Pos.

Name (ES24 RACERS)

Qual.

Semi.

SFal

1.

Brian Saunders (GB)

4.499

382.39

497.90

2.

Tobias Lestrell (S)

4.405

389.48

488.79

3.

Peteris Taurins (LV)

4.415

382.51

484.28

4.

Jirka Karlik (CZ)

4.548

388.63

482.77

5.

Anders Gustafson (S)

4.613

372.37

482.52

6.

Lasse Åberg (S)

4.515

386.62

473.93

7.

Pavel Flaisig (CZ)

4.584

370.21

461.39

8.

Andris Podosinoviks (LV)

4.477

387.81

374.00

9.

Michael Landrud (S)

4.424

369.12

–

10.

Janne Ekman (S)

4.568

368.85

–

11.

Mikael Palmqvist (S)

4.591

361.37

–

12.

Tommy Berggren (S)

4.713

357.20

–

13.

Harri Nykanen (SF)

4.579

356.42

–

14.

Steen Michaelsen (DK)

4.747

355.63

–

15.

Marko Pirinen (SF)

4.830

355.57

–

16.

Mikael Gustafsson (S)

4.603

354.68

–

17.

Dan Gustafsson (S)

4.623

353.17

–

18.

Milos Hojer (CZ)

4.722

353.15

–

19.

Graham Woodward (GB)

4.717

346.13

–

20.

Torgny Nordgren (SF)

4.863

343.96

–

21.

Sandis Spricis (LV)

4.813

343.56

–

22.

Sven-Erik Ohlsson (S)

4.990

343.15

–

23.

Ugis Viksne (LV)

4.879

342.60

–

24.

Lars Harrysson (S)

4.972

341.05

–

25.

Markus Andersson (S)

4.741

334.20

–

26.

Lasse Törn (S)

4.868

333.59

–

27.

Erik Noltensmeijer (DK)

4.972

328.21

–

28.

Heikki Sinisaari (SF)

4.829

326.95

–

29.

Kennet Signal (S)

5.041

325.95

–

30.

Kari Sinisaari (SF)

5.089

322.46

–

31.

Mike Read (GB)

5.171

317.39

–

32.

Michael Lorin (S)

4.644

313.50

–

33.

Keith Gibson (GB)

4.688

309.65

–

34.

Robin Lundmark (S)

4.867

309.23

–

35.

Mister Berra (S)

5.238

306.85

–

36.

Daniel Ax (S)

5.654

305.98

–

37.

Lars Nörkjaer (DK)

4.766

304.88

–

38.

Martin Nilsson (S)

4.784

304.06

–

39.

Eric Signal (S)

4.768

299.00

–

40.

Robert Hjelm (S)

5.354

290.28

–

41.

Janis Rage-Ragis (LV)

4.607

253.00

–

42.

Mia Ekman (S)

4.774

214.00

–

43.

EEher LEErell (S)

4.956

210.00

–

44.

Atte Lyyske (SF)

4.614

191.00

–

45.

Christer Helgesson (S)

4.739

143.00

–

46.

Justus Pohjasniemi (SF)

4.530

116.00

–

Pos.

Name (OPEN G12 RACERS)

Qual.

Semi.

SFal

1.

Michael Landrud (S)

4.893

364.26

466.11

2.

Steen Michaelsen (DK)

4.805

371.17

460.61

3.

Brian Saunders (GB)

4.657

366.96

455.94

4.

Jirka Karlik (CZ)

4.929

363.61

453.74

5.

Anders Gustafson (S)

4.956

365.29

453.73

6.

Lasse Åberg (S)

4.826

361.60

442.28

7.

Lars Nörkjaer (DK)

4.865

367.07

439.36

8.

Atte Lyyske (SF)

4.848

361.86

394.34

9.

Tobias Lestrell (S)

4.853

360.56

–

10.

Graham Woodward (GB)

4.797

357.06

–

11.

Lars Harrysson (S)

4.899

355.04

–

12.

Pavel Flaisig (CZ)

5.074

353.01

–

13.

Esther Lestrell (S)

5.109

350.29

–

14.

Andris Podosinoviks (LV)

5.044

349.72

–

15.

Christer Helgesson (S)

5.085

347.78

–

16.

Martin Nilsson (S)

5.006

347.09

–

17.

Peteris Taurins (LV)

4.832

345.76

–

18.

Mikael Gustafsson (S)

4.910

345.68

–

19.

Mikael Palmqvist (S)

5.274

341.58

–

20.

