21.02.2016
Report by J-P.Huhtala (VRC race reporter)
2016 Season 1 and round 3, Carpet 4 Volker
This one is the third race of the SEASON 2016 1:12 SPORTSCARS 10.5T. This race was held at this magnificent track Carpet 4 Volker. Track is designed by German supertalent Ronald Volker and the track is good mixing of fast driving but its also very technical.
There was no miracles happend in here, when this venue started. Looking the entry list to this venue, series leader Graham Raistrick from Britain was here, also Dana Bailes from USA had informed to this race. Dana`s season had started also very fantastic style and he`s is at second spot at series overall scoreboard. Dana`s and Graham`s gap in overall, is only two points.
Carson Yeung from Hong Kong is holding third position after two races, Bangkok and Orlando.
QUALIFYING
At qualifying Dana Bailes was showing the pace to everyone, but even Dana didnt got his run for free. Few mistakes took almost 8seconds from Dana`s result, but pace was enough to take the pole for the Final. Another USA driver Joshua Berman gave good answer to Bailes, Berman`s gap to Bailes was only 0.7seconds after qualifying. Of course, when we looked those laptimes, Dana was on fire. Without those mistakes, what he had at qualy, Dana would beat these fellow competitors very crushing way. But this maded the Final, very interesting to wait. Could he gather his rhytm and give the knock-out to opponents at Final.
And there was this third grid man, also spying behind Bailes, Graham Raistrick drove very stable qualifying. Unfortunatellly, even the pace was good with Graham, those laptimes wouldnt be enough to challenge Bailes at final. But as we seen before, this 54 years old gentleman from Britain, doesnt need many opportunities to get the win. He is hungry for the win, and certainly serie leader has to be. As the collague race reporter has once told, Graham doesnt need fastest car to get good results. He is dangerous opponent.
Portugues Nuno Correia took the fourth grid for Final and fifth spot went to Germany`s Stefan Rheinwald. Correia`s gap was allmost 10seconds and Rheinwald`s 12seconds to the leader.
RACE
From the tone, Bailes started the final with very good rhytm. And it was very clear that, with normal pace and rhytm, Dana`s would escape for victory. After few laps, he had gained over second gap to Raistrick, he maded mistake cutting the corner just before timingline and Raistrick was right on his tale.
Raistrick was giving good pressure to Bailes, and propably Raistrick thought that these things would be his chances at this final.
Second mistake from Bailes at lap 5 at turn nine, gave more confident to Raistrick and he got the lead. But Bailes wasnt surrended, he was giving good pressure to Raistrick, and after few corners, Dana was charging this final again. Pace was there, he just needed to get the rhytm and drive his normal driving. But no, after few laps he had once again got little margin to Graham, he made mistake. Coming to turn two at lap 10, he cutted the corner and Graham got the lead.
After four laps Raistricks lead, Bailes had so fantastic pace and average, and he got the lead. As we seen from Bailes average at qualify, it was well known that without mistakes, it would be easy win for him. But was it bad luck or what, but this american talent didnt make this easy for himself.
Raistrick leading and Bailes chasing at mainstraight.
Start of the 18th lap, he cutted the corner at turn two and his fantastic job of gaining distance to Raistrick was waisted. Graham said ”thank you”, and goes ahead. Now Bailes is furios, things are not looking good for him and he starts his chase. Graham is one second get away, Bailes on his tale and this looks fantastic for audience. This american hasnt give up, driving furiosly and pit by pit he gets Raistrick within striking distance. And lap 23 it happens, Bailes consistent and fast driving gives him a result and once again, he goes to lead. Raistrick doesnt have lot weapons to answer to Bailes speed, just only hope those mistakes. This cat and mouse driving continues between these two talents lap after lap. Dana`s average is allmost three 10th`s faster than Graham`s.
Starting the last minute, things are looking good for Bailes. Rhytm is back, few laps consistent and fast running, two seconds margin to Graham and everything looks good for the win.
I dont know what was going on Dana`s mind at lap 29 when he made his last mistake at turn nine, but result of this was that Graham got the lead and once gain Dana was chasing. By his fast and consistent driving, he had his chances at this final but ”higher forces” wasnt with him today.
Graham stable driving was key to his success and win in here, last few laps these laprobots competed about the win and finally they came to finishline, only 0.064 distance each other.
Third place went to USA. Joshua Berman had very stable and fast run at final. Portugues Nuno Correia was closest to challenge Berman but even he didnt had weapons to beat this 30year old american talent. Joshuas average 15.3 against Nuno`s 15.4 tells how this final went. Maybe it was pit boring race for Joshua, he would needed two 10th`s faster average to even drive about the win.
At the end, distance to the winner was over 6 seconds and to fourth place, allmost 4 seconds.
Guy at the fourth place, Portugues Nuno Correia, had great battle against Germany`s Stefan Rheinwald and Iceland`s Sigurdur Eliasson.
Joshua Berman`s blue car and Stefan Rheinwald at battle of third. Stefan tried to challenge but Joshua was too strong.
