Neumann takes A1 ahead of Orlowski

Defending Champion Joern Neumann has won the opening 4WD A-Main at the season finale of the Euro Offroad Series in Austria moving a step closer to retaining his championship title.  Chasing his third title in a row, starting from the No.2 spot on the grid the Team Durango driver would end up taking an easy win over team-mate Michal Orlowski.  Taking the lead on the opening lap after Top Qualifier Naoto Matsukura got out of shape at the first double with a second mistake by the Japanese driver, who took the 2WD crown from the German yesterday, allowed Neumann to cruise the last six laps of the race.  Falling behind both Orlowski and fading title contender Martin Bayer, Matsukura would complete the Top 3 after himself and Bayer came together for which Bayer was made to wait and give back the position.

Looking to take his tally of 4WD race wins into double digits, 9-time race winner Neumann said ‘Matsukura made the race really easy for (him)’ with him admitting he was just cruising around for the final few laps.  Putting himself in a good position to take the win at the fourth & final round this evening, he said with Bayer finishing fourth he was more happy about moving a step closer to the overall title, this year being the most competitive yet as more and more factory teams commit to the championship.

Orlowski was delighted with his second place finish admitting that he was really feeling the pressure of having Bayer & Matsukura running on his tail until the pair came together.  Starting from 5th on the grid, the 12-year-old,  who drove with great maturity, said he had got a really good start something he hopes he can repeat again in A2.

‘Too many crashes’, that was Matsukura’s summary of the race.   Explaining his opening lap bobble, he said he clipped the inside of the corner before the double which meant he didn’t have the speed to make the jump.  Clearly faster than his rivals in the chicane, said that his 1:12 experience is coming into play through that section but overall his car is good enough to win but he just needs to cut out the mistakes.  Commenting on the incident with Bayer, the Vice-World Champion said it was a very close call admitting that he had run wide and opened the door for the corner.

Bayer was clearly not happy with the call to wait on Matsukura echoing a similar view to the Yokomo driver that the door had been opened.   Saying he ‘hate(d) calls like that’, he said the incident had led him to really lack motivation for the rest of the event.   Having struggled with his XB4 in the many 180 degree corners in qualifying he said they had improved it somewhat but it was still pushing too much. Despite this the winner of the previous round of the championship said the car is good enough for a podium.

Behind Bayer ETS Champion Ronald Volker managed to keep his Yokomo ahead of the Schumacher of American teenager Carson Wernimont who completed the Top 6.

4WD Buggy A-Main Leg 1 Result
1.(2) Joern Neumann (DE) – Durango – 16/5:15.006
2.(5) Michal Orlowski (PL) – Durango – 15/5:00.379
3.(1) Naoto Matsukura (JP) – Yokomo – 15/5:02.657
4.(3) Martin Bayer (CZ) – Xray – 15/5:02.959
5.(7) Ronald Volker (DE) – Yokomo – 15/5:05.283
6.(9) Carson Wernimont (US) – Schumacher – 15/5:05.556
7.(6) Lee Martin (GB) – Yokomo – 15/5:06.280
8.(10)Martin Wollanka (AT) – Xray – 15/5:09.177
9.(8) Oliver Scholz (DE) – Team C – 15/5:13.775
10.(4)Hupo Hoingl (AT) – Team C – 15/5:18.810

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Q4 Update – Neumann takes final qualifier

With the Top Qualifier having being decided in Q3, the final round of 4WD Buggy Qualifying at Modelbau Wels was to decide how they would line up behind Naoto Matsukura.  With Matsukura going for a clean sweep, himself and defending champion Joern Neumann would swap the TQ pace over the 5-minutes. With both drivers making mistakes it would go down to the final lap with Neumann just taking it by 0.349.  The result means Neuman’s Durango will line-up second on the grid ahead of the only challenger to his championship title Martin Bayer.

Posting his second Top 3 time of qualifying, Team C’s Hupo Honigl secures fourth on the grid ahead of Polish ace Michal Orlowski, the 12-year-old having a poor final qualifying.  Posting his best qualifier to run the fourth fastest time of Q4, Lee Martin completed the Top 6 on the grid.  Making his European race debut young US talent Carson Wernimont ended qualifying with his best run of the event to post the seventh fastest time which sees him make the main event, his Schumacher lining up 9th.