Dan Gustafsson (S)

5.175

340.29

–

21.

Keith Gibson (GB)

4.947

339.73

–

22.

Tommy Berggren (S)

5.128

338.04

–

23.

Erik Noltensmeijer (S?)

5.382

333.64

–

24.

Torgny Nordgren (S)

5.229

330.99

–

25.

Janne Ekman (S)

4.921

330.34

–

26.

Janis Rage-Ragis (LV)

5.186

329.22

–

27.

Milos Hojer (CZ)

5.024

327.24

–

28.

Justus Pohjasniemi (SF)

5.019

325.78

–

29.

Torbjörn Wågman (S)

5.115

316.95

–

30.

Birger Elfström (S)

5.007

315.95

–

31.

Michael Lorin (S)

5.131

315.95

–

32.

Sandis Spricis (LV)

5.226

314.97

–

33.

Eric Signal (S)

5.429

311.27

–

34.

Ugis Viksne (LV)

5.400

310.33

–

35.

Lasse Törn (S)

5.067

309.12

–

36.

Sandra Karlikova

5.316

308.45

–

37.

Kari Sinisaari (SF)

5.240

306.00

–

38.

Marko Pirinen (SF)

5.268

303.76

–

39.

Bo Åkesson (S)

5.382

303.60

–

40.

Harri Nykanen (SF)

5.415

302.34

–

41.

Markus Andersson (S)

5.160

301.82

–

42.

Mia Ekman (S)

5.166

300.82

–

43.

Daniel Ax (S)

5.484

299.80

–

44.

Mike Read (GB)

5.256

296.28

–

45.

Robin Lundmark (S)

5.717

294.12

–

46.

Mikael Snsson (S)

5.794

291.57

–

47.

Sven-Erik Ohlsson (S)

5.343

288.20

–

48.

Mister Berra (S)

5.474

287.61

–

49.

Robert Hjelm (S)

6.059

270.07

–

50.

Heikki Sinisaari (SF)

5.325

261.54

–

51.

Lasse Pettersson (S)

5.872

260.10

–

52.

Kennet Signal (S)

5.363

166.00

–

ES 24

ES32

1/32 F1

1/24 PRODUCTION

April 19, 2007 - The American Championship for Scale Racing is over. Winner is Greg Gilbert . Three times in a row he finished as runner-up, but this year, even the bEE Brian Saunders could not stop him to win eventually the most important race, the one for ES24 cars. It were no USRA Div II Nats as in the past. With Paul Gawronski, the world champion in scale racing, and Paul Ciccarello, having retired from active racing, we should get at least a new name on the wall of fame. Indeed, since the first official USRA Div II Nats in 1998 up to 2006 Gawronski (6 times) and Ciccarello (3 times) won at the 9 previous editions. It should be ungrateful to think that Greg Gilbert could only win thanks to the absence of Gawronski and Ciccarello. He drove such a splendid race that, even should they have been in, he should had the bEE chances to win. Biggest surprise was that Gilbert had to fight until the real last lap to beat an unbelie-vable fast Chris Radisich. At the SFish the difference between him and Greg was only one lap. England's Brian Saunders, who finished last year as runner-up to Gawronski, TQ-ed in 2"352 against 2"391 for Brazil's "Gugu" Bernardino and 2"432 for Greg Gilbert himself. he drove a faster car than all others, Saunders came 24 laps short to win.
There were 25 entries - highest figure of all races on the Gary Gerding FLV at this USRA Div II Nats - with Herman James, Fred Hood, Les Wright (yes, the wing car racer!), Joe "Chubbie" Salzman (another wing car racer), Lou Pirro and Monthy Ohren as other top guns. Fred ran in technical problems at his B Main and was 17th on 25. Pirro won the C-final and finished 14th overall. Les Wright was fifth in the B-SFal and 12th overall, just ahead over Herman James who had not a fast car. Chubbie did it very well at his first scale race, SFishing 10th overall. Disappointing was Monthy Ohren, SFishing not higher than 25th. Of the 16 races at the USRA Div II Nats (9 for pros and 7 for amateurs) the ES24 race went as lonely one for IOC points. So the IOC-list has been updated. Greg Gilbert moves up from rank 60 to 56. "Gugu" remains on rank 9. Saunders jumps over "Beuf" Pedersen to rank 15. He's by far the bEE British all-time racer. Chris Radisisch comes back in the top-100 and is now on rank 84. William Burnside is the bEE rookie of the meeting and is now at rank 629.

