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2008 IFMAR 1/12th ISTC
ELECTRIC ON-ROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
RADIO CONTROL SPEEDWAY – BANGKOK,THAILAND

Nov 11,2008

Qualify#5 Result

Naoto Matsukura claimed yet another TQ this morning in the penultimate qualifier for the 1:12 World Championships which will be decided here in Bangkok later today.  The 14-year-old Japanese star ran a very close heat with Associated team-mate Juho Levanen eventually claiming the fastest 8 minute run time of the event to put himself in the provisional overall TQ position.

Qualify#6 Result

He is the protege of Masami Hirosaka, he is back to back Japanese Champion and is rated very highly by the likes of Atsushi Hara, 15-year-old Yokomo hot property Naoto Matsukura is the Top Qualifier for the 2008 IFMAR 1:12 World Championship here in Bangkok, Thailand. Driving an Associated RC125R, Matsukura won the final qualifier to secure himself a place in the history books as he becomes the youngest ever World Championship Top Qualifier. Winning four of the six qualifiers the only one to come close to challenging to emerging world star was his Finnish 1:12 scale team-mate Juho Levanen who TQ’d Heat 3 & 4 giving the US manufacturer total domination here at Radio Control Speedway.

Sorted Result by point best 3 of 6

TOP 10
Top 10 qualifiers
1. Naoto Matsukura – JPN [Asso] – 465pts
2. Juho Levanen – FIN [Asso] – 463pts
3. Hupo Honigl – A [CRC] – 454pts
4. Marc Rheinard – DE [HB] – 453pts
5. Hideo Kitizawa – JPN [HB] – 453pts
6. Jilles Groskamp – NL [CRC] – 451pts
7. Simo Ahoniemi – FIN [Corally]- 447pts
8. Teemu Leino – FIN [Xray] – 445pts
9. Daisuke Yoshioka – JPN [HB] – 445pts
10. Andy Moore – UK [HB] – 444pts

TOP 10 1/12th Drivers
 

A-main 1st finial

Juho Levanen has won the first A Main of the 1:12 World Championship after being handed the race lead when his team-mate Naoto Matsukura clashed with an out of shape Marc Rheinard. Top Qualifier Matsukura was holding a comfortable and steady lead over his Associated team-mate when with just over a minute to go he got collected by Rheinard who lost the rear end of his Hot Bodies in the hairpin at the end of the back straight. The young Japanese star’s car left the track allowing Levanen to slip through to take the lead. Rejoining the track, such was the Associated team’s advantage over the field, Matsukura was able to hold on for second. Afterwards Rheinard was very apologetic for the incident which cost him a certain third place finish. Instead his Hot Bodies team-mate Hideo Kitazawa claimed the position. Starting from third on the grid Hupo Honigl saw his podium hopes dashed on the first lap after a clash sent his car crashing into the barrier. The Austrian CRC driver tried to continue but had to pull up early as the incident had tweak the car.

A-main 2nd finial

Naoto Matsukura has won the second leg of the A Main here in Bangkok to force the fight to go down to the third & final leg. The young Japanese ace who suffered cruel luck in the opening race cruised to a comfortable win over his team-mate and Leg 1 winner Juho Levanen. Although Levanen had the fastest lap of the race he was never a serious treat to Matsukura who appears to have a better handling car over the opening minute of the race. Levanen has little experience on asphalt and is still trying to find the perfect technique to saucing his tyres while Matsukura has plenty of knowledge having won back to back Japanese National titles on the black stuff.

While the Associated team-mates put on a display of formation driving up front the big battle of the race was for third with Hupo Honigl and Marc Rheinard enjoying a really close tussle. Running side by side the German eventually ran wide coming onto the main straight and with dirt on his tyres spun at the hairpin allowing Hupo’s CRC to take the place.

A-main 3rd finial

Naoto Matsukura is the 2008 IFMAR 1:12 World Champion. The 15-year-old won the title from Associated team-mate Levanen after taking victory in A Main number 3 to become the youngest ever IFMAR World Champion.

Source : redRC