4WD Buggy A-Main Grid
1. Naoto Matsukura (JP) – Yokomo – 310 pts
2. Joern Neumann (DE) – Durango – 308
3. Martin Bayer (CZ) – Xray – 305
4. Hupo Hoingl (AT) – Team C – 304
5. Michal Orlowski (PL) – Durango – 302
6. Lee Martin (GB) – Yokomo – 302
7. Ronald Volker (DE) – Yokomo – 299
8. Oliver Scholz (DE) – Team C – 295
9. Carson Wernimont (US) – Schumacher – 295
10.Martin Wollanka (AT) – Xray – 295

4WD Buggy Qualifying Round 4 – Top 10 times
1. Joern Neumann – Durango – 15/5:03.651
2. Naoto Matsukura – Yokomo – 15/5:04.000
3. Hupo Hoingl – Team C – 15/5:06.915
4. Lee Martin – Yokomo – 15/5:07.503
5. Martin Bayer – Xray – 15/5:08.624
6. Ronald Volker – Yokomo – 15/5:11.687
7. Carson Wernimont – Schumacher – 15/5:12.012
8. Martin Wollanka – Xray – 15/5:13.252
9. Oskar Levin – Team C – 15/5:13.316
10.Bjorn Prumper – Yokomo – 15/5:13.631

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Chassis Focus – Naoto Matsukura

Chassis: Yokomo B-Max4 III
Motor: Yokomo 5.5
ESC: Yokomo
Batteries: Yokomo
Radio/Servo: Sanwa
Remarks: Fastest in qualifying here at the final EOS encounter, Naoto’s 4wd buggy is sporting many new bits that are supposed to better the performances of the car on carpet. One of the most important new things is the chassis, that now allows the use of the popular – and super light – shorty packs. To improve the feeling on the steering wheel, the Yokomo R&D team have designed a new carbon steering rack stiffener, meant to dramatically reduce the torsion on the high bite surfaces, and that together with a new harder servo saver spring make the steering way more precise. A new wing has also been developed back in Japan and Matsukura is using it on his blistering fast buggy. Setup-wise, he is using a thicker (1.8mm) sway bar on the rear, with orange/green shock springs on front and rear, and he went for the inner holes on his shock mounts to compensate with the lighter buggy – the weight decrease being due to the smaller battery. He is also using the B-Max4 II version of the rear arms.

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Matsukura claims first EOS 4WD TQ

Naoto Matsukura is Top Qualifier for 4WD Buggy at the season finale of the Euro Offroad Series in Wels, Austria.  With a 100% TQ recorded in 2WD, starting every EOS encounter he has contested from pole, the Yokomo driver secured his first overall 4WD TQ when he topped qualifying at the Modelbau Wels Hobby Show for a third time this morning.  Topping the round again ahead of defending champion Joern Neumann, Q3 saw the Japanese driver become the first driver to run 16-laps over the 5-minutes.  Behind Neumann, title rival Martin Bayer completed the Top 3.

With four 2WD TQ’s to his credit, newly crown series champion Matsukura declared himself ‘very happy’ to finally TQ 4WD having come close to denying Neumann in the past.  Describing his B-Max 4 as easy to drive, he was also pleased with the fact that he has been running error free runs all morning, errors in each of the A-Mains costing him the overall win in 2WD yesterday.  Feeling traction was higher in the third qualifier he said this created a small amount of understeer and although not a huge issue he said he will discuss with Shin Adachi whether or not to make a small set-up adjustment for Q4.

After a DNF in Q1, Neumann has had to start his heats from the back of the pack which he said makes it hard to gauge his own pace against Matsukura.  Admitting the Yokomo driver was a little faster, the World Championship Top Qualifier said for the final qualifier he will start directly behind him and is confident he should be able to deny him a clean sweep.  Closing in on a third consecutive title with his only challenger Bayer losing out on the bonus championship point for the TQ, the German said his Orion powered DEX410 feels good and there is no need to make any set-up changes.