The organiser of this year's USRA Div II Nats did great efforts to make it a big event. However, entry was pretty low. At the Cobalt G12 race there were only five entrants. At the 4.5" Pro Nascar only seven racers showed. There has been lots of controversies since the entry fee per race was $ 20. Racers complained about, also about the fact that some rules were changed. But it's like always: who pays for the event decides upon the event. American racing is not like European racing. In Europe it are clubs organising big events, in the US it are commercial track owners. One cannot blame them for asking $ 20 per race, because they have to make their living up by it, and I am afraid that, viewed the low entry at most races, the organiser lost money on it. So why to blame him? He took the risk to organise the meeting in a SFe hotel, his criticasters took no risk at all and should be wiser.

Absent at the USRA Div II Nats was good old Paul Kassens. Nobody paid him a plane ticket to go to Essington. So we missed the traditional pics of the podiums (we found even not one single pic of winner Greg Gilbert on the web site!), of the winning cars, and we missed above all Paul himself. What he does since years for the promotion of slot-racing - all done without money - is fabulous. It's time that racers realise that. Without Paul no American slot-race event can be big. Paul is part of top events. That's the reason why IMCA will pay him a plane ticket and hotel costs to come to the November 2-4 IMCA Worlds. It's from Ostend 2002 that we didn't see him here in Europe. By inviting him we wish to show how much we appreciate what he's doing for our hobby sport.

A last remark. There are too much classes at the USRA Div II Nats. Why not restricting the event to the four classes raced by ISRA, thus to ES24, ES32, 132F1 and G12 Production? What is the value of winning a race when the entry is even not enough to fill the eight lanes? On rEEricting the event to four classes duration of the event can be restricted to four days, so that the racers have not to pay too high hotel costs. Experience learns that the entry is much higher at events with short duration than at endless meetings. Now some racers had to stay in Essington during ten to twelve days. That's much too long, too expensive for most of them. Now too many good scale racers were missing. [JPVR]

7th GERMAN MASTERS, MINDEN (D) - May-17-20, 2007 (IOC-RACE)

7th INT'L ES24 GERMAN MASTERS Minden (D)

7th INT'l G12 GERMAN MASTERS at Minden (D)

2nd NEC 132F1

2nd NEC G12

The ES24 race at ISRA's North-European Championship has been upgraded to one of the nine top events for scale cars this year. Top-8 win res. 20, 15, 12, 9, 6, 3, 2 and 1 point for the IOC ranking.

