Simon Moss is running the Schumacher CAT SX here in Bilbao. The car is fairly standard with no development parts that we could see. Simon is using the 'stiff' chassis which has been custom machined to fit his lipo.

Simon went to a 4.5 motor during qualifying.

Some extra mounting holes drilled into the tower

Speed Passion 4.5 and GT2.0 Pro

GRENIT RC Audio Timer 3.0
One of the Swedish drivers showed us a new product from Grenit - the 'RC Audio Timer 3.0' - which to put it simply records laptimes in a similar fashion to the Orion Lap Counter system, using an infrared transponder in the car which is coupled with a track-level receiver to record the laps.

What makes the Audio Timer unique however is the live feedback the racer gets. The trackside receiver transmits the times live to the racer via a receiver and headphones - and they get instant verbal information on how the new line they are trying is effecting their lap times. You can even connect the unit to the computer afterwards to download all the laps for analysis.

The setup comes in a padded box

Transponder and trackside receiver

Drivers audio receiver

Both main units are powered by 2x AA

Fernando Santamaria Victor and Adrian used the Euro 2009 to test a prototype in collaboration with the pilot Joserra Ortiz, president of the club Organizer. The car uses some old Kyosho ZXR parts - the gear differentials have been modified to hold oil to adjust action.

Interview with Viktor Wilck from Sweden

How long have you been racing?
9 years, since I was 12 years old.

What are your best ever results on-road and off road?
I finished 5th at the World Championships 2006 in Italy, for touring cars. I competed in the Euros two years ago in Finland and made the B main, that is the only other off road event I have raced in.

Favorite class of racing?
Touring cars, I don't usually race offroad. I have started to race 1/8 scale nitro offroad just this year, I find it a little harder though.

Did you do much practice with the TRF511 before coming here?
We practiced two days in Germany.

Did you drive the 501x prior to driving the 511, if so what do you like about the updated model?
Yeah we used it at the euros in Finland. the 511 is easier to assemble, it's pretty much the same car.

ABBA or Ace of Base?
Abba :)

Have you been to the Tamiya factory - and can Jimmy come next time?
i have been there two times, It's by special invite only. I will ask for Jimmy. (yay)

Were you worried that you would be at a disadvantage joining the event halfway into the week when other drivers have had chance to learn the track with the 2wd?
Maybe a little bit but it's hard to say, 2wd and 4wd is such a different class, so same difference.

You said in the press conference that this is your first time driving on an astroturf track, which surfaces do you normally race on?
With touring csars it is normally carpet indoors and asphalt outdoors.

What do you do for your day job?
Actually now I race full time. Mainly it is weekends, but we try to practice in the week before big events.

It was hot as ....

Joffrey thermalled and had to be rebooted with this nifty electric motor cooler

Hot work in Jorns pits

Marc was quite pleased with TQing the 4WD

pos

name

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q5

PTS

1

Marc Rheinard

0

2

Neil Cragg

0

3

Viktor Wilck

5

4

Hubert Honigl

5

5

Jorn Neumann

6

6

Lee Martin

8

7

Martin Kreil

9

8

Tom Yardy

9

9

Paul Bradby

10

10

Peter Pinisch

11

Cragg gets badly out of shape and it's another Tamiya 1-2-3

Hupo turns too early and Cragg has nowhere to go

Hupo gets shunted off the track by accident.......

....But Cragg waits and gives the position back so it's all good, what a nice man.

Marc had it sewn up out front - Viktor didn't give up

Cragg pushed too hard

Mechanics prepare for A2

Toni Rheinard quickly places 10g extra weight on Marcs car to ensure there's no repeat of what happened to Viktor

Viktor Wilck stuffs it and Cragg is back through

Rheinard followed by Cragg

Cragg keeps his eyes on the prize - Marc drives hard.

Rhienard misses the target - but punts into the wall

Rheinard looks on as both Lee and Hupo pass by

But Hupo goes in too hard and rolls - Marc back to third

Marc muscles his way inside Lee to re-take the #2 spot - awesome wheel-to-wheel racing

Neil nearly losing it as he comes down the hill with a good lead.

Marc goes low......

...Lee goes high to again re-take 2nd

Interview wit Pererik nordman - nordic 4wd champ, kyosho driver.

Hola Pererik, where do you come from?
I live in Stockholm, Sweden.

Where do you normally race?
My home track is Greenhill in Skarpnack.

How long have you been racing model cars?
15 years.

Which classes?
Been racing touring cars for 12 years, and off road I did two years prior to that, now I'm back to buggying again.

Have you ever been a Viking?
Yes, I think that's a long time ago though.

