April 21, 2012

Overall TQ puts Neumann on target for EOS 2WD title

Joern Neumann is Top Qualifier for tomorrow’s title deciding A-Main after the Team Durango ace set a new fastest time in the final round of 2WD Buggy Qualifying at the TLR/Spektrum Euro Offroad Series finale in Dortmund, Germany.  A major boost for the championship protagonist, whose two title rivals will start the deciding race from the middle of the grid, the German claimed pole position on tie break with Marc Rheinard and Darren Bloomfield thanks to his Q4 time which was just .065 shy of being the only 16 lap run of the event.

Very happy to claim the extra championship bonus point that goes with taking overall TQ honours, Neumann was even more happy to finally put together a clean round.  The fastest man on track every round, mistakes meant the 21-year-old ended up with 2nd, 3rd and 4th fastest time in the opening three rounds.  Expecting his greatest challenge this weekend to come from Lee Martin following his win at the preceding round in Belgium, Neumann said he was happy to have Rheinard and Bloomfield start behind him as it gives him a buffer over Dustin Evans & Martin who start 4th & 5th respectively.  Aware of the potential challenge that could come from Rheinard, whose touring car driving skills are an advantage on the carpet track, Neumann said he is very comfortable with the handling of his Speed Passion powered DEX210 and should he come under any pressure he is confident he can safely defend.

Never expecting to find himself in the hunt for the overall TQ of an international 2WD Buggy race going in to the final qualifier, Rheinard was very happy to find himself 2nd on the grid.  The 3-time reigning Touring Car World Champion said his dBoots tyres reached their best in the final qualifier but added if he can prepare the extra set issued to all A-Main drivers correctly he is planning to give Neumann a run for his money tomorrow.  Tamiya Racing Factory team-mate Martin wishes he could switch position with Rheinard.  The reigning European Champion said his Vega converted TRF201 feels good and has put his below par performance down to him not gelling with the track layout.  Although he faces a major task tomorrow if he is to deny Neumann the overall title, the Englishman said all he needs to do is repeat what Evans pulled off in Belgium when he won the second A-Main from 5th on the grid.

Lining up behind his Losi/Orion team-mate Bloomfield, who was the most consistent driver in qualifying before breaking his 22 in Q4, Evans said he was frustrated to be starting 4th having enjoyed a TQ run in the second qualifying.  Although he finished runner-up in Belgium from 5th on the grid, the US Champion said the track at the Intermodellbau Hobby Show is a much tougher challenge and so such a result is only going to be possible if other make mistakes.

Two big name casualties of the final round of qualifying were Associated team-manager Brent Thielke whose idler gear stripped and needing a good result the DNF dropped him to 12th in the qualification ranking.  The American will start 2nd in the B-Main behind factory Schumacher driver Tom Cockerill who lost out on the final A-Main grid position on a tie break with Oskar Levin and 16-year-old local kid Oliver Speith whose mid motored Kyosho will carry the No.10 tomorrow.

2WD Buggy A-Main Grid
1. Jörn Neumann (DE) – Durango – 1 pts
2. Marc Rheinard (DE) – Tamiya – 1
3. Darren Bloomfield (GB) – TLR – 1
4. Dustin Evans (US) – TLR – 2
5. Lee Martin (GB) – Tamiya – 5
6. Hupo Hönigl (AT) – Durango – 7
7. Mike Truhe (US) – TLR – 8
8. Paul Bradby (GB) – Associated – 9
9. Oskar Levin (SE) – TLR – 13
10.Oliver Speith (DE) – Kyosho – 13

View complete event results here.

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