October 8-9, 2007 - I admire the way the 2007 ISRA Worlds started. Despite an unbelievable high entrance at the Team Race (132 entrants!!!) Okali & Co succeeded to have the race finished before midnight. They published on line results and by midnight all those results were finished on the ISRA web site. Such on-line results are extremely welcome for the rest of the slot-racing press.
There were nine heats of 8 x 5' in total with 7 racers at the 6 first heats and 8 entrants at the three last heats. Last minute entrants were the Brazilians Jose Marioo Serra and Paolo Gonçalvez. With two heats to go my personal favourite for the ES24 Worlds - Ladislav Szalai- who teamed with Ladislav Koterba jr was by far the fastest team with still 16 teams to go. But even with only one heat to go they remained on the lead. Indeed, at heat B two superb all-round racers, Lasse Åberg (S) and Brian Saubnders (GB) were the generally expected winners, but they achieved only 646.21 laps against 655.21 for our two Slovakian racers. So it was waiting the real last heat to see if Szalai/Koterba jr should be the overall winners. Now the real top guns came in action with Vladimir Horky/Josef Korec as top favourites. The Czech duo, having won among them no less than ... ten official world championships, however, disappointed. Having lost already six laps at their first segment they were immediately leaded by Paolo Trigilio (I)/Antónin Vojtik (CZ), followed at two laps by Michael Landrud/Mikail Palmqvist from Sweden. Since Szalai/Koterba jr made a very slow first segment, that implied that they lost after the first segment no less than eight full laps on the Italian/Czech duo setting the pace. Of the eight last entrants only Tomas Rosenberg/Pavel Flaisig achieved 74 laps just as Szalai/Koterba did in their first segment.
After two segments Landrud/Palmqvist were the new leaders (167 laps) with one lap over Trigilio/Vojtik and fivee over Petr Krcil/Jiri Karlik. Now Szalai/Koterba jr were - due to their poor start - already ninth overall, even one lap down to Piero 'Il Bandito' Castricone/Guido Satarelli who were at that moment last in heat A. During their third segment, however, they realised 85 laps. Nobody of the A finalists reached such total in their third segment. With 84 laps Trigilio/Vojtik came after three segments with equal laps as Landrud/Palmqvist (both 250 laps in total against 239 for Szalai/Koterba jr after three segments). Krcil/Karlik were third overall at four laps, followed by Anders Gustafson (S)/Lars Harysson (S) with 242 laps, Andris Podosinoviks/Janis Rage-Ragis with 241 laps and Korec/Horky with 240 laps. That implies that Szalai/Koterba jr were only three laps down to the fourth place after three segments.
During the fourth segment Trigilio/Vojtik realised 85 laps against 80 for Landrud/ Palmqvist on the outer lane. That means that at mid-race Trigilio/Vojtik were leading the Swedes by five laps (385 against 380). Then followed Krcil/Karlik with 328 and Gustafson/Harrysson with 325. Szalai/Koterba jr had realised 321 laps at mid race, as many as Podosinoviks/Rage-Ragiis and even one more than Korec/Horky. That means that at mid-race they were already fifth overall. After five segments Trigilio and Vojtik were still leading but only with three laps (417 against 414). Krcil/Karlik followed already on twelve laps, four more than Korec/Horky who passed Podosino-viks and Rage-Ragis. Since Szalai/Koterba jr totalised 401 laps after five segments, just as much as Korec/Horky they were already fourth. During the sixth segment they had realised 86 laps. Since except for Landrud/Palmqvist (87) nobody of the A finalists could do better that implied that they were moving up to the podium. Indeed after six segments standings were: 1. Landrud Palmqvist 501 laps; 2. Trigilio/Vojtik 499 laps, 3. Szalai/Koterba jr 487 laps (coming from heat D), 4. Krcil/Karlik 487 laps, 5. Podosinoviks/Rage-Ragis 480 laps, 6. Gustafson/Harrysson 479 laps and 7. Horky-Korec 475 laps.
During the two last laps Trigilio/Vojtik could no longer follow the pace set by the Swedes so that they finished second, nine laps down top the winners Michael Landrud and Mikael Palmqvist. Szalai/Koterba sr finished much faster in the two last segments than Krecil/Karlik, so that they reached the lowest spot on the podium. If their start should not have been that of a diesel, they could have even finished as runners-up! [JPVR]

Brian Saunders

Piero Castricone

Paolo Trigilio

Michael Landrud

THE QUALIFICATIONS - October 9-10, 2007 - For Vlado Okali & Co the challenge continues. Today they have to manage the 32F1 race with no less than !( entrants. The race started with the qualifications. Here Guido Santarelli (I) gave full evidence that his victory of last year in ES32 at the 2006 ISRA Worlds was no pure chance. Indeed, Santarelli was the fastest qualifier in 5"009. Second fastest was the winner of yesterday's team race Michael Landrud (S) who seems the best prepared racer at the 2007 Revuca ISRA Worlds. He clocked 5"135. Third place went to Piero 'Il Bandito' Castricone (I) with 5"149.  Fourth was Andris Podosinoviks (LV) with 5"169. Mikael Palmqvist (S) confirmed his victory of yesterday, since he clocked the fifth best time. The same cannot be said about Ladislav Koterba jr (SVK), yesterday still third, but today only 68th.
32 Formula 1 is a typical British speciality. Without the Britons this class should no longer exist today. Surprisingly only two British racers out of a total of 15 realised a time within the first 24: Brian Saunders and Paul Shepherd (end August still second at the BSCRA 24 Nats). No less than six British racers finished at the qualifications among the 28 last. Among them even good old George Kimber. For them it's nearly impossible to finish among the 24 first of the Consis: otherwise they are out for the Semis (at ISRA one works with three Semis instead of two, with the eight best making the move to the Main).  
Qualifying among the 24 first is important in ISRA racing, since it gives right to compete in the three last consis with the fastest racers. Among the famous racers having missed the top-24 at the Qualificattions we find Antónin Vojtik (CZ) - yesterday still second at the team race - Justus Pohjasniemi (SF, who fails already the complete 2007 season to confirm his fine results of last year), Charles Gooding (GB, the weight of the years?), Keith Gibson (GB, at the BSCRA Nats still winner of the 24G12 race), Janis Rage-Ragis (LV), Paul Harwood (GB), Thomas Rosenberg (CZ, making a difficult come-back after a Sabbath year), Anders Gustafson (S, yesterday still sixth at the team race), young Heikki Sinisaari (SF), Harri Nykanen (SF, this year still winner of the ES24 at the NEC), Greg Gilbert (USA, this year still American champion scale racing) and the earlier named George Kimber.
Slovakia has its two best racers among the 24 best qualifiers. Ladislav Szalai realised the 13th time and Jozef Miskolci (who lost yesterday 30 laps at a decisive heat) who realised the twentieth time.

