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SURUTH TQ's 720 AND 960 AT SINGAPORE INVITATION CHALLENGE (01/08/2006)

By:: Laurant

The 2006 Singapore Invitational Challenge took place over the weekend at East Coast Park Raceway and it was Serpent driver Suruth, from Thailand, who TQ'd for both the 1:10 and 1:8 categories.

Organised by Marine Parade Radio Control Modelers Club, the two day event attracted entries from Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia with 63 drivers racing in 1:10 and 32 driver taking part in 1:8.

Driving the new 720 and the 960, Suruth used both cars to break the qualifying record and qualify directly for both of the 1 hour main finals. While qualify enjoyed dry conditions the rain arrived on Sunday just before the main finals meaning a wet 1:10 race. Choosing to run the final on a single set of tires Suruth led proceedings for 35 minutes. His strategy had not paid off and with his tires running very thin he had little choice but to reduce his pace result in him dropping to sixth by the end of the 1 hour encounter.

Also starting the 1:8 main final from pole, Suruth opted to run large tires and looked set to convert his TQ into victory as he took control of the race. However as the race entered the final 15 minutes once again his tyres went off.

Trying his best to maintain his lead, Suruth eventual had to conceed first position crossing the line just 2/10th of a second behind winner Nelson Lee.

Afterwards Suruth declared himself happy with the performace of the cars and admitted he had gotten his strategy wrong having not taken into account the high tire wear of the track.

Suruth's 720 was on pole for the Singapore Invitational Challenge

Also racing in 1/8th, Suruth TQ'd his 960 at East Coast Park Raceway