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GREEN IS EUROPEAN VICE-CHAMPION AGAIN (22/08/2006)

By:: Laurant

Salven TQs, New 720 makes up half the grid

Mark Green has for the second year running taken the title of EFRA 1:10 European Vice-Champion.

Once again the Englishman missed out on the overall title by the smallest of margins finishing just 6 seconds behind Italian Dario Balestri.

Green was on the pace throughtout the entire event braking the track qualifying record in Thursday's timed practice recording 20 laps in a time of 5:14.473. After 3 of the 4 qualifying rounds the reigning British 1:8th Champion held the Friday's overnight TQ position from team-mate Jilles Groskamp.

Saturday's final qualifying saw a sensational run by Michael Salven who had found himself a lowly 21st overnight. Running in the same heat as team-mate Green, Salven recorded 20 laps in a time of 05:13.671 to snatch pole position from the Englishman who was the only other driver to record a 20 lap run.

Making only his second outing with the 720, world class electro racer Jilles Groskamp recorded fourth fastest time to make it three Serpents to qualify directly for the A final. Gilles also recorded the fastest outright lap time during the championships with a time of 15.399.

Two more 720s brought the total number of Serpents on the grid for the final to 5 with Italian Fabio Domanin and Austrian Gerhard Kandelhart coming up from the Semis.

The opening ten minutes of the final saw Salven lead from Green. A small mistake in the tricky damp condition by Salven then gave Green the lead who in turn made a small mistake. Salven fought back chasing down leader Vrieljinck before 1st gear failure forced him into retirement. Also making a mistake Vrieljinck handed the lead to Balestri in the dying minutes of the race with Green in close pursuit. Closing in on the Italian, the reduced race lenght of 30 minutes, meant Green was unable to catch the leader before the flag. Groskamp recorded the fastest lap of the final while Balestri's best race lap was slowest of the ten finalists.

While missing out on the overall win, Serpent proved its new 720 to be the quickest car throughout the championships recording the top 2 qualifying positions, fastest lap both overall & in the A final and toping the time sheets in all four qualiying runs.

2006 EFRA 1:10 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
MACH, The Netherlands
A Final Result

1. Dario Balestri (I) - 105 laps in 30:00.150

2. Mark Green (GB) - 105 laps in 30:06.101

3. Darren Johnson (GB) - 104 laps in 30:05.337

4. Rick Vrielijnck (NL) - 102 laps in 30:05.092

5. Martin Christensen (DK) - 102 laps in 30:21.885

6. Jilles Groskamp (NL) - 97 laps in 30:06.777

7. Fabio Domanin (I) - 94 laps in 29:59.781

8. Michael Salven (D) - 91 laps in 28:27.790

9. Gerhard Kandelhart (A) - 90 laps in 29:56.743

10.Manuel Hubert (A) - 72 laps in 30:27.722

Top Qualifier: Michael Salven - 20 laps on 05:13.671

Fastest Lap Time (Overall): Jilles Groskamp - 15.399 (Also recorded fastest lap of A final)

Fastest Qualifying Times -

Round 1 (Wet) - Jacky Mouton, Serpent 720/RB - 15 laps in 05:20.755

Round 2 - Jilles Groskamp, Serpent 720/Mega - 19 laps in 05:02.920

Round 3 - Mark Green, Serpent 720/Mega - 19 laps in 05:02.211

Round 4 - Michael Salven (TQ), Serpent 720/Mega - 20 laps in 05:13.671

A final Grid -

Serpent (5 cars) -
Grid Positions 1 (Salven), 2 (Green), 4 (Groskamp), 9 (Domanin), 10 (Kandelhart)

Mugen (3 cars) -
Grid Positions 3 (Vrielijnck), 6 (Cristensen), 8 (Huber)

Team Magic (2 Cars) -
Grid Positions 5 (Balestri), 7 (Johnson)

Mark Green in action on its way to becoming European Vice-Champion

TQ Michael Salven just before the start of the A final

Mark Green with Junior Euro Champion and SDD driver Kyle Branson

Mark Green celebrates on the podium

Michael Salven was TQ with his 720

Gilles Groskamp posted the fastest lap of the EC