Atsushi Hara wins C-Netic Challenge 2013
The 2013 C-Netic Challenge took place at the Wiyung International Buggy Track in Surabaya, Indonesia this past weekend. The track is probably one of the most brutal known to off-road racing with its banked and curved jump sections, lap times in the 50’s and the hard, abrasive surface that is reminiscent of the one drivers faced at the 2010 Buggy Worlds in Thailand. Beside the attendance of many Asian hot shots the “International R/C Buggy Championship” also had a good amount of foreign drivers to offer such as Kyle McBride who lead the Australian delegation, Jared Tebo from the U.S., Teemu Leino, Renaud Savoya, Joseph Quagraine and Robert Batlle who came over from Europe while Atsushi Hara and Yuichi Kanai flew over representing Japan with the latter three being current or past 1/8 Buggy World Champions underlining the international flair of the event.
The controlled practice had Kyle McBride setting the early pace with the only 7 laps run in the 5 minute heats followed by Jared Tebo and Renaud Savoya. Atsushi Hara and fellow countryman Wataru Takashiro completed the top 5. Robert Battle, Teemu Leino, and 8th placed Zac Ryan all finished seven seconds behind Tebo promising a tight qualifying that would consist of four rounds with the best three to count. The first and second round went to Renaud Savoya (Xray) and Robert Batlle (Mugen) respectively, while round three and four to Atsushi Hara who was running a box stock non-sponsored Kyosho MP9 this weekend. A second place in round 1 then handed Atsushi the overall TQ followed by Renaud and Robert. Jared Tebo (Kyosho) was sitting in 4th with Wataru Takashiro and JQ in 5th and 6th respectively. Teemu Leino, Craig Laughton, Yuichi Kanai and Meen V. completed the top 10.
Following the lower finals the main was run with 16 cars and first up it was Hara who lead the race after early leader Savoya crashed in the beginning. Hara was able to build a gap on the remainder of the field but around 15 minutes into the race Kyle McBride took the lead followed by Hara and Batlle. Around half time Hara and McBride looked like they would be more or less in control of things but Savoya stormed by, closely followed by Battle who later had to bury its dreams of winning the race due to an additional pit stop. With McBride and Hara crashing and recovering several times Savoya looked like he could take advantage of the proceedings on top but the Frenchman broke his Xray nearly causing a crash with the leader while trying to take the car back to the pits. On the front end of the field worn tyres made for more crashes with McBride looking to have a slight advantage over Hara, but a tyre damage on Kyle’s Kyosho gave Atsushi an advantage. A late McBride crash was all that was needed to have Atsushi taking the lead in the closing stages handing the Japanese ace the win some 16 seconds in front of Kyle McBride with Jared Tebo, two laps down, making for a perfect Kyosho 1-2-3. Aaron Stringer and Craig Laughton completed the top 5.
A-final result
1. Atsuhi Hara
2. Kyle McBride
3. Jared Tebo
4. Aaron Stringer
5. Craig Laughton
6. Robert Batlle
7. Ery Setiawan
8. Napatrapee
9. Joseph Quagraine
10.Yuichi Kanai
11.Renaud Savoya
12.Adrian Wicaksono
13.Chavit S.
14.Meen Vejrak
15.Edward Joesoef
16.Wataru Takashiro
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66iqK5n4qP8[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GA7ASaz6Ds[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6JrOJR4YzM[/youtube]
Source: C-Netic [c-netic.com]