THE CONSIS - At the four first consis only Milos Hojer (242.37 Laps) and Geoege Kimber (233.23 laps) maintained a small chance to reach the 24 first. All others may be considered as out. After five new heats, with still two heats to go no clear view on who can make the move to the Semis. All we know is that the following racers will be found at the Semis: Guido Santarelli, Michael Landrud, Piero Castricone and Andris Podosovinoviks (free from the Consis, since they were the four fastest qualifiers). Four other racers are now sure to make the move: Miroslav Vadlech (CZ), Paul Shepherd (GB), Tomas Rosenberg (CZ) and Sandis Spricis (LV).  For George Kimber (GB) there is no more hope to move to the Semis. With still 16 racers to go Kimber is already 20th, whilst only 20 racers can make the move together with the four fastest qualifiers. But also for "Gugu", Justus Pohjasniemi, Paul Harwood and Keith Gibson chances are now pretty small that they'll reach the Semis.
The two last heats were dramatic for the racers of Slovakia since Ladislav Szalai as well as Jozef Miskolci both finished lower than the 40th place overall. Another surprising looser was Jiri Karlik (CZ). Only two Britons survived: Brian Saunders and Paul Shepherd. Much better did those other specialists of 32F1 racing: the Italians. With Guido Santarelli, Piero Castricone, Paolo Trigilio and Sergio Bertocchi they have four drivers in the Semis. The Czechs have seven semi-finalists: Vladimir Horky, Petr Krcil, Miroslav Vadlech, Josef Korec, Antónin Vojtik, Tomas Rosenberg (unexpected) and Martin Hojer. Milos Hojer misses the move for two little track segments. Latvia has three semi-finalists: Andris Podosinoviks, Janis Nakobins and Sandris Spricis. A relative new comer in 32F1 racing is Sweden, but they place no less than five racers for the Semis: Michael Landrud, Tobias Lestrell (the revelation at the Swedish Masters), Mikael Palmqvist, Anders Gustafson and Lasse Åberg. Russia, having won the 32F1 race at the ISRA Warm-Up meeting, has (of course) Nikolay Dolzhanskyiin the Semis. Luis "Gugu" Bernardino  (BR) and Greg Gilbert (USA) gave full evidence what for superb all-rounders they are since both qualified for the Semis. Those Semis are contested on Wednesday morning with the Main around noon.
During years the Fyhr Bros from Finland dominated 32F1 racing. Now that they are both absent Finland has nobody in the Semis. Their best racer was Justus Pohjas-niemi, finishing 216th overall. Ukraine, Lithuania, Malta and Slovakia have also nobody in the Semis.
Composition of the Semis is now well-known; In the fastest semi we'll fins the four fastest qualifiers and the four first of the consis. That gives Santarelli, Landrud, Cas-tricone, Podosinoviks, Horky, Saunders, Lestrell and Krcil. Experience from the past learns that in most cases six of the fastest Semi move to the Main.

