Haatanen keeps AE reign going with A1 win at Nurburgring

Joona Haatanen took somewhat of a surprise win in the first 2WD A-Main at the Euro Offroad Series heading home champion Lee Martin in a race that was turned on its head at the second corner.  Having dominated qualifying topping all four rounds, Team Associated filled the first three spots on the grid but just after the start the number 2 B6 of Ryan Cavalieri would get in to the rear wing of Top Qualifier Neil Cragg causing a pile-up that seemed to build on the buggy of 3rd place starter Spencer Rivkin.  Lee Martin and Haatanen would come off best from the pile up and subsequent chaos at the first double that promoted Rivkin back to third.  Leading for a lap, that same double would then catch out Martin, allowing Haatanen in a lead he would keep despite intense pressure in the closing laps to take a popular win, Martin in turn fending off pressure of Rivkin.  Behind the Top 3, a frustrated Cragg would manage to recover to fourth.

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