EOS Season #8 kicks off at ‘Green Hell’

A new season of the Euro Offroad Series kicks off at the ‘Green Hell’ this weekend (14-16 Sept) with the extended six round 8th season of the 1:10 EP Offroad Championship returning to the Nurburgring in Germany.  After being abscent from last season’s calendar, the legendary motorsport venue welcomes back the EOS for what will be its fourth visit.  Running as part of the full size Blancpain GT Series weekend which will race on the real grand prix track, the event is a truely unique opportunity for RC racers.  While iconic car manufacturers battle it out for victory outside, it will be double champion Michal Orlowski who heads the factory RC entry on the indoor carpet track.  A 9-times EOS race winner, but never at the Nurburgring, the Schumacher driver will be aiming to take his tally to double digits this weekend and get his title defence off to the best possible start but his rivals have similar ambitions.

Having started Season #7 as Schumacher’s sole title contender, the start of 2018 saw the British marque double its high end firepower with the signing of Joern Neumann.  Having had a number of races to settle into his new surroundings and appearing to work well alongside Orlowski, the only multiple double champion of the EOS should be right in contention for the titles as he embarks on his first full EOS season with Schumacher.  A line-up, together with extra round on this year’s calendar, that should inject even further excitement into the championship.

Of course Orlowski will have to deal with the same rivals who pushed him for his current titles.  Back to back champion in 2WD, the Polish ace had a great battle with former 2WD World Champion Neil Cragg for this latest title.  Last season saw Cragg, a relative newcomer to carpet compared to the rest of the EOS front runners, finally deliver his first win when he won at the second round in Daun.  A turning point for the Team Associated driver he also managed to TQ twice and finishing off the season with 2nd places at the final two rounds to finish as Vice-Champion.  Coming off the back of what should an improvement on the previous season, the British 2WD specialist will be looking to go one better this time round.

Having ended the 4WD points chase equal on points with Orlowski but losing out on a third consecutive title by having one less win than his rival, Bruno Coelho will again lead the Xray challenge. The former 4WD World Champion & newly crowned Touring Car World Champion won the last time the championship was at the Nurburgring and the Portuguese star will be aiming for a repeat of that. With eight 4WD wins compared to his three in 2WD, 4WD is definitely his class.  Team-mate Martin Bayer had a very strong 2WD campaign finishing the season 3rd overall and with the Slovakian manufacturer using the weekend to launch their new XB2C 2019 they will be aiming for a strong start to their new campaign.

Winners of 2WD the last time the EOS was at the Nurburgring, Yokomo will be aiming to mount a stronger challenge than last year.  With 2016 winner and Top Qualifier Marc Rheinard not racing the EOS and instead racing the European Reedy Race of Champions which is also running at the Nurburgring this weekend, it will be down to Lee Martin to deliver the results.  Only 5th in the standings of both championships last season, the 2014/15 Double Champion is a former Nurburgring double winner a result he will be looking to repeat.

Marking the 30th championship race weekend of the EOS, the first winner of Season #8 will be crowned at lunchtime on Saturday with the running of the 2WD finals before drivers switch over to the start of the 4WD action Saturday evening and concluding Sunday evening.

First ever outdoor EOS event to decide Champions

The Euro Offroad Series will run it’s first ever outdoor race this weekend (20-22 April) with the German encounter set to decide this season’s champion or champions depending on the outcome.  Added to the EOS calendar last season shortly after opening the doors to its new indoor facility, Arena 33 has subsequently added an outdoor astro surface track that has just been completed in time for the Season #7 finale, setting the stage for an extra interesting 2017/18 title showdown. Unlike last season, when both titles had already been decided before the concluding race, the defending buggy champions have challengers to them retaining their titles. After holding 28 championship races indoors, even the weather looks set to shine on the first outdoor EOS encounter, with temperatures in the high 20s forecast for Andernach.

In 2WD, reigning champion Michal Orlowski holds the points lead. The only multiple winner this season, including winning the most recent outing in Austria last month, the Schumacher driver has a challenger in Neil Cragg. The Team Associated driver has had a break through season finally claiming his first race win. The former World Champion has also had the best qualifying record claiming 2 TQ from the 4 rounds. While Cragg must win to take what would be Team Associated’s first EOS title, Orlowski feels the switch to astro turf with will be advantageous to his rival saying, ‘Neil was born racing on astro so he knows what to do with the car’. Cragg and fellow British driver Lee Martin come into the weekend expected to be extra strong as the two drivers with the best knowledge of the track surface given the popularity of the surface at UK tracks.