Although he set a new fastest lap in Q3, Bayer said he is fighting with his car and the track layout.  The European Champion said his car is better suited to more open tracks like that used for Round 3 at the Hudy Arena where he became the first driver to beat Neumann in 4WD.   Losing out in the 180 degree corners, the factory Xray driver said his LRP powered XB4 is ‘way too stable’ and it ‘doesnt want to turn’.  For the fourth & final qualifier he will try a different top deck hoping the flex improves the slow corner speed of the car.

Setting the fourth fastest time, Team C’s Hupo Honigl was content with his pace describing the run as ‘pretty good’. While ‘the gap to the Top 3 is pretty big’ he added that his 4WD is ‘still a new car’ and needs more time.   The Austrian said it is improving every run and he is confident for next season’s EOS they should have a much more competitive package for 4WD, his 2WD proving ultra competitive through this season.

Michal Orlowski continued his strong showing posting the 5th fastest time.  The 12-year-old said he is just going out and driving and trying to keep things clean adding he hasn’t made any changes to his car since the start of qualifying.

Having suspected a servo problem in Q2, with a new one fitted for Q3 Lee Martin posted the 6th fastest time.  While the servo change did ‘slightly’ improve the feeling of his Viper B-Max 4, the multiple European Champion said the buggy still doesnt feel right.  ‘Nervous to drive’, he said it is hard to predict what its going to do each corner.

4WD Buggy Qualifying Round 3 – Top 10 times
1. Naoto Matsukura – Yokomo – 16/5:19.707
2. Joern Neumann – Durango – 15/5:00.861
3. Martin Bayer – Xray – 15/5:01.535
4. Hupo Hoingl – Team C – 15/5:06.720
5. Michal Orlowski – Durango – 15/5:08.283
6. Lee Martin – Yokomo – 15/5:09.692
7. Ronald Volker – Yokomo – 15/5:12.888
8. Martin Wollanka – Xray – 15/5:14.568
9. Oliver Scholz – Team C – 15/5:15.063
10.Shin Adachi – Yokomo – 15/5:16.161

View complete event results here.

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Video – 4wd Buggy Qualifying Rd2

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud7DckK9RmY[/youtube]

Q2 Update – Another TQ run for Matsukura

Team Yokomo’s Naoto Matsukura backed up his opening qualifying performance with another TQ run in the second round of 4WD Buggy at the EOS Season Finale.  Running a slightly slower time than Q1, the opposition was much closer to the Japanese ace this time round with Joern Neumann only 0.375 off.  The defending champion felt afterwards he could have run faster but with a DNF in Q1 he said he had to play it safe. Having added more flex to his Team C chassis, a much happier Hupo Honigl improved his time by 4-seconds to complete the Top 3 for the round.

Second fastest in Q1, Xray’s Martin Bayer had two bad laps one of which cost the Czech driver 4-seconds leaving him 4th for the round.  Completing the Top 6 in the opening heat, Euro Touring Series Champion Ronald Volker backed that up with a 5th followed by the Team C of German 2WD National Champion Oliver Scholz.

Schumacher’s Carson Wernimont was on a strong potential Top 5 run but just before half way clipped the piping in the centre chicane popping a ball cup.  Losing over 13-seconds as it was fixed the US talent would repeat the mistake again later in the run.  Fourth fastest in Q1, Team Yokomo’s Lee Martin would only manage the 13th fastest time, a steering servo problem suspected to be the cause of a run full of incidents for the British driver.

4WD Buggy Qualifying Round 2 – Top 10 times
1. Naoto Matsukura – Yokomo – 15/5:04.662
2. Joern Neumann – Durango – 15/5:05.037
3. Hupo Hoingl – Team C – 15/5:11.021
4. Martin Bayer – Xray – 15/5:11.429
5. Ronald Volker – Yokomo – 15/5:13.840
6. Oliver Scholz – Team C – 15/5:14.284
7. Martin Wollanka – Xray – 15/5:15.268
8. Michal Orlowski – Durango – 15/5:15.421
9. Oskar Levin – Team C – 15/5:18.229
10.Peter Pinisch – Associated – 15/5:18.388

View complete event results here.

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