Euro Touring Series

July 28, 2017

Track Focus – Minidrom Ettlingen

Track Name – Minidrom Ettlingen
Club – Mini Car Club Ettlingen
Country – Germany
Location – Ettlingen (SW of the country)
Direction – Anti-clockwise
Surface – Asphalt
No. of ETS Races hosted – 0
Other major races hosted – ENS (2015, 2016, 2017), 2015 1:8 Onroad European C/ship, 2011 Onroad European C/ship, 1:10 2001 1:5 World Championships

The ETS wraps up it’s tenth season with a new venue as drivers descend on the Minidrom Ettlingen track situated in the south west of Germany. A track familiar to nitro racers, it a fixture on the Euro Nitro Series calendar for the past three years, the track is a lot less known to electric racers. Incidentally Ettlingen is the 10th different outdoor track the championship has visited since its creation – this being the 57th ETS race to be put on by Uwe Rheinard and Scotty Ernst. The track is run by the predominantly nitro Mini Car Club Ettlingen who built the track 27-years ago on land owned by the local city which has a population of almost 40,000. The first major change to the track layout over that time was done in 2014 when during a resurfacing of the track it was extended to 265-metres with the addition of a new 25-metre section. It is the asphalt used during that work that has become one of the track’s main features. A very fine/smooth surface, it creates a one of kind unique feeling between the car and track. The other key feature of the track is the banked corners, the end of straight sweeper one of the key points to a good lap time./i

With mixed views from drivers on the track layout/feel, Ronald Volker is a fan saying, ‘I like it but I know others don’t’ – Marc Rheinard one of those who doesn’t. The Yokomo driver described the track as ‘quite special for electric’ adding, ‘I don’t know if that is because of the asphalt or the banked corners but it’s definitely different to what we normally race on’. A driver who has been to the track four times in preparation for this weekend, the World Champion said, ‘if the weather gets hot it’s going to get very challenging’, something drivers experienced on the finals day at the ETS Warm-up race hosted by the local club in June. While Day 1 is proving a cool day, the weather forecast is showing much warmer conditions tomorrow. Asked about the biggest challenge of a lap, 13.9 seconds the fastest Modified lap times so far, he said, ‘the beginning of the straight through to the loop (positioned in the centre of the track directly out of a tight corner). You have to get the banking right and then from the sweeper to the chicane its easy to get it wrong and catch air or go off’.

Image Gallery

July 27, 2017

ETS waves chequered flag on 10th season with first visit to Ettlingen

The chequered flag will be waved on the 10th season of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series this weekend (28-30 July) as the championship travels for the first time to the Ettlingen track in Germany. A regular host venue of the Euro Nitro Series, Ettlingen will become the 10th different outdoor circuit to feature on the ETS calendar over its hugely successful 10 seasons of existence. The 57th race to be put on by Uwe Rheinard and Scotty Ernst since creating the championship in 2007, the Ettlingen entry includes all four of the drivers who have lifted the prestigious ETS title in that period. While Bruno Coelho already wrapped up his second consecutive Volante Modified title last month at the Hudy Arena, the racing will be no less competitive with teams looking to end their campaigns on a high note.

Coelho comes into the event with a mileage advantage over his rivals as does inaugural champion Jilles Groskamp with both drivers having raced at the ENS encounter at the start of the month. Taking the TQ in 1:10 and finishing 2nd in 1:8, Coelho would appear to be very at home on its unique ultra fine asphalt surface. Having won 4 of the 5 races so far, the Xray driver will be looking to extend his record for the most number of wins in a single season.

The only other driver to make it on to the top step of the podium, Ronald Volker comes into the season finale fresh from retaining his European Championship title. As a 5-time consecutive ETS Champion, the Yokomo driver will want to close off what has been a challenging ETS season and put himself clear as the championship’s most winning driver.

Sharing the title of most ETS career wins, 14-time winner Marc Rheinard made the biggest change of his R/C career when after 22-years with Tamiya he joined class newcomers Infinity. The former champion has had some strong showings, most notably Round 3 in Madrid, and he will be determined to go one better at Ettlingen and having given the Japanese brand its first major title with victory at the Reedy Race of Champions he is determined to try and deliver their first ETS win as a manufacturer. Infinity team-mate Jilles Groskamp completes the line-up of champions competing in the season finale as he makes only his second outing of the season.

While the champions look to add to their tallies, a number of drivers will be out to prove their own points. Alexander Hagberg made it an Xray 1-2 last time out and would love nothing more than to finally beat his team-mate. Naoto Matsukura claimed his first ever ETS podium at the Hudy Arena, a result he will be looking to repeat if not better. Infinity team-mate Akio Sobue travels to Germany fresh from being crowned Japanese National Champion ahead of Matsukura and World Champion Volker and has regularly shown the speed to challenge for his first ETS win this season. ETS Italy podium finisher Elliott Harper will be aiming to capitalise on the track’s unique surface and add to Schumacher’s maiden podium finish.

While the Modified title is decided it is still all to play for in Pro Stock and Formula. Lifelong Tamiya driver Christian Donath leads the Xray Pro Stock standings having claimed his first ever win last time out. The German however has three challengers in the form of ETS rookie Alexandre Duchet, reigning champion & Xray team-mate Jan Ratheisky and Awesomatix’ Olivier Bultynck. In the Scorpion Power Formula class, it is a three way title battle. Serpent’s David Ehrbar leads from defending champion Ratheisky, both with two wins each, with Shepherd’s Bultynck joining the hunt with victory at the Hudy Arena.