 Santarelli Guido

 Hojer Milos

CZ

Vladimir Horky

Antónin Vojtik

Petr Krcil

Josef Korec

THE QUALIFICATIONS - October 10-11, 2007 - In ISRA racing the qualifications are somewhat the master key to success. Racers qualifying at the four first places are directly placed for the Semis, where they can start in the last and fastest Semi. Qualifying between fifth and twelfth is also important, since that gives the right to start in the fastest Consi giving a high chance to make the move to the Semis. Qualifying between 13 and 20 remains interesting, because then one can start in the second fastest Consi. Qualifying lower than 20 lets only small chances to make the move to the Semis. 
Exactly 100 racers started in the ES32 race (organised already since 1974 (with an interruption from 1982 to 1984). From 1974 to 1981 the ES32 was organised as a European Championship by ESRAC (later transformed in ESROC). In 1985 the UES organised again a European ES32 Championship and continued to do so unitil 1991. Up from 1992 ISRA was the organiser of the ES32 and called it a "world champion-ship". That however conflicts with the 1985 patent on the term "world championship" where only one world championship for scale racers was recognises, that for 1/24th scale cars. So, officially, ISRA's ES32 race is yet always the "European ES32 Nats" like it was from 1974 to 1991.
Of the 100 entrants we note 15 racers from Sweden and the United Kingdom, 14 from Czechia, 10 from Latvia, 9 from Italy, 7 from Russia and Ukraine, only six from the organising country (but no Jozef Miskolci), five from Finland, , 4 from Lithuania, 3 from Estonia, 2 from the USA and 1 from Brazil, Australia, Austria and Malta. Let's now have a look how many of each country finish among the top 32 (thus being sure to be in one of the three fastest Consis). Sweden has only 4 of its 15 racers in the top 32 (Landrud, Åberg, Tobias Lestrell and Palmqvist).  United Kingdom has only 3 of its 15 in the top-32 (Woodward, Gooding and - only 29th - Saunders). Czechia has 10 of its 14 racers among the 32 fastest (Korec, Horky, Vojtik, Krcil, Karlik, Rosenberg, Flaisig, the two Hojers, and Vadleich). Latvia has 4 of its 10 entrants in the top-32 (Podosinoviks - by far their best racer - Spricis, Sneiders and good old Rage-Ragis). Italy has 4 of its 7 entrants in the top-32 (Santarelli, Trigilio, Castricone and Baldaccini), Russia has only Dolzhanskyi of its 7 racers in the top-32, Ukraine only Iskandarov. Slovakia has Koterba jr and Szalai in the top-32 (no, he'll not win the ES32, I wrote: he'll win the ES24 Worlds - I am convinced!). Finland - nowhere without the Fyhr Bros - has only Pohjasniemi and Nykanen as 31st and 32nd but once more they failed to convince. Brazil has "Gugu". The Americans Lee Gilbert and Greg Gilbert came on 33 and 33. Of the 16 nations at the start only 10 have at least one placed for the 3 fastest Consis. 
Just as with 32F1 Guido Santarelli is the fastest qualifier, now in 4"393. Gugu is runner-up with 4"437. Also free from the Consis (named "Quarters" by ISRA) are Josef Korec and Michael Landrud.

THE CONSIS - Already four Consis were contested on Wednesday. If one considers that ES32 cars are as an average 12 per cent faster than 32F1 cars, and that 242 laps were needed to reach the Semis in 32F1, that means that 1.12 * 242 = 271 laps must be the minimum to reach the Semis. Of the 32 racers having already achieved their Consis only one reaches more than 271 laps. Michel Spudil (CZ), having achieved 286 laps. Probably he'll be the lonely one of the four slowest Consis to make the move. Paul Harwood seems to come seriously short with 262 laps. Eliminated too are Claudio Battistini and George Kimber.
After the four following Consis we note six racers with more than 271 laps: Pavel Kulovany (CZ), Michal Spudil (CZ), Paul Shepherd (GB), Lars Harrysson (S), Anders Gustafson (S) and Radoslav Johan (SVK). That lets suppose that 271 laps is not enough to make the move to the Semis. Probably the safe margin is somewhere around 275 laps. At Consi D nobody reaches the safe 275 laps, even not Brian Saunders! We loose already now our two Americans and our three fastest Finns. After the C Consi we have two new leaders: Ladislav Koterba jr (SVK) and Tobias Lestrell (S). Charlie Gooding (GB) is the lonely other racer to go over the safe barrier of 275. Lasse Aberg (S) is definitively out. Up from now Koterba, Lestrell, Kulovany and Spudil (coming from the low Consi I!!!) are sure to make the move to the Semis. For Gustafson, Saunders and Palmqvist the move is uncertain.
After the one but last Consi Nikolay Dolzhanskyi (RU) and Tomas Rosenburg (CZ) are the new leaders. Koterba, Karlik, T. Lestrell, Kulovany, Flaisig, Spudil, Shepherd (!), Harysson, Sneiders and Spricis are sure to go to the Semis. For Gooding, Gustafson and Saunders the situation seems hopeless, since the 8 racers of Consi A are considered to go all faster than res. 277.26, 277.02 and 274.14 laps. The lucky guy is Charlie Gooding since one Consi A racer, Graham Woodward, comes no further than 252 laps. Of the 7 others the Czech trio Petr Krcil, Vladimir Horky and Antónin Vojtik realised all 299 or 300 laps, dominating fully the Consis. Only 'Il Bandito' Castricone follows them to Semi A. Ladislav Szalai and Andris Podosinoviks qualified for Semi B, Paolo Trigilio for Semi C.

