Busy Friday as ENS continues to grow!
The ENS returns to action this weekend as it makes the trip to the Netherlands. After a huge entry at Round 1 of the series in Germany, the organisers were amazed that this strong support continues, with again over 140 drivers at the event – the biggest ever entry number for an ENS in the Netherlands!
The huge entry number, combined with limitations on the time the nitro engines can be run in Apeldoorn, meant that the ENS crew looked to pack in as much racing as possible on Friday, fitting in seeding practice and three full qualifying rounds.
1/8 Scale
Gruber Dominates 1/8 Scale
Toni Gruber has made Friday in Apeldoorn his own, securing both the top seed position from Timed Practice, and winning all three Qualifying rounds. The organisers initially planned to run two, shorter Timed Practice rounds, but it became clear from the opening heats that this timetable was not going to work, and so a quick decision was made to revert to a single round of Timed Practice, but giving each driver more time on track. Gruber wasn’t phased by the change, topping the two-lap seeding by 0.1 second over Shepherd’s Lars Hoppe, and defending ENS Champion Dominic Greiner.
In qualifying, Gruber always remained out front, but it was a slight surprise to see Jilles Groskamp become the Capricorn pilot’s closest challenger. Dutch driver Groskamp took his Infinity to second in all three rounds, the multi-time 1/10 Scale champion looking to secure his best ever starting spot in the 1/8 Scale class at the ENS.
Greiner sits third overall, despite breaking an engine in Q3 – the German already planning to fit a new engine later in the weekend anyway with a view to the longer finals. Hoppe sits fourth overall, with Jumpstart RC boss Thilo Diekmann holding a strong fifth. Oliver Kraehemann is sixth overall despite running in the ‘B’ heat, whilst Jeff Hamon, making the long trip from Australia to join the ENS for the first time, is looking to make his trip very worthwhile as he is seventh overall.
With the weather tomorrow (Saturday) looking a little uncertain still, the ENS team will attempt to get in two more qualifiers, before the finals start in the afternoon. If both can be completed, then each drivers’ three best scores will set their Finals positions. Otherwise, we have some great results today to fall back on before everyone heads into the long finals to determine the overall winner!
Link to the results on MyRCM: https://www.myrcm.ch/myrcm/report/en/70179/308683
1/10 Scale
Holthuis Secures Second ENS TQ
Milan Holthuis has wrapped up the overall TQ position in the 1/10 Scale Class after Friday’s action in the Netherlands. The Infinity driver topped all three rounds, so, like Gruber in 1/8 Scale, regardless of what happens tomorrow, he will start at the front for the 45-minute long final. However, his route to his second ever ENS TQ result wasn’t easy, as he was pushed closely by his likely title rival, and the winner in Ettlingen, Melvin Diekmann, as well as Tim Benson.
Diekmann sits second overall overnight, with a second place in Q2 and Q3 his reward after issues in Q1. Benson is within touching distance of the two class leaders and holds third, with Basile Concialdi and Jakub Rozycki making up the top five at the end of Day One.
Let’s see what tomorrow will bring, as although Pole Position is confirmed, the full line up for the finals needs to be set!
Link to the results on MyRCM: https://www.myrcm.ch/myrcm/report/en/70179/308681
1/8 +40 Masters
Kolff Denies Salven Early TQ
Michael Salven leads the Masters class after Friday, but has been denied an overall early TQ confirmation as fellow Dutch Serpent driver Julius Kolff took the third qualifier. Salven had topped the times in Q1 ahead of Torsten Muller (the winner in Ettlingen) and Q2 ahead of Peter Thys. Issues for Salven in Q3 handed the win to Kolff, with Thys taking second and Ettlingen TQ driver Lars Haugen in third.
This means overall, Salven sits at the top in front of Kolff, with Thys in third, ahead of Muller and Haugen. Tomorrow will be crucial to decide the grid order – if it’s not possible to run any more Qualifiers, Salven will have secured the Pole Position, but Kolff wants at least one shot at a chance to deny his team boss!
Link to the results on MyRCM: https://www.myrcm.ch/myrcm/report/en/70179/308682
1/8 Sport
Wenger Leads Sport Class after Friday
Martin Wenger is at the top of the tree in the 1/8 Sport class at the moment. The Swiss driver set the best time in Q2 and Q3 to give himself a good chance of the overall pole position.
Jan-Simon Knispel took the top seed position from practice, and then backed it up with the best time in the opening qualifier. However, he then lost out to Wenger in the second and third rounds, but still enough points to be second overnight. Behind, Max Hordijk, better known as John Ermen’s pit crew, proved he is as talented on top of the driver stand as underneath it, as he sits third overall in the class after Friday.
Link to the results on MyRCM: https://www.myrcm.ch/myrcm/report/en/70179/308680
You can follow all the results from the event on MyRCM, and the action on the track thanks to the AMCA Apeldoorn’s own Pullstart TV stream via Facebook and YouTube!