June 18, 2017

Coelho caps off ETS title winning weekend with record equalling 4th win

Bruno Coelho has capped off his Euro Touring Series title weekend in Slovakia with a record equaling fourth win of the season. The Xray driver joined Marc Rheinard as the only driver to win four races in a single season when he again cruised to A2 victory at the Hudy Arena to wrap up Round 5, the organisers to be complimented for completing the event after effectively losing two days of running due to rain. Able to sit out A3, Coelho’s win means he maintains his unbeaten run of victories at his team’s home track since making his ETS debut three seasons ago. Behind, team-mate Alexander Hagberg continued the 1-2 enjoyed by Xray as he won A3 after seeing off a rejuvenated Naoto Matsukura, the former World Champion claiming his first ever ETS podium finish.

Reflecting on his 9th ETS career win, the season finale next month in Germany an opportunity for him to make it five wins in a season, Coelho said, ‘I don’t think about these things, I’m here to win every race and when I finish 2nd I lose. My job is to develop the car to help our customers. This year has been really good in terms of the car working pretty well, we didn’t change too much on it over the year’. He continued, ‘It is also rewarding to work with brands that were nothing 2-years ago like Hobbywing and MonTech but are now at the top’. With Francesco Martini a key contributor to harnessing his natural abundance of driving talent, Coelho continued, ‘We reached our goal with the ETS title and next we will go to the European Championships. Everything is looking good but these are not conditions & tyres we have practiced for so we will see how it goes’.

Clearly meaning a lot to him to win A3, Hagberg said, ‘An Xray 1-2 is what people expect here but the competition have caught up so it was tougher to get the 1-2 this year’. Having struggled in A1 with Matsukura eventually passing him for second, he continued, ‘I got my car a lot better after we changed a few things on the set-up so I was not having to drive as defensively as before’. Setting the fastest lap of the race weekend in A3 with a 17.345, he continued, ‘setting the fastest lap showed we got a good set-up at the end’. Having endured a tough season, Round 4 in Italy a particular low point, he concluded, ‘for sure it is good to be back at the front and I’m really looking forward to the final round’.

‘First time on the podium, I’m so happy’, was the reaction of a very pleased looking Matsukura. He added, ‘I had good places in A1, A2 and A3 so I think I can say I am back’. Joining Infinity at the start of the year, the said, ‘everything is coming good again and part of this is that the team is good. My car worked good here because I had Fujiwara san for my mechanic this weekend. Now I will go testing in Japan for next ETS because I want to win that one’.

Finish 4th having set the pace in Thursday practice before rain hampered the next two days of action, Marc Rheinard said, ‘I think we lost the race in qualifying’. The Infinity driver was referring to the 5/100ths by which Hagberg out qualified both himself and Matsukura, saying ‘Hagberg was really slow in A1 and if Naoto had of been second and Alex fourth it would have been a different story. The next time’. The German concluded, ‘This is Xray’s home town so I think we were closer than it looked in the final so I think we can give them a run for their money in Ettlingen’.

In both the Pro Stock and Formula A Mains, the winners wouldn’t be decided until A3. In Formula, having won A1, in A2 Top Qualifier Olivier Bultynck put his Shepherd on the grass while leading which let David Ehrbar through for the win ahead of Jan Ratheisky. In A3 however Bultynck would have no such problems and after an early mistake by Ratheisky and then Ehrbar he could cruise to the A3 win ahead of Toni Rheinard to claim his second Formula win of the season. Ratheisky and Ehrbar completed the Round 5 podium with the title set to be decided at the season final in Germany next month.

The Xray Pro Stock final was similar to Formula with a mistake on the opening lap of A2 by A1 winner Christian Donath giving Jan Ratheisky the win from Alexandre Duchet forcing the race to go to A3. This time the pole sitter made sure to put in the perfect race taking his Tamiya to a 3.6 second winning margin over Duchet and Martin Hofer. The German’s first ETS win he was joined on the podium by Ratheisky in second and Duchet in third with the champion going to be decided in Ettlingen.

View complete event results here.

View our event image gallery here.

June 18, 2017

Video – Modified A-main Leg 3

June 18, 2017

Video – Pro Stock A-main Leg 3

June 18, 2017

Video – Formula A-main Leg 3

June 18, 2017

Chassis Focus – Martin Hofer

Chassis – Yokomo BD8 SV
Motor – Muchmore (handout)
ESC – Muchmore (handout)
Batteries – Muchmore Impact 6000mAh
Tires – Volante (handout)
Radio/Servo – Sanwa/Xpert
Bodyshell – Protoform Speed 6
Remarks – Former ETS Pro Stock Champion Martin Hofer is running the newly released BD8 Stock Version from Yokomo. Having been racing the new car in prototype form since the 3rd round of the series in Spain, the new car is specifically made for the ultra competitive stock class. Featuring a bigger pulley drivetrain, the new design helps free up the drivetrain while the higher mounted front and rear axles allow the car to roll more giving the car better cornering speed and more roll in the corners. Other new changes include new shock towers to accommodate the new drivetrain as well as a new stiffer top deck and a new PCS motor mount.