We’re into the final round of 4wd qualifying here in Daun, Germany. The pace has been hot first thing this morning as drivers try to make amends for poor delivery of potential yesterday. There is a peacefulness in the pit area as brains are engaged to search for that elusive setup advantage.
We had no idea first thing final round of qualifying would be so thrilling. In the 4wd Stock class Simon Stegmeier again stretched his legs setting a new fastest time in the class. Tin Kunz finished second in round to secure 2nd overall ahead of Niklas Marhle and Chris Geier finished third in the table to push Mick Burbach down to fifth.
4wd Stock overall qualifying points.
The Modified Truck class, it was all to play for as nobody had definitively secured pole position yet. Jorn Neumann produced a typical World class display with his Schumacher Storm to take the op spot. Jorn really get ten-tenths from the car and it was up on two wheels on several occasions during the run. Jamiel Garbrielsson finished second in round which was not enough to displace Micha Widmaier from second on the grid. Widmaier was an early retirement on lap 12.
Jorn puts on World class displays of driving
4wd Stock overall qualifying points.
In the 4wd Modified class, there was another master class on display – this time from Joona Haatanen. But before we get to that, all eyes were on the second from top heat where Pekko Iivonen from Finland set a new fastest time to go provisionally fastest. The time of 17/509.79 was right at the sharp end and would take something special to beat. Joona, after having heart-breaking bad luck all weekend, got off to an extremely quick start but could not match the pace of Michal Orlowski who is on a level of his own this weekend. But from the outset it looked like beating Pekko’s time was on the cards. 13 laps in and Michal damaged his car forcing retirement. Haatanen was then able to put in some very quick laps to go fastest in round and beat Pekko’s time – 17/506.65. And the sensation of the weekend – Bartosz Zalewski coming home in third overall – 17/509.58 – also just ahead of Pekko.
Joona on his way to deny Orlowski the clean sweep
Overall 4wd Modified qualitying points