THE SEMIS - In ISRA racing the Semis are highly predictable. Only a true champion can make the move from Semi C to the Main. Paolo Trigilio (I) is such champion. He moved from Semi C to the Main, yes. In Semi B Tomas Rosenberg (CZ) - completely back after his Sabbath year - and Jiri Karlik made the move. In Semi A we lost three of our four fastest qualifiers: not only last year's winner Guido Santarelli and "Gugu" Bernardino, but even Michael Landrud (under normal circumstances more reliable than a clock). So we go to a Main Final with no less than six Czechs: the quartet Horky, Vojtik, Krcil and Korec, having finished at the four first places at the Semis, plus the earlier mentioned Rosenberg and Karlik. Only in 2000 the Czechs did better in ES32 with ... seven of the eight finalists. Then Kimmo Rautama (SF) was their lonely opponent. Now they find the Italians Castricone and Trigilio on their way. It's good to note that Horky won already four times the ES32 race, against twice for Korec and once for Trigilio (in the pre-ISRA days).

-

THE QUALIFICATIONS - October 12, 2007 - Still one day and we know the name of the new world champion scale racing. After a week of extraordinary good racing and a perfect organisation by Vlado Okali & Co, we go now to the main event. Prior to this ISRA Worlds, and already since Barcelona 2006, I maintained that nobody else than Slovakia's Ladislav Szalai should be the 2007 ISRA world champion. But after the superb demonstration of yesterday by fivefold world champion Vladimir Horky, I am no longer sure if this is possible. Today's qualifications in ES24 caused a real stir. Yesterday, with six Czechs in the ES32 main, we were convinced to find nothing than Czechs as fastest qualifiers in ES24. Nothing of that all. This time Latvia is fastest: three of their racers finish among the top five: Andris Podosinoviks - their best man - takes the pole. About Janis Rage-Ragis we believed that he's to old to realise still brilliant performances. Again nothing at all about that. Janis qualified as fourth and is thus directly placed for the Semis. Janis Sneiders (a Flemish name!) - unknown before this Worlds - qualifies as fift, being placed for the A Consi. Petris Taurins is placed for the A Consi, Ugis Viksne for the C Consi. Janis Nabokins (49th) and Kaspar Duburs (37tth) both disappointed. Sergej Matjuskovs (32nd) is placed for the C Consi.
Having already won the 32F1 World Cup at Revuca, Brian Saunders can be the first Briton to win a racer's world championship. I write "racer's", since George Kimber won already twice the Modeller's World Championship. Kimber is at Revuca, but he's no longer the superb racer he earlier was. In the production race he was still twelfth, but in 32F1 he came no further than 37th on 85 and in the ES32 race no further than 75th on 100. That's no longer the brilliant Georgie we knew more than three decades long. Today he qualified as 108th on 112, condemned to the slowest Consi. That seems so abnormal that I ask you: is Georgie ill? The Britons are, except for Saunders, nowhere today in ES24. Yesterday they had still Paul Sheperd and Charlie Gooding in the top-20. Today they have only three racers in the ... top-40. Keith Gibson qualified as 29th, young Graeme Stephenson as 39th. But some of their best racers are now in the second half of the table: Paul Shepherd as 57th, Paul Harwood as 61st and Charlie Gooding as 65th. Are they all ill? Did they eat something wrong yesterday evening? Or was there not enough goop available?
From the racers from Finland it was expected that Justus Pohjasniemi and Harri Nykanen could perform well, now that Atte Lyiski is not there. Up to now they were nowhere. It semmed as if in a post-Fyhr era Finland had at once no longer excellent scale racers. Today young Justus Pohjasniemi proved that Finland is still alive, since he qualified as third with direct access to the Semis. Harri Nykanen, this year still winner at the NEC in ES24, disappointed once more at Revuca. He could only qualify as 54th, even preceded by young Heiki Sinisaari (47th) and Markku Kiiveri (40th).
And the terrible Czechs, how they did after their triumphal procession of yesterday? Vladimir I The Terrible qualified together with Pavel Flaisig and Antónin Vojtik for the A Consi. Tomas Rosenberg, Petr Krcil and Miroslav Vadleich qualified for the B consi. Surprisingly some of their best guns like Josef Korec and Jiri Karlik  will only be found in the C Consi. That too seems not normal.
Italy will have Castricone (6th) in the A Consi. This time Guido Santarelli failed to get the pole. He and Paolo Trigilio  plus Salvatore DaRosa and Cardillo Benedetto will be found in the B Consi. For Sweden it was a big deception that their best racer, Michael Landrud, realised only the 30th time (C Consi!, just as Lasse Åberg). But with Tobias Lestrell they have one racer in the A consi, and with Janne Ekman (there he is at least!!!) one in the B Consi. Mikael Palmqvist (38th) is condemned to the D Consi.
For Slovakia all hope is on the shoulders of Ladislav Szalai now that nor Vlado Okali, neither Jozef Miskolci are racing. Szalai realised the 10th time, good for an A Consi. Ladislav Koterba jr was 25th (C Consi). The others are among the back benchers.
Russia and Ukraine have nobody in the top-50. Nikalay Dolzhanskiy realised only the ...80th time. Lithuania has Simas Nemira (32nd) in the D Consi, Estonia has Kaiar Tammeleht (45th), good for the E Consi, but too far to have any hope to make the move. The American Champion Greg Gilbert did fine by qualifying as 13th (B Consi), but Lee Gilbert (44th) disappointed.  Last but not least all-rounder "Gugu" Bernardino from Brazil qualified as 21st (C Consi), that's beneath his intrinsic value.

