Video – 2wd A-Main Leg 2
Video – 2wd A-Main Leg 1
Video – 4wd Qualifying Rd4
Video – 2wd Qualifying Rd4
Neumann rules opening qualifier
Joern Neumann has TQ’d the first round of qualifying in both buggy classes at the opening race of the TLR/Spektrum Euro Offroad Series in the Czech Republic, the German ace outpacing TLR’s Oskar Levin in 2WD and his own Team Durango team-mate Hupo Honigl in 4WD.
One second clear of the field in 2WD, the Reedy Race Champion said he was happy with his first qualifier and while he is still fine tuning the set-up on his Speed Passion powered DEX210 he feels he is now heading in the right direction having only been fifth fastest at the end of official practice yesterday. Describing the set-up of his DEX410 as ‘good as always’ the European Champion was annoyed with himself for two ‘stupid mistakes’ one of which required his buggy to be marshaled. Despite the errors he was still a topped the time sheets by 2.8 sec from Honigl. Honigl said he has the speed to match his team-mate but that Neumann is much more consistent and that’s something he needs to work on himself. Fifth fastest in 2WD, the former European Champion said his buggy feels good but a mistake by Truhe at the start of the run led him to make his own mistakes.
Fastest of the TLR22 drivers Levin said other than a small error he was happy with his opening run. With the car to his liking the 17-year-old said he will leave everything as is for Q2 and is confident of improving his time but admitted its going to be difficult to match Neumann pace. Fifth fastest in 4WD, the Swede said considering he is driving a buggy that was designed not long after he was born he is very happy with his run.
Team Losi Racing team-mate Miguel Matias and Otto Ausfelt completed the Top 4 for the round with US star Mike Truhe only 6th fastest. Matias said his 22 is really safe and consistent to drive but he hopes to make some small changes for Q2 in the hope of finding a little more corner speed. Ausfelt said he drove a cautious round having had motor temperature issues which caused his car shut down this morning in practice. A change of gearing for Q1 appears to have solved the issue and the Swede is hopeful of a better second run as the buggy is working really well and he can just focus on driving it now.
Truhe, who was top seed after practice, didn’t get his qualifying off to the best of starts as he crashed on his opening lap. The 2010 Us Champion put the mistake down to nerves but said he knows the buggy has the speed and its just up to him to get the job done. Also racing in 4WD Short Course here in Hrotovice he said the carpet track is ‘so foreign’ that they are just using the event as a learning experience for the rest of the EOS schedule. Setting the third fastest time behind Honigl and Neumann, he said they have discovered he doesn’t have the right inserts but said he will be sure to have them for Belgium.
Carrying the hopes of the TLR squad in the 4WD Buggy class Matias took his XX-4 to the third fastest time despite failing to finish the run as his gearbox seized on the final lap. The Portuguese drivers said he doesn’t think they can get much more from the car in terms of pace but hopes he can complete the full five minutes in the remaining 4 qualifiers.
Behind the factory backed drivers 15-year-old local driver Kaja Novotny marked himself as one to watch for the future as he took his Durango to the fourth fastest time ahead of the Tamiya of Swedish National Champion and experienced international racer Otto Ausfelt.
View our event image gallery here.
TLR & Spektrum back inaugural Euro Offroad Series
The organisers of the inaugural ‘Euro Offroad Series’ are delighted to announce that Horizon Hobby, through their Team Losi Racing and Spektrum brands, will be title sponsors of the three round 1:10 electric offroad series which is set to kick off in the Czech Republic in just under two weeks time. To be known officially as the ‘TLR/Spektrum Euro Offroad Series presented by Horizon Hobby’, the partnership is a huge endorsement of the brand new series and will see Team Losi Racing send one of their star American drivers to each of the events with 2010 US National 2WD Buggy Champion Mike Truhe entered for the opening race.
Speaking on the sponsorship announcement World famous race announcer Scotty Ernst, who together with Uwe Rheinard has created the EOS following the huge success of their Euro Touring Series that is now in its fifth season, said, ’Securing the backing of a company like Horizon Hobby in the first year of an all new series is a huge endorsement for what we are trying to offer electric offroad racers in Europe. Losi has played a huge part in the history of our sport and to have TLR along with Spektrum as the title sponsor of our inaugural season is a great honour for me and the entire team who will put on each event.’
Taking place over the weekend of February 10-12, the venue for the opening race is the Sport-V Hotel in Hrotovice which has previously played host to two Euro Touring Series events and an EFRA European Championship. After the Czech Republic the series will move on to Charleroi in Belgium for Round 2 on the weekend of March 9-11. Wanting to bring the first season of the EOS to a high profile finish and to showcase electric offroad racing, the final leg with take place in Germany at Intermodellbau Dortmund, which attracts 85,000 visitors and is Europe’s largest consumer Hobby Show.
Catering for 2wd Buggy, 4wd Buggy, 17.5 2wd Short Course and 4wd Modified Short Course, the ‘TLR/Spektrum Euro Offroad Series presented by Horizon Hobby’ will use a controlled tyre provided by dBoots. 4wd Buggy and both Short Course classes will use controlled tyres front and rear while in the 2wd Buggy class only the rear tyre is controlled.
Entry is currently open at MyRCM, so if you want to compete against the best in the World at an awesome venue with a great atmosphere then sign up now.
