Prümper wins ETS Rd1 in the Netherlands

Season #15 of the Euro Touring Series kicked off this past weekend with AMCA Apeldoorn in the Netherlands playing host to Rd1 of the series. The race saw 198 entries in six classes and the event started with a free practice day on Thursday. A solid weather forecast for the weekend made all drivers looking forward for great ETS racing action. As always at the ETS, the race included 4 rounds of qualifying followed by triple mains for everybody on the amazing racetrack in Apeldoorn. During the weekend, the forecast for Sunday was changing and showing the possibility of rain on the radar. The ETS crew changed the schedule and raced two complete rounds of finals on Saturday, and only one on Sunday and it paid off with all races in dry conditions.

In the Matrix Modified class, Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Völker earned himself a hard fought pole position in qualifying, ahead of Yokomo’s Yannic Prümper and Awesomatix driver Marc Rheinard. In the finals, it was game on and the drivers presented modified racing at the highest level with the best out coming for Yannic Prümper and the new Yokomo BD11 platform. After Völker took the win in A1, it was Prümper who took A2 and A3 after thrilling battles with Völker. Rheinard had no racing luck and finished 5th overall, right behind the Yokomo duo of Christopher Krapp and Nicholas Lee.

Matrix Modified class Overall results
1. Yannic Prümper (DE) Yokomo/Dash
2. Ronald Völker (DE) Mugen Seiki/LRP
3. Christopher Krapp (DE) Yokomo/Racing Performer
4. Nicholas Lee (SI) Yokomo/Dash
5. Marc Rheinard (DE) Awesomatix/ORCA
6. Loic Jasmin (FR) Yokomo/Hobbywing
7. Michele Manzo (CH) Awesomatix/Hobbywing
8. Eric Dankel (DE) Mugen Seiki/Hobbywing
9. Lucas Urbain (FR) Awesomatix/Orca
10. Jilles Groskamp (NL) Infinity/Orca
11. Tim Benson (DE) Awesomatix/Hobbywing

Winner B-Main: Frederik Hovgaard (DK) Yokomo
Winner C-Main: Oyvind Stusdal (NO) Awesomatix

In the Awesomatix ProStock class, Max Mächler was leading the field from pole position into the triple A-Mains. He showed great driving all weekend long and after he had to settle for second in A1 behind second place starter Tim Benson, he was able to take the win in the second and third A-Main to seal the overall victory for Awesomatix. A well-deserved win for Mächler and his A800MMX car. Behind him, Tim Benson was repeating his second place from last year’s Apeldoorn race with reigning Pro Stock champion Simon Lauter finishing third overall. Olivier Bultynck and Alex Kunkler completed the top 5 in the Awesomatix Pro Stock class.

Xray ProStock class Overall results
1. Max Mächler (DE) Awesomatix/Sunpadow
2. Tim Benson (DE) Awesomatix/Nosram
3. Simon Lauter (DE) Awesomatix/LRP
4. Olivier Bultynck (BE) Awesomatix/LRP
5. Alex Kunkler (FR) Awesomatix/Ruddog
6. Lukas Ellerbrock (DE) Xray/LRP
7. Rob Janssen (NL) Awesomatix/Sunpadow
8. Frederik Mikkelsen (DK) Awesomatix/LRP
9. Lars Hoppe (DE) ARC/LRP
10. Sören Sparbier (DE) Serpent/Arrowmax
11. Enrico Jung (DE) Yokomo/Gens Ace

Winner B-Main: Thomas Bemmerl (DE) Awesomatix
Winner C-Main: Roel Jongenelis (NL) Awesomatix
Winner D-Main: Patrick Miekautsch (DE) Mugen Seiki
Winner E-Main: Maximilian Unterschütz (DE) Mugen Seiki

The Hobbywing Frontwheel class was in the hands of Steven Olsen. He was fastest in practice, claimed the overall TQ, and walked away with maximum pointe from the season opener in Apeldoorn. He took the win in the first two A-Mains, ahead of Nicolas Delisè and Torsten Baggendorf. Nicolas Delisè won A3 which let him step second on the podium in front of Torsten Baggendorf, with Max Weffers and Mischa Kroos also finishing in the top 5 of the FWD class.

