Neumann 2WD Top Qualifer at EOS in Poland
Joern Neumann is the 2WD Buggy Top Qualifier for the opening round of the TLR/Spektrum Euro Offroad Series presented by Horizon Hobby after he made it three TQ runs from four in the final round of qualifying. Dustin Evans, the pace setter in Q1 and only driver who could deny the defending champion pole for tomorrow’s finals going into the final heat, looked like he might get the job done after a mistake by Neumann but 3 laps later the American rolled his TLR at the end of straight loosing a massive 6-seconds. Finishing second 4-seconds behind the Durango driver, Evans will line up on the No.2 spot on the grid with team-mate Darren Bloomfield, who got his first 17-lap run in Q4, set to start third.
Neumann’s third time to TQ 2WD Buggy at an EOS event, he said after his poor start this morning in Q1 the rest of qualifying was ‘good’ after he reverted back to his practice set-up for Q2 which made his DEX210 a lot more stable to drive. Setting a new outright fastest lap in the final qualifier, the German is confident for tomorrow but said he is taking nothing for granted for the triple leg finals saying he expects Evans to push him hard for the win.
Evans, whose previous best qualifying position in the EOS was fourth at last season’s finale from where he went on to finish second overall, feels he has the pace to run with Neumann in the finals but said he needs to just keep it together for the races. Team-mate Bloomfield is very happy with his pace this weekend saying it is the closest he has been in his three EOS race appearances in terms of pace to the two drivers starting ahead of him. Still playing with set-up, Bloomfield said he is having to find a good balance between having the steering he wants and a buggy that is consistent to drive.
Starting fourth, despite driving a rather messy final qualifier from which he finally decided to pull up, Hupo Hönigl said it was a good position from which to watch the trio ahead of him and see what happens. Behind the Austrian will be Matt Castellano, fifth a good effort from the American on his EOS debut. Set to give the huge crowds that are attending the Hobby Exhibition something to cheer about is Polish talent Michal Orlowski who sits sixth ahead of Schumacher lead team driver Tom Cockerill and Swedish TLR supported driver Oskar Levin. Durango driver Kája Novotny from the Czech Republic and David Poulter from the UK complete the 10 car A-Main grid line-up.
2WD Buggy Q4 times
1. Jörn Neumann (DE) – Durango – 17/5:11.799
2. Dustin Evans (US) – TLR – 17/5:15.700
3. Darren Bloomfield (GB) – TLR – 17/5:15.893
4. Michal Orlowski (PL) – Tamiya – 16/5:01.652
5. Matt Castellano (US) – TLR – 16/5:02.748
6. Tom Cockerill (GB) – Schumacher – 16/5:06.254
7. Kája Novotny (CZ) – Durango – 16/5:09.363
8. David Poulter (GB) – Kyosho – 16/5:11.350
9. Otto Ausfelt (SE) – TLR – 16/5:11.991
10.Oskar Levin (SE) – TLR – 16/5:13.856
2WD Buggy A-main Grid
1. Jörn Neumann (DE) – Durango – 310 pts
2. Dustin Evans (US) – TLR – 308
3. Darren Bloomfield (GB) – TLR – 305
4. Hupo Hönigl (AT) – Durango – 305
5. Matt Castellano (US) – TLR – 302
6. Michal Orlowski (PL) – Tamiya – 302
7. Tom Cockerill (GB) – Schumacher – 300
8. Oskar Levin (SE) – TLR – 297
9. Kája Novotny (CZ) – Durango – 295
10.David Poulter (GB) – Kyosho – 294
View complete event results here.
View our event image gallery here.