Cragg tops 2WD practice at EOS
Neil Cragg has topped 2WD practice at Round 2 of the Euro Offroad Series in Daun, Germany. A new venue on the Season #7 calendar, the Team Associated driver set the fastest two consecutive laps of the large track from reigning 2WD Champion Michal Orlowski with championship leader Bruno Coelho completing the Top 3 times in seeding. Behind them Yokomo’s Lee Martin made it four different manufacturers at the top of the time sheets ahead of Cragg’s young team-mate Joona Haatanen.
Opening his weekend in the best way possible after a tough time at the season opener in Poland, Cragg put his improved performance down to a number of factors. Now wearing glasses, the former World Champion is feeling more confident driving with them on. The British driver is also a lot happier with his 2WD having gone in a different direction with set-up following a Team Associated open day run in the UK by CML. With drivers getting to try each other’s cars and sharing information on set-up, Cragg made some interesting observations driving one car in particular that lead to him making ‘positive changes’ to his standard set-up. Another contributing factor to his practice pace is parts he is using on the car with B6D arms and shock tower on the front and B64 arms on the rear. He also running Pro-line’s Elite body liking how it makes the car a little more aggressive in the front.
Summing up his three practice runs, Orlowski said, ‘It went Ok. We didn’t change much’. The Schumacher driver continued, ‘because the traction is very high we only adjusted the rear camber link by 1mm’. Chasing his 4th EOS career win in 2WD in the hope of closing Coelho’s early lead in the standings, he added, ‘It’s not the fastest but I never want to TQ practice. Overall I’m pretty happy with the car’.
‘I had some mistakes but the feeling is good’, was Coelho’s reaction to setting the third fastest time. The Xray driver said he ‘didn’t change anything on the car’ instead focusing on ‘getting more of a feeling for the track. With drivers now to switch to 4WD practice before ending Day 1 of the event with the first 2WD qualifier, the Portuguese ace said, ‘It’s looking all good in 2WD’.
Reflecting on his morning at the controls of his 2WD, Martin said, ‘It started slow but got better towards the end’. The reigning European Champion continued, ‘I feel I can go a bit faster because my perception at the back section of the track is still not perfect’. Asked about the track layout, the British driver replied, ‘some bits are OK, some bits are awkward. I like the fast sections in the front but the carpet is very rippled in sections which is causing the 2WD to pop wheelies. Also they have taped the carpet in weird sections which can flip the car’. On his car he concluded, ‘we still need more corner speed but overall it’s not at a bad place’.
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