Red RC » ETS

July 23, 2016

Coelho is new ETS Champion

Bruno Coelho is the new Yokomo Euro Touring Series Champion, the Portuguese ace ending Ronald Volker’s 5-year reign over the World famous championship on only his second attempt. The title marks a number of firsts with it Xray’s first title in the ETS’ premiere class and the first time one manufacturer has claimed a clean sweep of titles with the Slovakian manufacturer having already taken the Pro Stock and Formula titles. As a driver Coelho also becomes the first driver to win both an ETS and Euro Offroad Series title a claim he can add to his already impressive feat of being the only driver to win races in the ETS, EOS and Euro Nitro Series. While Volker was eliminated from the title race at the previous round in Luxembourg, Coelho still had to deal with the possibility of having to share the title with Marc Rheinard. With the former champion needing to take the overall TQ to keep that slim chance alive, the third round of qualifying at the Hudy Arena would decide the title as Coelho’s team-mate Alexander Hagberg topped the penultimate qualifier while Rheinard could manage only a P8, leaving the Tamiya driver likely to finish runner-up for the sixth consecutive season, only a win tomorrow by Volker able to demote him.

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July 22, 2016

Coelho holds overnight TQ in Slovakia

Euro Touring Series champion elect Bruno Coelho completed the perfect day at the season finale in Slovakia as he claimed another TQ run in the second round of qualifying leaving the Xray driver to hold the overnight TQ. Having TQ’d the opening qualifier from outgoing champion Ronald Volker, the second time of asking Coelho topped the times ahead of his only remaining title rival Marc Rheinard however the German’s hopes of sharing the ETS title with the Portuguese ace now looking like increasingly unlikely due to both having used two their sets of tyres while others have a new set still at their disposal for tomorrow’s remaining two qualifiers. Also on new tyres, Freddy Sudhoff would complete the Top 3 just ahead of Alexander Hagberg who was the quickest driver on second run tyres. On used tyres, Volker would suffer an ‘unnecessary roll’ which would leave him with a P16 for Q2 but some consolation for the German is that he still has a new set for tomorrow. After a strong P3 in Q1, Yannic Prumper was again on a good time leading the second fastest heat until he put his VBC on its roof opting to pull off once marshalled.

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July 22, 2016

Coelho takes opening qualifier at ETS Finale

Bruno Coelho has taken the opening qualifier at the season finale of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Slovakia. With qualifying brought forward due to forecast rain that thankfully didn’t arrive in Trencin, Coelho was top seed for qualifying after setting the pace over yesterday’s 5 rounds of free practice and had no problems carrying that form through to qualifying. Initially followed by team-mate Alexander Hagberg until a small error, Coelho would top the time by almost a second from outgoing champion Ronald Volker. Only 18th fastest in practice which put him in the second fastest heat Yannic Prumper would put in a great Q1 performance to complete the Top 3 ahead of Viljami Kutvonen and Hagberg. Needing to TQ to stand a chance of sharing the ETS title with Coelho, Marc Rheinard would retire from the first of the four qualifiers after suffering a spin, the Tamiya team struggling with today’s extra hot track conditions.

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July 21, 2016

New champion(s) to be crowned at ETS Finale

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Following five years of having the same champion in Ronald Volker, the Yokomo Euro Touring Series will crown a new champion or champions this weekend (22-24 July) at the Season #9 finale at the Hudy Arena in Slovakia. In a season that has produced 4 different winners in the Volante Modified class over the five rounds to-date, Volker’s quest for a sixth consecutive title came to an end last time out in Luxembourg when the Yokomo driver missed out on an essential podium finish. With championship returnee & former champion Jilles Groskamp taking the win it was the two that joined him on the podium that are left to battle for the title. Finishing 2nd behind Groskamp and ahead of Bruno Coelho, former champion Marc Rheinard needs a perfect weekend in order get back the title he last held in 2010 but even if he does he will have to share it. Third in Luxembourg, Coelho is so far the season’s only double winner and if Rheinard was able to equal that feat at what is the home track of the Xray driver it would mean that for the first time in ETS history there would be joint champions. One of the most competitive seasons with no single driver or manufacturer dominating, the reason the top prize may have to be shared is that both drivers counting rounds including the number of TQ’s are identical in all tie break scenarios.

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June 27, 2016

Groskamp wins ETS Luxembourg

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Jilles Groskamp has won the penultimate round of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Luxembourg, the event marking the 50th running of a round of the world famous championship. An instrumental supporter of the championship in its founding years and becoming its inaugural champion, the win is only the 2012 World Champions’ 5th and his first since winning a second ETS title in 2009. Behind the Infinity driver, Marc Rheinard kept his title hopes alive by finishing second ahead of Bruno Coelho who completed the podium at Mini Circuit “Ville de Luxembourg”. Unfortunately while winning A3 would give reigning champion Ronald Volker 4th overall, it was one position below what the Top Qualifier needed to keep alive his hopes of retaining his crown.

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June 26, 2016

Rheinard wins Controversial A2

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Marc Rheinard has won a controversial second A-Main at the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Luxembourg, the race determined by two key incidents the first of which means we will see the crowning of a new ETS champion for Season #9. A better first lap than A1, it was the second lap when the race would be turned on its head. With Top Qualifier Ronald Volker leading from Jilles Groskamp, as the pack exited the Laguna Seca section for a second time the reigning champion would get hit by Groskamp sending the Yokomo driver back to last as the Dutch continued as the new leader. Moments later the second incident would see Bruno Coelho attempt a pass on Rheinard, but there would be contact with the championship leader’s Xray flying off the track. No penalties called for either incident, Groskamp would lead from Rheinard before a spin from the Infinity driver allowed the Tamiya driver into a lead he would hold to the finish. With Coelho and Volker finishing 6th and 10th respectively it would be Xray’s Alexander Hagberg who would benefit most to finish 3rd behind Groskamp.

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June 26, 2016

Groskamp takes A1 from Coelho

Jilles Groskamp has won the opening A-Main at the penultimate round of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Luxembourg. Starting from second on the grid the Team Infinity driver took an early lead when Top Qualifier Ronald Volker did a 360 on the opening lap with Marc Rheinard falling victim to the out of shape Yokomo. With this allowing Bruno Coelho through to 2nd, the championship leader would close the gap on Groskamp in the closing laps but each time he looked set to mount a challenge he would make a small error. Getting by Volker on his third attempt, the arch rivals making contact each time, Rheinard would recover to finish 3rd while Volker would end up seventh.

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June 25, 2016

Volker claims vital TQ in Luxembourg

Ronald Volker has claimed a vital TQ at the penultimate round of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Luxembourg tonight. Coming into the event third in the standings, the reigning champion needed the bonus championship point for the TQ and achieved it with a P2 behind Jilles Groskamp in Q3 which due to rain would become the final qualifier. With racers having to sit out most of the day due to the wet conditions the sun finally broke through the clouds at 18:00 allowing just enough time for a third round of qualifying with a number of drivers needing put in a faultless run as 3 qualifiers meant that 2 counted for the grid. One such driver was championship leader Bruno Coelho, who after taking the opening qualifier yesterday pulled off in Q2 after struggling with a bad set of tyres. Managing only a P6 he will start fourth on the grid behind both his title rivals with Marc Rheinard securing third despite a bad final qualifier.

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