You seem quite a big thing on the Swedish scene, you are the current Nordik 4wd champion? What other titles have you won?
This year I won the Swedish cup in offroad, both 2wd and 4wd. And I won the middle swedish cup in 2wd.

Are you just concentrating on off-road at the moment then?
I don't own a touring car at the moment but I'm considering racing one in the winter, I haven't really decided what I'll do in the winter season yet..

You have a busy race calender at the moment, with the Euros this week, and the Swedish Championships next week, which event are you the most enthusiastic about?
Of course for the Euros it is the race of the year, for 2wd I finished 14th overall so really pleased with that, I was aiming for top 40. Qualified 27th in 4wd. this is my first ever euros offroad.

Do you like the food in Spain?
A lot of things are raw,so no i wouldn't say I like the food here.

Interview with Ben Jemison - UK Junior super star

This is your first European Championships event - have you enjoyed being here?
I am enjoying it now after a bad start with breaking my car in 2wd and not enjoying the track to start with, but finished E4 in 2wd and doing well in 4wd so I'm enjoying it more now.

Many fellow top dogs seem to have ventured towards the 8th scalle rallycross scene, with some dropping out of 1/10th electric offroad altogether, do you see yourself following the same path now that you are all team?
Ehm yeah, I've started getting together some rallycross stuff. I'll probably start attending some smaller club events to get started, but I don't see myself dropping out of 1/10th electric offroad altogether, I never want to drop out.

Now that you've had chance to suss out the competition, who do you think will be the most difficult to beat?
The people who are qualifying with similar scores to me but who will be difficult to beat are probsbly Adam Skelding, Matt Latham and Kev Lee.

You've qualified in the C final in 4WD, that's a great result for your first Euros, to what do you owe your success?
Mick, Neil Cragg and Paul Bradby have been a great help to me this week with not only my car set up but also my driving around the track.

Do you like the food in Spainland?
I've been eating food that I would normally eat back home, like pizza, I'm not really one to try new foods.

Did you bring any money with you?
Yeah I did. there's not much left now though - why is this country so expensive?

Were you suprised to see LeeMag here?
Erm yes, he usually drops out at the last minute like at the clash and the neo where I had to fend for myself.

As an experienced track designer, what are your general feelings about the track here in Bilbao?
I can't really compare it to other European tracks, in my opinion the track hasn't been very well thought out in places, for example the quad because this is where it's going to be won or lost. the dirt sections have kinda been ruined by putting the speed bumps in, and because of that it's been cut up badly. The surface has been terrible when conditions have been moist when running 2wd because of the type of astro (rubber backed) that has been used.

ow does it compare to Robin Hood Raceway?
There is no comparison - Robin hood raceway is superior to all of the tracks I've raced on. RHR - Euros 2010? The venue is definitely capable of running a Euros event, it would just need undercover pitting which could be solved with using a marquee.

How many cans of Energy Drink are required to complete each round of racing on this track?
I usually consume 3 cans of dogmilk per round of qualifying but in the warmer weather I drink more water - i like to water down my dogmilk.

You seem a bit quiet at the moment, are you feeling factory?
Now that I've been to a Euros event, I feel spoilt by the organisation that we have in the UK.

The springs are modified Losi items.

The softer top half compresses first

Rheinard leading them around turn two

Cragg rolls after the quad

Lee Martin gets a Jorn up his bottom

-Lap 2 - as Hupo makes a mistake and falls back, Jorn and Lee are once again going off their pups

Lee and Jorn are AT IT AGAIN!

Bullseye!! Hupo loses it coming down the hill.

Viktor also loses it down the hill......

......Cragg makes his move for 2nd

Viktor again loses control on the final lap - but after an error from Cragg he got the position back.

Marc Rheinard, 2009 EFRA 4WD 1/10th off road European Champion.

pos

name

Country

A1

A2

A3

Chassis

PTS

1

Marc Rheinard

DE

1

3

1

Tamiya TRF 511

2

2

Neil Cragg

GB

3

1

3

Associated B44

4

3

Hubert Honigl

AT

2

4

4

Tamiya TRF 511

6

4

Viktor Wilck

SE

-

5

2

Tamiya TRF 511

7

5

Lee Martin

GB

9

2

8

Associated B44

10

6

Paul Bradby

GB

4

7

6

Associated B44

10

7

Tom Yardy

GB

7

8

5

Yokomo BMax4 '09

12

8

Peter Pinisch

AT

6

6

7

Associated B44

12

9

Jorn Neumann

DE

5

9

9

Yokomo BMax4 '09

14

10

Martin Kreil

AT

8

10

10

Durango DEX410

18