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| Race report by Carlos Manuel |
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| In the past weekend the 4th round of the Portuguese Nationals took place at Pista das Travessas, Sao Joao da Madeira, a very demanding track with a beautiful layout. |
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Saturday was a very busy day, my engine was very strange and with a temperature of 33 the tires were flying, a new set of tires without trimming only last 15 minutes.
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| Race day came and with almost hitting 40? of temperature and 60? in the asphalt, I started with number 2 for the qualifications, in the first heat I add a glow plug problem so I was forced to go in the pits ending with 16 laps in 5:10:03 making 3rd overall, second quali came and I felt the engine getting rich I went straight to the pits and my dad tuned it again, making 16 laps in 5:04:58 still too slow, in the third qualification my dad fixed the engine problem and I was finally ready to do my best, I went with new tires and almost broke Bruno Coelho track record(17.689), but I was happy with myself because I was able to break my record I did 17:738, last year the best I achieved was 17:869 so no question my NT1 was very fast, but still not a perfect quali, my engine flamed out in the last lap making 16 laps in 4:58:03 being the fastest time of the morning, and I was able to take TQ. |
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Super Pole went to Tomas Andrade, our youngest XRAY driver. Unfortunately only 1 more XRAY driver was able to pass to the final (Ricardo Sousa), the others had problems but they all had a great racing.
So the final came, and as I said my problem was the tires, I didnâ™t know what I should do, I was afraid that I changed tires and loose places , but after talking to my dad I figured out the best tactic, also I had to be in front of Franco Vilarinho to be in 1st place in the Nats. I started in 1st place, and with no mistakes I started to give a lot of laps in advance, at 15 minutes I was able to change 4 tires and still be in 1st place with 1 lap in advance of the second (that didn't change tires), so for me was just be safe until the end and I was, ending 3 laps in advance of the second. |
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| On the other hand Tomas at the 17 minute mark, after a change of tires his shock broke and spined out in the begging of the straight, but with his great driving he was able to take 3rd place. Ricardo Sousa also had made some mistakes and ended up in 7th. |
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| Final results were: |
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1. Carlos Manuel - XRAY NT1
2. Hugo Mendes
3. Tomas Andrade - XRAY NT1
4. Rolando caseiro
5. Franco Vilarinho
6. Filipe Pinheiro
7. Ricardo Sousa - XRAY NT1
8. Sandro Taniça
9. Tiago Afonso
10. Cristiano Coelho
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This time on the 1/8 Class I decided not to race, because it was a very demanding track and I needed to be focus on the 1/10 class, but we had another driver Ricardo Rocha racing, that was unlucky and broke his engine in the semifinal ending in 11th place.
Final 1/8 results were:
1. Paulo Mota
2. Raul Prata
3. Jorge Azinheira
4. José Félix
5. Nuno Almeida
6. Pedro Silva
7. Hugo Trindade
8. Rogério Araújo
9. Paulo Ferreira
10. Joaquim R?go
11. Ricardo Rocha - XRAY RX8
Now it all be decided in the last race at Madeira in October, I need end the race ahead of Franco to be National champion.
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