Matsukura takes Q3 at EOS

After setting the fastest laps of the opening two qualifiers of 2WD Buggy at the Euro Offroad Series in Wels, Austria, Naoto Matsukura finally managed to pull off a TQ run in the penultimate round.   Laying down another new outright fastest lap, the Yokomo driver took Q3 from early pace setter Joern Neumann in a new fastest time, something that could prove crutial should qualifying go to a tie break with Q1 & 2 pace setter Hupo Honigl.  While Martin Bayer had a good round to complete the Top 3, after a perfect morning at the Modelbau Wels Hobby Show, mistakes in the third qualifier meant Honigl would post only the fourth fastest time.

Running a time that was 3-seconds faster than Honigl’s best TQ time, that gap being reduced by a mistake by Honigl on the last lap that delayed both Matsukura and Neumann, Matsukura was happy to finally cut out the errors that cost him in Q1 & 2 although the Japanese ace did still have one moment of his own doing.  Happy with his B-Max 2, he said other than a refreshing of the shocks the plan for the final qualifier is to ‘go for the overall TQ’ and deny Honigl the extra championship point it carries.

Changing to a lighter oil in the diff of his Durango, Neumann said his DEX210 was ‘much better’.  On the TQ pace the defending Champion said he threw it away with a mistake.  Passing Lee Martin at the chicane he got the double wrong and this led him to miss his line for the jump section in front of the drivers stand causing him to roll on the landing.    Confident the pace is in the car he will be hoping he can end qualifying for his first clean run of the day.

‘Heading in the right direction but still not perfect’ was how Bayer described his car after setting the third fastest time.  Winner of the previous round of the championship at the Hudy Arena last month, the Czech ace said a change of the front and rear geometry on the prototype XB4-2, he is racing for the first time this weekend gave the buggy better steering.  Improving the car ‘step by step’ he said both himself and the car’s designer Juraj Hudy are learning more and more about the car every run and so will continue to try new things every run.

After the perfect morning, taking Q1 & 2, Honigl said he just made a number of small mistakes at the beginning of the run which dropped him back but it was a double mistake on his last lap that cost him dearly.  Crashing at the chicane he would immediately repeat the crash as he tried to turn around back into the racing line.  This would delay three cars most notably Matsukura and more so Neumann as they all piled into the crashed Team C.  Honigl said the car was good and for the last qualifier it is just the driver that needs improving.

Behind the Austrian, Shin Adachi and Tom Cockerill completed the 6 while Lee Martin had a poor run to set only the 7th fastest ime. The World Championship runner-up said having to let Neumann and Matsukura passed, the former two times after he crashed,  ended up costing him time and positions.

2WD Buggy Qualifying Round 3 – Top 10 times
1. Naoto Matsukura – Yokomo – 15/5:17.108
2. Joern Neumann – Durango – 15/5:18.013
3. Martin Bayer – Xray – 14/5:02.066
4. Hupo Hoingl – Team C – 14/5:02.388
5. Shin Adachi – Yokomo – 14/5:03.649
6. Tom Cockerill – Schumacher – 14/5:03.683
7. Lee Martin – Yokomo – 14/5:05.187
8. Martin Wollanka – Xray – 14/5:05.679
9. Oskar Levin – Team C – 14/5:08.772
10.Michal Orlowski – Durango – 14/5:10.419

View complete event results here.

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