Neumann wins 2WD at EOS Finale
Joern Neumann has capped off the successful defense of his Euro Offroad Series 2WD Buggy title by claiming overall victory at the season finale in German after he backed up his win in Leg 1 of the final with a second win although this time round the German didn’t have it all his own way with Christopher Krapp leading 7 laps of the 19 lap encounter before a mistake dropped him back to second. Once again Hupo Honigl worked his way up from 6th on the grid to complete the Top 3.
His third win of the four round championship, his only defeat in 2WD happening at his home event in Langenfeld where Japan’s Naoto Matsukura took the win, Neumann again pulled clear of the pack early as he made the race look like it was just a formality to him putting the win beyond his rivals. On lap 6 however the race would take on a bit of life as the German made a mistake that cost him almost 5-seconds and allowed Krapp, who has really impressed in 2WD this weekend, to the front. Slowly Neumann closed in on his fellow countryman getting too close at one stage causing the RB6 to roll. Waiting to allow the No.2 buggy to resume the lead, the incident unsettled Krapp and further into the lap he made a mistake allowing the Champion through where he would stay to take the win by just over 2-seconds.
‘Really happy’ with how his DEX210 has worked all weekend, Neumann described the moment that almost cost him the Leg 2 win as a ‘stupid mistake’. Getting up on two wheels coming after the crossover he said he over corrected causing the buggy to roll and land out of his sight due to the large crowd at the edge of the track. Thinking the buggy was on its roof he waited for the marshal to attend to it but said he didn’t seem to be any hurry and it wasn’t till he gestured him to drive on that he realised the buggy had actually landed on it wheels. Able to laugh about the incident afterwards, Neumann said it was great to end the season with a win and he hopes he can top off the perfect weekend by repeating the result in 4WD later today, a class in which he has never yet been beaten.
Krapp, said after an unfortunate early mid air bobble with team-mate David Ronnefalk which dropped the Swede to the back of the pack, he just set his sights on finishing second and he was as surprised as everyone else when he found himself in the lead after Neumann’s mistake. Admitting he knew Neumann had the faster car, the Kyosho driver who is better known for his efforts in electric touring cars, said he was happy to take second and his aim for Leg 3 to try and make the podium along with Ronnefalk. With Neumann sitting out the last final, Kyosho will start 1-2 on the grid and with a second place finish each Krapp is confident they can put both RB6s on the podium by working together. The biggest threat to that result is Hupo Honigl who has a pair of third place finishes.
Having again run in the Top 3 early in the race World Champion Ryan Cavalieri said he is happy with his starts but unfortunately it goes down hill from there. Finishing the second leg in 7th, Kody Numedahl the best placed Associated in 5th, the American said his buggy doesn’t have the pace as he is losing too much time in the chicanes. Having run in the second fastest of the qualifying groups he was unable to properly compare where he is losing time but that has become very clear in the finals and for the third leg he will run a geardiff in the C4.2 in an attempt to try and find more pace.
2WD Buggy A-Main Leg 2 Result
1.(1) Joern Neumann (DE) – Team Durango – 19/5:00.268
2.(2) Christopher Krapp (DE) – Kyosho – 19/5:02.445
3.(6) Hupo Honigl (AT) – Team Durango – 19/5:04.438
4.(5) Michal Orlowski (PL) – Team Durango – 19/5:07.805
5.(7) Kody Numedahl (US) – Associated – 19/5:09.779
6.(3) David Ronnefalk (DE) – Kyosho – 19/5:09.992
7.(4) Ryan Cavalieri (US) – Associated – 19/5:11.881
8.(8) Brent Thielke (US) – Associated – 19/5:15.324
9.(9) Tom Maquel (LU) – Team C – 18/5:00.196
10.(10)Martin Bayer (CZ) – Xray – 18/5:06.410
View the complete results here.
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