Martin tops third qualifier at Hudy Racing Arena

Lee Martin has posted his first 2WD TQ run of the Euro Offroad Series Season Finale at the Hudy Arena. The Yokomo driver, who wrapped up the Season #4 title at the previous race in Austria, became the third different driver to top qualifying in as many rounds as he set the fastest time over Q1 pace setter Michal Orlowski.  After a ‘horrible start’ to his day, Xray’s Martin Bayer claimed his first Top 3 run ahead of the trio American Team Associated trio of Kody Numedahl, Ryan Cavalieri and Carson Wernimont.

With his tyres going ‘over the hill’ in Q2, allowing team-mate Marc Rheinard to snatch a TQ run ahead of him as he struggled for grip, Martin started Q3 with brand new tyres on his YZ-2.  ‘Edgy starting out’, the Brit said as the run progressed it ‘felt pretty good’ and his plan for the final qualifier is to just run everything as is and just try to put in a clean run.  From his TQ run in the previous qualifier, an early wheelie on the main straight right in front of Martin, would be the start of a poor run for Rheinard.  Trying to make up the lost time, the German said he pushed too hard which is ‘not faster’ leaving him 11h for the round.

A non finisher in the second qualifier, a mistake at the double double while on a Top 3 pace leading to him popping a rear drive shaft, Orlowski was happy to back up his Q1 TQ with a 2nd.  The young Polish star said with two of four rounds to count he knew it was important to put in a solid run in Q3 and so he went for a safe run. Describing his pace for the first half of as ‘slow’ he said the second was faster and considering his early pace he is happy to end up second.

Losing a screw from a steering hub in Q1, and then suffering from his slipper nut coming loose in Q2, Bayer was relieved to have a run with no mechanical issues.  Last year’s winner of the Slovakian round, he said he made one ‘stupid mistake’ when he traction rolled his XB2 and without this he would have been very close to Martin.  Needing a good final qualifying if he is to start at the sharp end of the grid, the Czech ace said ‘the speed is there and I just need to drive clean’.

Getting ‘too confident in Q2’ leading to him overdriving his B5M and eventually deciding to pull off, Numedahl said reverting back to the smooth driving that netted him a P5 in Q1, the American was happy with fourth fastest.  Fitting a front wing to his buggy for the latest round the AE designer said the difference was ‘very noticeable’ with it less inclined to wheelie due to extra aero.  Feeling the car is pretty close on pace he said there is probably about a second more that could come from the driver.

Third in Q2, Cavalieri said while the he only managed a P5 in Q3 due to a mistake in lap 3 he was happy that he had picked up a few 1/10ths in his fastest lap time.  Running a front wing since Q1, which he said makes the car smoother to drive, he is confident the last round can be a good one for him.  Team-mate Wernimont described his latest run to P6 as ‘alright’.  The 18-year-old said he knows the car can do better and has the speed but he needs to get around for the 5-minutes without mistakes.

One of this season’s 3 overall race winners in 2WD, Naoto Matsukura is not happy with his pace.  Posting the 7th fastest time, having finished way down the order in Q2, the new Kyosho signing said understeer is a big issue on his RB6 and he doesn’t have a good feeling with the car.  Lacking confidence in it he said this means they ‘dont have pace’ to run at the front.  Behind Matsukura, 13-year-old EOS debutant Kaito Kodera enjoyed his best run with the Yokomo driver 8th fastest.

View the complete event results here.

View the event image gallery here.