In 4WD, it also the current champion that leads the points with Bruno Coelho having a 3-point advantage over Orlowski. The Xray driver has two wins as does his challenger but Orlowski needs to make it three wins to secure his first ever 4WD title and potentially become only the third ever EOS double champion. The only other drivers to wrap up both titles in the same season are Orlowski’s new team-mate Joern Neumann and Yokomo’s Lee Martin.

While the attention will be on the title battles, a number of drivers will be hoping the new surface will present the opportunity to wrap up what has been a disappointing season on a high note. While he sits third in the 4WD standings, Lee Martin has had a frustrating time and hasn’t been able to properly battle for race wins. Down in 5th in the 2WD standings, after Wels where he had his worst finish of the season he vowed to test extensively ahead of the season finale. Top Qualifier at Arena 33 last year, Team Associated’s Joona Hataanen came close to his first podium at Round 4.  Having not enjoyed the form many expected this season, the talented young Finn will be more determined than ever to take advantage of the new surface and at least finish with a podium result.

While they wont want to harm their team-mates chances in the title battle both Martin Bayer and Neumann will be looking to cap off some strong showings this season with a win.  Bayer has enjoyed a TQ proving the Xray team-manager has the speed while Neumann is enjoying his best season in years since joining Schumacher at Round 2. Another to watch will be Martin Wollanka who had promising debut outing with Sworkz at the previous round.  A former European Champion when the race took place on astro, Marc Rheinard will be determined to put a terrible season behind him in his home town.

Orlowski in charge going into penultimate EOS encounter

Michal Orlowski goes into the penultimate round of the Euro Offroad Series this weekend (23-25 March) in Wels, Austria, in charge of proceedings, the Schumacher driver having completed a double victory in Slovakia last month. Achieving his second ever EOS career double, the reigning 2WD Champion leads the points standings in both 2WD and 4WD standings and will be looking to extend the 2-point advantage he holds in each of the championship’s annual stops at the popular Austrian hobby show ‘Modelbau Wels’. The closing round of the championship last year, both titles having already been wrapped up ahead of the race, Orlowski’s rivals will be out to ensure they keep their own title hopes alive going into the season finale. A first for the EOS, which is now in its 7th season, the final round will be played out at Arena 33’s all new outdoor astro track next month.

Having missed Round 3 at the Hudy Arena due to touring car race commitments, reigning 4WD Champion Bruno Coelho returns for Wels. Last year, the Xray driver took the 2WD victory on a tie breaker after a close battle with Yokomo’s Ryan Maifield who was making his EOS debut at the race. In 4WD, it was Martin Bayer who took the win with Coelho making it an Xray 1-2 ahead of Orlowski. The Czech driver is very much on form of late with him leading the Xray challenge, holding second in the 2WD standings and 3rd in 4WD.

Closest to Orlowski in the 4WD standings is Lee Martin, the Yokomo driver enjoying his best result of the season with 2nd last time out. It would be the former Champion’s first double podium weekend with him also claiming 3rd in 2WD to hold that position in the points. Fired up by the improved performance, the British driver will be hoping to break his victory drought having enjoyed his first ever weekend double at the venue 2 years ago.

After taking an extremely popular maiden EOS victory at the second round in Germany, Neil Cragg showed good 2WD pace again in Slovakia qualifying 3rd but couldn’t translate that into a good results in the finals ending up 5th. With the track being built by the same crew as built the challenging Daun track where he took his win, the Team Associated driver is determined to be known as a multiple EOS race winner. Team-mate Joona Haatanen hasn’t been able to live up to the potential he showed last season finishing 6th at each 2WD encounter so far this season. There is no question about the young Finn’s speed and having been on the podium last year in Wels with Coelho and Maifield he’ll be hoping this weekend is the turning point in his season.

Coming into his third EOS weekend with Schumacher, the championship’s most decorated driver Joern Neumann is looking more and more the former champion he used to be. The German claimed his first podium finish in a long time at Hudy Arena last month and appearing to be settling in well alongside Orlowski in the team should be in the mix again in 4WD.

One interesting returnee to the Euro Offroad Series this weekend is former factory Xray driver and EOS front runner Martin Wollanka. The quick Austrian made the switch to Sworkz for the 2018 season, with his home event marking his championship debut for the team.

EOS hits halfway stage at Hudy Arena

This weekend (23-25 February) marks the half way stage of the Euro Offroad Series as championship leaders Xray welcome their rivals into their back garden as the Hudy Arena in Slovakia hosts the third round of Season #7.  Bruno Coelho leads the way in the 4WD standings but the winner of the season opener will be absent this weekend due to his preparations for the defence of his TITC touring car title in Thailand next weekend.  In 2WD, Martin Bayer sits at the top of the points table having enjoyed podium finishes at the opening two rounds and the on form previous Hudy Arena race winner will be aiming to complete the full set of podium step positions by becoming the third different winner this season at what is now a ‘home race’ for the Czech native.

