Dream-Team storm to victory at 3h race in Oberhausen
The 3-hour race held at Oberhausen in Western Germany saw a superior victory of the Dream-Team. When the 1/8 scale long-distance race was drawn to a close, the Serpent trio with Tobias Hepp, Frank Schewiola and Alain Levy had covered a distance of 454 laps – which is equivalent to 106 kilometer – to capture victory as one year ago. Team Odenthal Racing Parts S966 with Carsten Pruessmann, Ingo Odenthal and Ralf Vahrenkamp finished second but were already 52 laps down. With 360 laps third place went to 2-speed Racing Team with Sebastian Scheidweiler, Jean-Pierre Roenicke and Joerg Waeldle . So this team race turned out to give Serpent an impressive 1-2-3 victory.
Eleven teams made their entry for the 3h race at Oberhausen, more cannot be handled because not more than eleven drivers are possible at the rostrum. Finally nine teams met in the paddock on early Saturday morning. Unfortunately the 234 meter track was completely wet and it was still raining but not as much as forecast. Later rain stopped and the track dried up quickly so teams started to go out for a last hour of practice and final adjustments before the start at 4.00 PM. But the rain did come back and it was raining heavily from green light to chequered flag.
Because of the rain two teams – the Meister-Team with Karl-Heinz Meister, Matthias Meister and Michael Salven as well as the Team Shepherd Racing West with Andre Huntebrinker, Matthias Sielemann and Bjoern Hartlage – refused to join the race.
While the Dream-Team Hepp/Schewiola/Levy pulled away from the very first lap, the race was mourning some early retirements. After less than 30 minutes the Team MRC Oberhausen with Christian Roenicke, Stefan Lautenschlager und Markus Bastians had to stop because water crippled all three Mugen. Short before halftime the Team nitro-west.de had to strike sail. Joerg Baldes, Uwe Baldes and Christian Wurst who finished second in 2009, were hampered by engine problems. Following an engine change they could not rejoin the race because of a mysterious radio malfunction. The three Mugen racers pulled a long face. Until 25 minutes to the end the Team RCM Dueren was courageously lapping the circuit on rented rain tyres but than the steering servo collapsed and game was over for the Mugen trio Daniel Toennessen, Detlef Kueppers and Hubert Koepp.
Because of the dark rain clouds the strong flood lights was switched on earlier than expected and put the track under glare – it is always very special to drive under flood lights at Oberhausen.
The Dream-Team could extend its lead and finally catch a clear win following a doughty race and an excellent pit work by “crew chief” Ruediger Hepp. All three Serpent 966 were running extremely unfailing. The race went more turbulent for Team Odenthal Racing Parts S966. Already before the start the professional prepared strategy of team boss Werner Vogel became a waste-paper. During the race their S966 had to be rescued from the track a couple of times but at the end second place was invulnerably. The 2-speed Racing-Team with the junior drivers Scheidweiler, Roenicke and Waedle was fighting wholeheartedly and full of enthusiasm. Nothing could stop the team and finally their dedication was rewarded with third place.
The ungrateful fourth place went to Team Sliding Boys MRT Unna with Andreas Klaus, Martin Figge and Klaus Kirschner which brought two Mugen MRX4 and one Picco “youngtimer” to the start. Under the lead of the pit man Michael Woeste the Sliding Boys fought tough with clean laps and without living up to their team name. When the chequered flag dropped at 7 PM they missed third place by only ten laps.
All in all, the rain could not disturb the great atmosphere. The 3h-race has been a successful end of the 2010 nitro season in Western Germany.
Source: Nitro West [nitro-west.de]
