Last weekend saw the fifth round of the Dutch National championship at the difficult and technical track of the MBC de Sluis at Gouda. Everyone was really busy on Saturday finding the right setup, and by the end of the day it was clear that team drivers Daan Jacobs and Maarten van Lierop were the pace setters on the practice day. Team XRAY was the team to beat on Sunday.
Richard Jacobs and Daan Jacobs (click to enlarge)
National class:
On Sunday we again encountered some computer malfunctions after the second qualification, so the first two didnâ™t count and we had to drive two new qualification runs; that was bad news for XRAY driver Daan Jacobs who had set a really good time in the second qualification.
After the new runs started, Daan Jacobs kept his head cool and again set the fastest time followed by teammate Maarten van Lierop and XRAY driver Pedro Rombouts who closed up the top three by only 0.1sec behind Maarten.
Nomac class:
In the Nomac class they had the same problem with the computer so only two runs counted there, too. Ricardo Hofmeijer set the fastest time in the two runs, followed by XRAY driver Ricardo van Dam who again did a great job and showed he is really going for the championship this year. The top four were rounded out by Peter Verkerk and the XRAY Girl Ingeborg Gommers.
Top four â“ National Class: 1). Daan Jacobs XRAY NT1
2). Maarten van Lierop XRAY NT1
3). Pedro Rombouts XRAY NT1
4). Sander Borghoff
Top four â“ Nomac Class:
1). Ricardo Hofmeijer 2). Ricardo van Dam XRAY NT1
3). Peter Verkerk 4). Ingeborg Gommers XRAY NT1
Final cars of Daan and Maarten (click to enlarge)
Nomac Class â“ Final:
This race was a big battle between the two XRAY drivers: Ricardo van Dam and Ingeborg Gommers. After the start, Ricardo Hofmeijer and Peter Verkerk dropped back in the field and let the two first spots for Ricardo van Dam and Ingeborg. They both drove a constant race and got a lead of 2 laps ahead of 3rd place driver Jeroen Emmens. Ricardo was the first one over the line followed only 3 seconds behind by Ingeborg. With the win by Ricardo van Dam, he was crowned the new Dutch National Champion of the Nomac class with four wins and a 2nd place, all with one race still left to go. Congratulations Ricardo!
Nomac Class â“ Final Result: 1). Ricardo van Dam XRAY NT1
2). Ingeborg Gommers XRAY NT1
3). Jeroen Emmens
4). Peter Verkerk
Nomac class podium (click to enlarge)
National Class â“ Final:
In the National class, anything is possible in the championship, and there were still four racers that could make a good challenge to be the new national champion.
After the start of the race, XRAY drivers Daan Jacobs, Maarten van Lierop and Pedro Rombouts could get a bit space from the rest of the field but we didnâ™t make it that easy for each other. With very close racing between the three of us, it was only a matter of time that some of us would make a mistake. We hold it together for 4 laps like this and then it happened: all three got in trouble with each other and crashed. That was how Jurgen Geelings passed the three of us and was took his turn leading the pack. After a couple of laps it was Maarten van Lierop who was back after Jurgen and took the lead again with a real nice overtaking move. Also, Daan Jacobs overtook Jurgen a couple of laps later and was back into 2nd place but then again there was really bad luck for Daan Jacobs whose engine flamed out, (and this wasnâ™t the only time in this race that happened). But Daan was fast enough and could get back in 6th position after Pedro Rombouts was disqualified because of an incorrect nitro level in his fuel. So it was team driver Maarten van Lierop who finished by 2 laps ahead of Niels Pourchez (2nd) and Sander Borghoff (3rd).
National Class â“ Final Result: 1). Maarten van Lierop XRAY NT1
2). Niels Pourchez
3). Sander Borghoff
4). Jurgen Geerlings
5). Arco de Jong 6). Daan Jacobs XRAY NT1
7). Bas Geurds XRAY NT1