Hobbywing FWD class Overall results
1. Steven Olsen (DK) Awesomatix
2. Nicolas Delisè (BE) Mugen Seiki
3. Torsten Baggendorf (DE) Awesomatix
4. Max Weffers (DE) Mugen Seiki
5. Mischa Kroos (CH) Awesomatix
6. Patrick Jongenelis (NL) Xray
7. Kevin Sparbier (DE) Mugen Seiki
8. Caspar Morgen (DK) Xray
9. Jaques Libar (LU) XRay
10. Jitse Miedema (NL) Infinity
11. Manuel Stankowitz (DE) Awesomatix

Winner B-Main: Jan Gehrig (DE) Xray
Winner C-Main: Maximilian Unterschütz (DE) Mugen Seiki
Winner D-Main: Jens Ackermann (DE) Awesomatix
Winner E-Main Mark Burgess (GB) Destiny

Dominik Reile was the man to beat in the Orca 17.5 Stock class at ETS Rd1 in the Netherlands. He won the race from pole position after some great rounds of qualifying. Kevin Schmid took second overall in front of young Jasmin Donath. Jasmin was driving brilliant all weekend long and earned herself a well-deserved first ETS podium in the Orca 17.5 Stock class. Michael Koos and Daniel Pöhlmann completed the top 5.

Stock 17.5 class Overall results
1. Dominik Reile (DE) Awesomatix
2. Kevin Schmid (DE) Awesomatix
3. Jasmin Donath (DE) Awesomatix
4. Michael Koos (DE) Awesomatix
5. Daniel Pöhlmann (DE) Awesomatix
6. Timo Siebert (DE) Mugen Seiki
7. Tristan Bergheim (DE) Awesomatix
8. Jan Gehring (DE) Xray
9. Jens Ackermann (DE) Awesomatix
10. Elena Fuchs (DE) Awesomatix
11. Niclas Storm (DE) Awesomatix

Winner B-Main: Chris van der Hagen (NL)

The ToniSport 40+ Masters class saw local hero and last year’s race winner Elibert Sievers repeating his victory. He started from pole position and guys like Baggendorf, Oehler, Mateo and Paladin were hunting him down all weekend. In the end, Torsten Baggendorf and reigning champion Toni Mateo finished second and third behind Sievers. Flavio Paladin and Thomas Oehler completed the top 5.

Infinity 40+ Masters class Overall results
1. Elibert Sievers (NL) Awesomatix
2. Torsten Baggendorf (DE) Awesomatix
3. Toni Mateo (ES) Awesomatix
4. Flavio Paladin (IT) Xray
5. Thomas Oehler (DE) Mugen Seiki
6. Ronald Arts (NL) Awesomatix
7. Werner Schmitzer (AT) Awesomatix
8. Manuel Stankowitz (DE) Awesomatix
9. Michel Zierold (DE) Awesomatix
10. Mirco Thalheimer (DE) Xray
11. Ron van Bergen (NL) Awesomatix

Winner B-Main: Christian Grabher (CH) Awesomatix
Winner C-Main: Martijn Spaans (NL) Xray

In the Scorpion Formula class we saw Renè Kölbel taking his first ever ETS race win. He was fastest after qualifying, and brought home a well-deserved victory after thrilling finals with many high class overtaking’s between him and drivers like Jitse Miedema, Robin van Gog and Andreas Stiebler. The Formula cars looked really good on track at their first race on asphalt with the current ETS foam tires. Jitse Miedema and Andreas Stiebler flanked race winner Kölbel on the podium of the Scorpion Formula class.

Scorpion Formula class Overall results
1. René Kölbel (AT) Xray
2. Kitse Miedema (NL) Infinity
3. Andreas Stiebler (AT) Schumacher
4. Robin van Gog (NL) Infinity
5. Herbert Weber (AT) Xray
6. Patrick Sadrinna (DE)
7. Luka Jovicic (LU) Libar Engineering
8. Robert Kampehl (DE) Exotek
9. Mathias Domig (AT) XRay
10. Sören Sparbier (DE) Serpent
11.Michael Lipperheide (DE) Ehrbar Engineering

Winner B-Main: Hampy Janssen (NL) Infinity

ETS RD2 will see racers travel to Aigen in Austria in July.

Source: ETS [eurorcseries.com]