> News

Podium for Nogueira at second Portuguese 1:10 encounter (17/04/2008)

By:: Laurant
Linked to:: Mega ZX12 DSII Legal Race, Serpent 720 08 1/10th scale 200mm, Serpent 720 -09 1/10th scale 200mm

Last weekend the Portuguese 1:10 200mm Nationals continued with the second round at the Algarve track where as usual very nice weather welcomed the drivers and their machines. Similar to the 1:8 National event held there a week prior, Saturday would prove difficult for the drivers as a dirty track made it hard to find the perfect setup. Also for this race the organisers decided to use the slower layout of the circuit, a layout never raced before.

On Sunday, the qualifying pace was very high as Saturday's running had cleaned up the track and as expected all the official team drivers were up front. With no direct qualifiers to the Main Final, all the leading qualifiers had to run a Semi Final. Team Serpent Portugal drivers Gonçalo Almeida and Ricardo Nogueira made it through despite Nogueira having some trouble during his run.

The Main Final was a 30 minute affair and choosinng the right tyre would be very important with some drivers needing to change tyres after just 15 minutes ending any chance of a good result. Nogueira was fighting for top position when 20 minutes into the race, he unexpectedly ran out of fuel which dropped him back to 6th position. Back on track, he recovered well working his back up through the field to finish third and claim a podium placing for Team Serpent Portugal. Team-mate Gonçalo Almeida was also fighting for a top spot but lost some time on the last refuel and had to settle for sixth just 3 seconds adrift of the fourth place finisher.

Finishing on the podium puts Nogueira and his Serpent 720 top of the National Championship points standings with the next round at Monsanto, the track that will host the World Championship in August.

Portuguese 1:10 200mm National Championship
Round 2, Algarve
Main Final Result

1. Filipe Costa
2. Eduardo Dulac
3. Ricardo Nogueira (Serpent 720 '08/Mega ZX)
4. João Inácio
5. Bruno Coelho
6. Gonçalo Almeida (Serpent 720 '08/Mega ZX)
7. Luís Simões
8. Pedro Silva
9. José Pequito
10.Jaime Silva

Ricardo Nogueira and Gonçalo Almeida represented Serpent in the final

Nogueira's Mega ZX powered 720

Nogueira's Serpent on the grid at Algarve