Xray Racing Series Rd1 – Report
The 2018/19 season of the Xray Racing Series Germany kicked off last weekend at the MAC Adenau club. For the fifth time, an XRS race was held on the Eifel-Ring, the 111-meter long, fast and technically demanding indoor course with original ETS carpet not far from the Nürburgring. A few years ago, the international Xray Challenge also started on the Eifel-Ring, when Swedish Xray factory rider Alexander Hagberg celebrated victories in both the touring car and the 1/12 classes. With 52 entries, the XRS Germany recorded its highest entry so far. The Touring Stock class with 13.5T hand-out motors had the highest number of entries and it was local hero Majuran Tharmalingam who took pole position some four seconds ahead of Melvin Diekmann and Joerg Baldes in the three heats over five minutes each.
Serpent driver Majuran Tharmalingam also excelled in the three finals and was the only one to complete 29 laps, even in all three races. Melvin Diekmann narrowly missed the 29th lap with his Awesomatix, crossing the line twice at exactly 5.00 minutes, but secured 2nd place overall with three 2nd places. With two 3rd places, Xray driver Joerg Baldes climbed to last spot on the podium and was also honoured as the best 40+ driver, while his seven-year old son Thilo (Xray) proudly took the XRS plate as the best junior. The best teenager was Marc Stuebben (Xray).
Strongly represented was also the class of 13.5T front-wheel-drive touring cars, short FWD or Fronti in German. Oliver Kaufmann (Destiny) took both the pole position and the overall victory with three wins in the finals and was honoured as the best 40+ driver as well. After the heats on 3rd spot of the grid, Frank Hoeschler captured 2nd overall with his Xray. Harald Schmittgen, second after the heats, had little luck, especially in the second A-final, and finally finished 3rd on the podium with his Destiny.
The Formula class saw the most exciting decision of the day. With only an advantage of 36 thousandths of a second, Davide Carbone pushed his Xray to pole position very close in front of Xray teammate Daniel Schober. The first final was won by Carbone with more than one and a half seconds in front of Schober, the second was won by Schober already a lap ahead of Carbone. So the third final had to decide. Schober was able to take the lead again, but just 30 seconds before the checkered flag he was eliminated with a motor failure and the way to the overall victory was free for Davide Carbone. Behind Schober in 2nd, Alexander Olah (Xray) captured 3rd spot on the podium. Carbone was also honoured as the best 40+ driver, Johannes Fecher (Xray) as the best teenager.
After its inaugural 2017/18 season the 1/12 GT class was pleasingly strong. In contrast, the 1/12 13.5T Stock class attracted only three entries and was ultimately cancelled. For once, the GT class was powered by 13.5T motors, but the test made it clear that for this class 17.5T motors are better suited, so that from the second round of the XRS Germany only 17.5T machinery according to DMC motor list will be allowed. The pole position went to Alexander Seitter with 42 laps ahead of Haroun Schobner and Christian Salomon, both of whom completed 41 laps in eight minutes. With two wins in the first two A-finals Xray driver Alexander Seitter made everything clear and took the overall victory ahead of Godspeed driver Haroun Schobner, who took the win in the third A-final. In 3rd, Xray driver Christian Salomon climbed onto the podium. Alexander Seitter was also best 40+ driver, Jody Mueller (Xray) was awarded as the best junior.
Source: Xray [teamxray.com]
