Lee Martin confirmed for EOS Round 2
Tamiya Racing Factory’s Lee Martin has been confirmed as an entry for the second round of the ‘TLR/Spektrum Euro Offroad Series presented by Horizon Hobby’ in Langenfeld, Germany on January 4-6. The reigning 3-time back to back European 2WD Buggy Champion was the only driver during the inaugural season of the EOS to beat the champion elect Joern Neumann when he took the 2WD buggy win at the second round in Belgium.
The second race of the four round 2012/13 Euro Offroad Series, the German event has already attracted a record 240+ entries and will see Martin do battle with a growing line-up of factory drivers not just in 2WD & 4WD Buggy but also 4WD Short Course, a class that produced a thrilling race between Durango’s Neumann and TLR’s Dustin Evans at the opening round in Poland, the American eventually taking the win.
Champions of all four classes in the EOS, Team Durango will once again be represented by Neumann, who will be looking to keep his unbeaten record in 4WD Buggy intact, and Hupo Honigl. TLR, who ended Durango’s domination of 4WD Short Course last time out, will continue with Evans, 1:8 Offroad European Champion Darren Bloomfield and Matt Castellano. Evans came close to taking TLR’s first 2WD Buggy win at Round 1 only to get a much debated penalty in Leg 2 of the Main, and the former US National Champion will be out to set the record straight in Germany. The Polish EOS encounter was Castellano’s first time racing on a European style carpet surface track and the American acquitted himself well and should be a lot more competitive in Langenfeld.
Other team entries for Round 2 include Schumacher’s Tom Cockerill, who will debut the company’s new CAT K1 4WD Buggy, factory Kyosho driver Christopher Krapp, who was a finalist on his EOS debut at last season’s finale, and Xray’s Martin Bayer. The latest manufacturer to enter the electric offroad scene with their new XB4 4WD Buggy, Xray are set into increase their presence in the series for Round 3 and 4 with Czech off road ace Bayer set to be joined by 3-time European 1:8 Offroad Champion Renaud Savoya.
Hosted by Langenfeld AMC, the club have secured an all new venue for their first Euro Offroad Series event and series promoters have brought onboard Gerd Strenge to design and build the track for this and subsequent rounds. Strenge’s Langenfeld design features a crossover section, a first time for the EOS, and it has been met with a hugely positive response from competitors.