In early stage it looked that Rheinwald is going to challenge Berman of the last podium place and give a knock out to Correia and Eliasson, but this didnt happend. Finally he had to settle to fifth place in battle with Correia and Eliasson. Rheinwald was at fourth place all the way up to 18th lap, when he made a mistake at turn 7 and Correia and Eliasson got pass. Marshal was needed and this took about four seconds away from Rheinwald`s result. Also Correia and Eliasson got they mistakes. Correia`s mistake at lap 9, last corner cutting tooked about 2seconds and Eliasson`s few bad laps at 25 and 26 tooked 1.5seconds. Finally when these three drivers got those mistakes, pace was so similar, that these drivers came to finishline inside 2.5 seconds distance each other. Correia fourth, Rheinwald fifth and Eliasson sixth.
Hong Kongs Carson Yeung got the 7th place in final. At finishline his distance to 6th position was over 11 seconds and he would needed at least three 10th`s faster average to even challenge Eliasson. But finally very stable driving from Carson, but this wasnt his place or day.
In overall season standings he is in third position.
Nuno Correia at mainstraight.
In SPORT level race, final was very close call. USA`s Lee Passehl and Czech`s Michal Rulik had a good fight of the win. Passehl was leading this duo all the way to 17th lap, where he made mistake and it took about 3seconds. From this point, next six laps Rulik was giving a hard time to Passehl, but finally this battle solved to Passehl`s win. Pace was pretty same, but Rulik`s laptimes dropped a little at last 10 laps and this made Passehl to win.
In CLUB level race Frenchmann David Lalanne was strong. French was leading this final with 10seconds, but made a mistakes at lap 23 and 24. These costed to David about 7 seconds and Japan`s Katsuki Oebisu closed the gap to 3seconds. But Davids laptimes were few 10th`s faster than Katsuki`s, even he made one more mistake at lap 28, David drove to win with 2 seconds ahead from Katsuki.
A-main FINAL PRO
1|Graham Raistrick|GB|32|08:12.516
2|Dana Bailes|US|32|08:12.580
3|Joshua Berman|US|31|08:03.858
4|Nuno Correia|PT|31|08:07.716
5|Stefan Rheinwald|DE|31|08:09.638
6|Sigurður J Elíasson|IS|31|08:10.166
7|Carson Yeung|HK|30|08:05.746
8|Go Matsumoto|JP|DNF
9|Nikolai Håheim|NO|DNS
10|Thorsten Müller|DE|DNS
A-main FINAL SPORT
1|Lee Passehl|US|31|08:14.516
2|Michal Rulik|CZ|30|08:00.362
3|Galih Prayoga|ID|30|08:08.042
4|Markus Andreasson|SE|30|08:13.368
5|Ciccio Pappalardo|IT|29|08:03.172
6|Jose Manuel Cruz Marquez|MX|29|08:05.382
7|Mark Raddenbury|GB|29|08:15.360
8|Mike Bridges|CA|28|08:00.666
9|Javier Fraga|US|28|08:01.718
10|Michael Winkler|DE|DNS
A-main FINAL CLUB
1|David LALANNE|FR|30|08:09.894
2|Katsuki Oebisu|JP|30|08:12.082
3|Enrico Tinaglia|IT|29|08:04.882
4|Nuno Lourenco|PT|29|08:09.370
5|Wilfred Chin|PH|28|08:02.570
6|David McLean|GB|28|08:14.110
7|Sergio Quesada|GB|28|08:14.292
8|Garrett Benson|US|27|08:04.820
9| Iris Lahora|PH|27|08:07.220
10|Robert Yelle|US|DNS
SEASON STANDINGS AFTER 3 ROUNDS
PRO CLASS
1|Graham Raistrick|236
2|Dana Bailes|234
3|Carson Yeung|218
4|Sigurður J Elíasson|202
5|Billy Yeung|185
6|Martin Kreuzberger|171
7|Bob Seay|162
8|Hans Guenther Heitsch|157
9|Thorsten Müller|156
10|Stanislav Pavlíček|152
SPORT CLASS
1|Lee Passehl|240
2|Mike Bridges|214
3|Jose Manuel Cruz Marquez|212
4|Yuriy Meshkov|191
5|Erwin Fiselberger|186
6|Johan Wilters|178
7|Romain LACROIX|177
8|Tony DELMASTRO|168
9|Gary Sundman|160
10|Thomas Klingen|156
CLUB CLASS
1|David LALANNE|236
2|Robert Yelle|191
3|Gary Climie|189
4|Lando Landini|179
5|Jodie Grein|156
6|Jean-Michel Ginet|148
7|Garrett Benson|140
8|Paulo Machado|138
9|David Vacka|133
10|Aron Roach|129
Comments
Only active members can post comments
(Total posts: 5)
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Carson Y
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Very detail report!
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Nuno C
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Thanks for the report!
High level as usually.
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Stefan R
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A very exciting report with 'intense' action pics, Jupe! Thank you!
I can watch the video in the size it is above, but also in full screen mode or on youtube directly. That's how it should be I would say.
Edited by author: 21.2.2016 15:34:59 GMT
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Raphael Schiffer
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Why not in HD ? 1080 ?
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Jukka-Pekka H
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The video is with poor quality, even its taken with NVIDIA shadowplay program. Have to solve these issues. Dont know, what is the key of success with that picture quality. Have to record video again.
Ill get back when i know more...sorry about this
Jupe
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