‘From Race Control’ – Day 3, Finals

A much warmer start to the day than yesterday, it is Day 3 of the Euro Nitro Series at the Hockenheimring with Finals making up the schedule. In a change to the format of Rounds 1 and 2, drivers in the lower finals will now race just a single 20-minute main with the top 2 finishers bumping up to complete  the 10 car grids. For the two A-Main finals the grid will feature 12 cars, the B-Main offering the last opportunity for 2 drivers to be in contention for the overall win in Germany. For the 10 direct A-Main qualifiers there will be a 10 minute practice session after lunch with the 200mm A-Main due to start at 14:27 followed by the 1:8 A-Main, both races being 45-minute encounters.

Chassis Focus – Lars Hoppe

Chassis – Shepherd Velox V8 EC
Engine – Sonic
Fuel – Maxima
Tires (handout) – Enneti
Radio/Servo – KO Propo/Graupner
Body – Blitz TS 030

Remarks – Running the full line of Shepherd products, Lars Hoppe is in attendance here at the ENS Round3 in Hockenheim running a pretty standard version of the V8 “EC” edition powered by Sonic engines. Some parts that differ from the kit are a complete set of titanium screws, an aluminium ackermann plate and lightweight pivot balls on the front end.

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Chassis Focus – Alexander Hagberg

Chassis – Xray NT1 2014
Engine – Orcan
Fuel – Orcan
Tires (handout) – Enneti
Radio/Servo – Futaba/AME
Body – Protoform VRS Lightweight

Remarks – After missing the first two rounds, Alexander is making his first appearance in this year’s ENS here in Hockenheim, running the latest version of the Xray NT1 which sports some optionals, such as the aluminium brake lever and front anti-roll bar holder. To obtain a shorter wheelbase, the Swedish star decided to cut the rear arms and push them forward. He is also running without the front anti-roll bar and his chassis is set to the maximum flex.

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Chassis Focus – Teemu Leino

Chassis – Hot Bodies R10
Engine – Novarossi
Fuel – Runner Time
Tires (handout) – Enneti
Radio/Servo – Sanwa
Body – Protoform SRS Lightweight

Remarks – Making the trip to Germany together with HB’s very own Miyashita, Teemu is running a R10 equipped with Avid bearings and a revised upper deck, its design being more balanced between the left and the right side, this allowing for a better and more uniform flex. The receiver has also been moved from alongside the fuel tank on the left side to the outer right.

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Chassis Focus – John Ermen

Chassis – Xray RX8 2014
Engine – Reds Racing
Fuel – Tornado
Tires (handout) – Enneti
Radio/Servo – Sanwa/Savox
Body – Blitz R18 V2

Remarks – Winner of a very wet final in Aigen, the Dutch Xray team driver is running the 2014 spec RX8 chassis with a few option parts. The aluminium brake lever is meant to be obviously stronger but it also features more holes for the link, that allow for a fine adjustment of the force applied to the brake pads. On the front end, he is using aluminium downstops and upper arm holders that stay more rigid in the hot conditions and make the car more precise. John and his mechanic also worked to improve the body mounting, building some carbon stiffeners for the rear fins and some supports on the radio tray and bumper so that all the downforce from the body is actually transferred to the chassis.

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Chassis Focus – Ronald Volker

Chassis – Mugen MTX-6 Prototype
Engine – LRP
Fuel – Maxima
Tires (handout) – Enneti
Radio/Servo – Sanwa/Sanwa
Body – Protoform SRS Lightweight

Remarks – The recently crowned ETS champion Ronald Volker is attending the third round of ENS here in Hockenheim using a car he borrowed from fellow countryman and good friend Robert Pietsch. The big news, though, comes from the fact that the car he is running is a 99% stage prototype of the new 200mm car from Mugen Seiki which will be called MTX-6. We spoke to Ronald and Robert, who talked us through the main new features. First of all there are a bunch of reinforced parts, such as the chassis, the differential mounts, the rear arms and their mounting brackets, the rear differential plastic parts and the front turnbuckles. The second gear has also being reinforced, the spur and the pinion now being both 1mm wider, which together with the new carbon fibre stiffeners should help solve the problems that some customers had on the MTX-5 with their second gear. Staying on the rear end, the braking system is moved on the gear shaft, and its improved linkage provides more power. The front end also features new differential mounts that allow faster access and a new servo saver with interchangeable ackermann plates, while on both front and rear the car also sports lower shock towers.

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