THE CONSIS - After the five first Consis we find Dolzhanskiy leading with 295.15 laps, followed by two racers from Ukraine: Konstantin Odnenko and Andrev Kovalenko. None of them can have the smallest hope to make the move. All racers having contested their Consi up to now did less than the 300 laps realised yesterday by Vladimir I The Terrible in ES32. Since ES24 cars are at least 10 % faster than ES32, one needs at least 305 laps to make the move to the Semis (yesterday Gooding was the last to make the move with 277 laps; 277 * 1.10 = 304.7). Of Austria nobody could do than 265 laps. Their racers were here as pure field fillers. Meanwhile George Kimber moved already up to rank 84, Andy Brown-Searle to rank 92. Since still 72 racers have to start both will yet improve their positions. For poor Martin Ellis the Consis were already over after ...36 laps. The two following Consis go with no less than six Britons, among them King Charly Gooding, Paul Harwood and Graham Woodward. I guess they already finished their run, but race director Andy Wasser-man found not already the time to publish the results.
17h55. Come up, Andy. Nothing is so boring as waiting. Still no further results. 18h40 and still no results. 19h15. Waiting. 20h45. Andy sleeps. 22h00. Andy must be back to the States. Or he has a slow laptop from Napoleon's days.
At 23h00 Andy awakes. Let's look what happened. Five Consis later former leader Nikolay Dolzhanskiy is passed by no less than 15 racers., among them two Russian racers: Sergey Alexeev and Artem Sivencev. Three other surprises, of racers having done better than the former leader, come from Ihor Kuropiy (UKR) (306.25 laps), Kaiar Tammeleht (EE) (308.36), and Arunas Leonavicius (LT). Fastest after 10 Consis is wing car specialist Anders Gustafson (S) with 315.19 laps. A funny surpise is that young Graeme Stephenson (GB) is then second.  Since years it's known that Graeme is one of England's most promising youngsters. Contrarly to the majority of racers he drives with his thumb. Now that Gooding, Paul Harwood, Shepherd, Graham Woodward and so many other Britons failed, it's fine to see a young racer on his way to the Semis. Up to now seven racers achieved more than 305 laps. Among them also Sandis Spricis (LV), Lars Harrysson (S), Jiri Micek sr, Kaiar Tammeleht (EE) and Ihor Kuropiy. With still four Consis to go it seems that 305 laps will be not enough to make the move. Probably it will be 310 laps or more. Meanwhile we lost Harri Nykanen (SF), out with technical woes after 71 laps. His 2007 ISRA Worlds were a big, very big, deception.
Two Consis later five racers have improved Gustafson 315.19. It are (of course) Josef Korec (324.22), Ladislav Koterba jr (SVK), Michael Landrud (S), "Gugu" Bernardino (BR) - all four already now mathematically sure to make the move - and Milos Hojer (CZ). Also mathematically sure is that we lost former vice-world champion scale racing Lasse Åberg (S), since he covered only 299 laps. In the one but last Consi three Czechs do better than Korec: Tomas Rosenberg (CZ), Petr Krcil (CZ) and young Miroslav Vadleich. Three other racers fall out with tech bothers: the American champion Greg Gilbert, Guido Santarelli (I) and Salvatore DeRosa. With 300.29 laps Janne Ekman fails to make the move.