Neumann from Matsukura in first timed practice

Defending Euro Offroad Series Champion Joern Neumann headed the first timed practice of the season finale in Austria topping both buggy classes from 2WD title protaganist Naoto Matsukura.  Over 3-fastest consecutive laps, the 2WD time sheets saw the three potential Season #3 champions at the top with Neumann fastest by 0.168 with Hupo Honigl just a further 0.060 off in third.  In 4WD Neumann was a more substantial 0.539 faster than Yokomo’s Japanese ace with title rival Martin Bayer third, his Round 3 winning Xray just a further 0.007 back in third.

Describing the performance of his DEX210 as ‘good’, Neumann added the buggy was ‘very easy to drive’.  Feeling he could do with more steering in the centre chicane, the German said for the second & final timed practice he will focus on his rear tyres.  Running the championship’s handout Pro-Line tyres, he will try removing the outside row of pins from the Pin Point tyre which he said should help the buggy turn in more for that section.  In terms of his 4WD, having struggled at Round 3 in qualifying with diff issues Neumann said this weekend it is ‘back to being good again’.  Running a rather large front wing on the Orion powered DEX410, which he said helps give more steering at the end of the straight, he plans no changes for his final run of the day – the fastest time of the two runs determining the seeding for qualifying.

Matsukura who is running new parts on both his Yokomo buggies this weekend, described his 2WD as ‘not so bad’.  The Round 2 race winner said his B-Max2 is ‘too easy to drive’ and for his next run will switch from Associated shock springs to Yokomo’s own springs.  Setting the 7th & 8th fastest time himself in 4WD & 2WD, Yokomo’s new head of offroad development Shin Adachi explained the parts they have brought along this weekend.  On the 2WD they are running a lighter top gear shaft and engine mount which results in a lower centre of gravity.  They are also running a light weight body shell and Adachi is happy with the results.  In 4WD they have adapted the buggy to run shorty battery packs which he said makes it feel easier to drive.  He said they still have a little too much steering but he thinks they can find a better set-up to cure this.  Matsukura said his 4WD ‘felt good’ but looking to make it a little easier to drive he will move in the position of his rear shocks on the tower.

Running a fresh set of Pro-Line tyres on his TM2 V2 for the first time today in the opening timed practice, Honigl said considerng this it felt ‘OK’.  The Austrian said he needs to find more forward traction out of the slow corners while also looking for more steering at the end of the straight.  Seeking such changes he said he wasnt really sure what set-up changes would be best.  Sixth fastest in 4WD, he said the buggy feels fast driving it around the track but on the timing sheets the speed is not there.  He said when a car feels good to drive its not so easy to single out what set-up changes are going to improve things.

Setting the fourth fastest 2WD time and backing that up with 5th in 4WD, Polish Team Durango talent Michal Orlowski was very happy with his runs after struggling a little with his 2WD in the morning free practice.  Running yesterday’s reverse direction open practice and being very happy with his DEX210 which is 300 grams lighter than that of Neumann’s, when the track was switched to the anti-clockwise direction he found himself struggling.  Changing to a softer shock oil for the first timed practice, the 12-year-old said this gave him back the feeling he enjoyed yesterday.  Running his 4WD the same he said the direction change had no effect and he will continue with it as is.

Top Qualifier of the season opener, Schumacher’s Tom Cockerill posted the 5th fastest time in 2WD while struggling a little in 4WD.  Changing his set-up for the first timed practice, he said it made his Cougar ‘push like crazy’ but overall the buggy was very consistent and easy to drive.  Having tried a lot of changes every run he said he is confident he knows what the best combination is now and he will switch to that set-up for the final timed practice.  For the Schumacher team, American team driver Carson Wernimont aquitted himself very well posting the 8th fastest time in 4WD while posting the 12th fastest time in 2WD.  The 17-year-old said having never really driven touring cars where running the same line every lap is key and with his ‘main thing being 1:8 Offroad’ where you run different line every lap it is at a bit of a disadvantage.  Happy with the consistency of his buggies on is 4WD he said he will change the profile of his Reedy motor to try and make it a little faster.

Completing the Top 6 in 2WD was Lee Martin. The Yokomo driver said his Viper powered B-Max 2 is not landing the jumps very well and he needs to make them gradually softer until they feel right.  Also running a used set of tyres in the first time practice on both his buggies they were too far gone contributing to him be a ‘little too slow’.  Fourth fastest in 4WD, suffering from a pin coming out of the rear centre drive shaft, the British ace said his buggy was a ‘little difficult’ and he will change roll bars for his next run.  Having tried Matsukura’s set-up but finding it not to his liking he said he is now ‘working on (his) own thing’.

Mananging only 3 laps in 2WD before breaking his prototype Xray buggy, in 4WD Bayer said while his 4WD was very consistent it was ‘too safe’.  Looking to make it more aggressive, the Round 3 Top Qualifier and winner, will make a diff change on the XB4 for the days closing run.

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