be as good on new tyres. The European Indoor Champion is not 100% sure about running the gear diff as he finds it more difficult to drive but the German plans to try it a couple more times before making a final judgment on it.

Austrian Thomas Pumpler was seventh fastest followed by Zdenek Hamak, Christopher Krapp and David Ehrbar. Elsewhere Pro Stock ace Alexander Stocker is 15th fastest of the 64 Modified runners with a number of more established drivers like Yannic Prumper, Michal Bok and Martin Hofer behind him in the current ranking.

Drivers have one more practice before the day comes to a close with one round of qualifying for the Modified and Hobby classes, the huge Pro Stock entry having to wait till the morning for their first of four qualifiers.

View the event image gallery here.

July 16, 2010

Andernach to bring third successful ETS season to a close

They say time flies when your having fun and obviously the Euro Touring Series has been creating lots of it as this weekend brings to a close a third successful season of Scotty Ernst and Uwe Rheinard’s vision for a European ‘Friendship’ Electric Touring Car Championship. At the end of this weekend here in Andernach, Germany, over 500 individual drivers from all around the world will have raced in the 2009/2010 Xenon Racing backed ETS, including the first ever Australians. To celebrate its third anniversary the organisers are throwing a party at the track on Saturday for the 228 entries and have erected a huge marquee just for the occasion, with Scotty saying ‘racing is important but so is having fun’.

Andernach to bring third successful ETS season to a close

Heading the entry at the sixth round is newly crowned three time World Champion Marc Rheinard who come Sunday is set to claim his first ETS title, Jilles Groskamp having won the past two titles. A native of Andernach, this is the German’s home track but he cant take the home win for granted with a host of World class drivers here to challenge him including former World Champion’s Atsushi Hara, Andy Moore and half of the drivers who made up the World’s final at Burgdorf two weeks ago. Rheinard hasn’t had much time to celebrate his historic World title defense having spent last week in Portugal racing in the 1:8 Off Road European Championships and straight after this race head’s to Houston, Texas, where he will compete in the 200mm Nitro Touring World Championships. Tamiya Racing Factory team-mate Viktor Wilck, who was also racing in Portugal, will be keen to put a disappointing Worlds behind him this weekend. His challenge for the ETS title ended at the last round but the Top Qualifier here last year he will be keen to cement the runners-up spot in the overall standings by ending the series as he started it by taking his second victory of the 2009/10 season.

Hara has been busy too, flying to Thailand after the World’s to test 1:8 Buggy at Pattaya in preparation for the defense of his Off Road World title later this year before returning to Germany for the ETS finale. With 1:8 buggy now his main focus he tried new engines from OS, a new clutch and new parts on his D8 and was very happy with the test but he is very much looking forward to his Touring Car weekend here in Andernach. The winner of this event in 2008, this is the Japanese ace’s second appearance in the 2009/2010 series having won the last round in the Netherlands where he showed just how fast the modern modified touring car has become with his TCX recording a top speed of 115kph on the MACH straight. At the Worlds the gear diffs were the big thing and Andy Moore has used the time between races to test the same diff that Rheinard used to take him to the title. Returning back to England, the 2006 World Champion did some testing at Ardent Raceway. Running on the indoor carpet track he said he didn’t like the feel of it but having had a run here on asphalt he said it feels good. Hara has opted to stick with the standard ball diff saying he will let Andy do the work for now but he thinks the gear diff is the future for the class.

Ronald Volker

While most of the drivers have been busy racing or testing, Team Yokomo’s Ronald Volker has taken a complete break since Burgdorf. The German said he has just spent the last two weeks taking it easy and now feeling refreshed he is very much looking forward to a fun event this weekend. New team-mate and Worlds finalist Yannic Pruemper spent last weekend testing and learning more about his Speed Passion powered BD5. The German teenager has also been trying gear diffs and likes the feeling it gives the car.

Another World Championship finalist on the entry list is Kyosho’s young new star Christopher Krapp. Finishing fourth in Burgdorf, he and his Team Orion powered TF-6 are sure to be serious podium contenders. Other strong contenders include Xray drivers Zdenek Hamak and David Ehrbar. Last weekend Hamak won the second round of the Czech Nationals and at the last ETS encounter Ehrbar TQ’d the final round of qualifying. Lucas Urbain, who showed he can do magic with his aging Losi at the Worlds, will be one to watch but having come straight to Germany from working the night shift at his job, the French driver said today he’s going to need a lot of coffee but tomorrow he hopes he mix it with the top runners in qualifying.

Andernach to bring third successful ETS season to a close

Staying on after the Worlds so that they could compete in an ETS race, Simon Nicholson and Ryan Maker become the first Aussies to race in the series. After a bit of sightseeing including a trip to the Nurburgring, the pair have had the chance to test here during the week and are very positive they can make up for the dissappointment of the Worlds. Nicholson only got his Prototype Phi chassis from Corally a week before Burgdorf but with a few days extra running at Andernach, a track he really likes the layout of, he is a lot more confident with the car. Maker who said the track here is really nice to drive is also much happier with his ride and has been running gear diffs in the front and rear of the Yokomo.

Andernach to bring third successful ETS season to a close

Set to retake the Pro Stock title he lost to Balint Raijk here last year, Alexander Stocker returns to the series in style competing in both Pro Stock and Modified. Having been away from the racing scene for a while due to the arrival of a new baby, the German is normally at the controls of a Hot Bodies but with the new TCX chassis not yet available he will run a Yokomo in the class he has dominated and has opted for a Tamiya for his Modified debut. Thinking that racing in the two classes this weekend would be a great idea the German said this morning he’s not so sure it is. Stocker faces a quality entry which includes Czech winner Daniel Wohlgemuth, who is back running his Xray T3, Rob Janssen, who is has just got the new Corally Prototype Phi, Zdenko Kunák and Ivan Laptev.

View the event image gallery here.