With the season opener dominated by Coelho, Round 2 at the new Daun venue in Germany last month threw up a more interesting result in particular in 2WD as Neil Cragg finally added his name to the EOS’ Roll of Honour.  After a disappointing start in Warsaw, the Team Associated driver came into the second race of the season having racked up plenty of testing mileage on carpet during the Christmas/New Year layoff with that work immediately paying dividends as he took only his second ever EOS career TQ.  Able to convert that to maiden victory to leave Daun with maximum points, the former World Champion together with AE team manager Craig Drescher would love nothing more than to add win number 2 in Xray’s own back garden.

Beating Xray on the very track on which they develop their cars was something Michal Orlowski achieved last season en-route to becoming 2WD Champion, the Pole taking race victory ahead of Lee Martin and Coelho. The Schumacher driver didn’t have a successful home race when Warsaw hosted Round 1, him not even making the podium, but in Daun he was back on his game taking the win in 4WD over Top Qualifier Coelho and finishing second in 2WD to get his title defence back on track.  Making his EOS debut as a Schumacher driver last time out, Joern Neumann should be well settled in with his new team this weekend and will be determined to deliver results.  Still the EOS’ most winning driver he will be looking to step out of the shadows of his younger team-mate Orlowski and finally become a regular contender for race wins once again.

For reigning World Champion manufacturer Yokomo, the opening two rounds haven’t delivered the results team leader Lee Martin would have hoped for.  Now the only one of the big four manufacturers in the championship yet to register a win this season, former double champion Martin declared his 4th place in 2WD as an ‘unlucky’ result having shown good pace in the finals. Going on to make the podium in 4WD, the European Champion was pleased with the progress made with their YZ-4, and encouraged by the podium will be looking to lead Yokomo to their first win of the season this weekend.  Qualifying 3rd in Daun, one spot ahead of Martin, team-mate Marc Rheinard’s frustrating run of results in the EOS since taking a victory at last season’s opening race continued. One of only 7 drivers in the championship to register multiple wins he plummeted to 8th in the final 4WD result and so will be hoping the trip to Trencin, which means he will arrive later than usual in Bangkok for the TITC, sees an end to his podium drought.

Rivals out to stop Coelho extending EOS points lead in Germany

Following Bruno Coelho’s domination of the Euro Offroad Series season opener back in October, his rivals will be looking to prevent the reigning 4WD Champion from stretching his points lead as the championship visits an all new venue in Daun, Germany, this weekend (26-28 January).  In Warsaw, Coelho and the Xray team completed a clean sweep with the Portuguese star taking the TQ and the win in both classes while his team-mates joined him on either side of both the 2WD and 4WD podiums. Having had 3-months to regroup following the deep defeat, rival teams will be aiming for a better showing on the first of the two German stops on the Season #7 calendar.

As the reigning 2WD Champion Michal Orlowski, who a year earlier did the double in Poland, his home event proved tough with 4th the best he could manage behind Coelho, Martin Bayer and EOS debutant Ty Tessmann. In 4WD things were worse as he ended up 9th. The Schumacher driver however comes into the second round off the back of a successful DHI Cup where he took the double win and the World Championship Top Qualifier also now has the benefit of a quick team-mate in multiple former Champion Joern Neumann. While Neumann has had some lean season’s of late, the German is still the most winning driver in the EOS and he’ll be keen to kick off his EOS campaign as a Schumacher driver by adding an 18th career win.

Former champions Yokomo have become World Champions since the first round and they will be looking for a strong result to get them back in the title chase of the EOS.  A champion in both 2WD and 4WD, World Championship podium finisher Lee Martin opened 2018 with a win on carpet at the British Off-Road Grand Prix ahead of Neil Cragg and Orlowski in 2WD and finished second to the young Pole in 4WD. Martin’s Yokomo team-mate Marc Rheinard struggled in Poland but the EOS race winner has been busy testing at various tracks ahead of his home event.

With Joona Haatanen leading the Team Associated charge at the season opener, the iconic offroad brand will be looking for a better presence in the A-Main. Neil Cragg had a disappointing trip to Poland and will be looking for a better performance in Germany. In addition to the young Haatanen, 13-year-old star of the DHI Cup Elias Johansson from Sweden will be looking to back that up with a strong EOS showing.

David Ronnefalk made his return to the EOS at the season opener after some time away and the 1:8 World Champion is aiming to be in the mix.  The HB Racing driver was the best non Xray driver in 4WD in Poland but finishing on the podium in both 2WD and 4WD at the World Championships in China in November he will be looking for a good showing in both classes this time round.

Elsewhere former 1:10 Offroad World Champion and Serpent designer Billy Easton will make his EOS debut this weekend heading the team following Neumann’s departure.