Fuller and Coleman Victorious at R1 of Sweep Rug Racers
Back again to welcome in the indoor season HRCC presented the Sweep Rug Racers UK event again this year to a full event. This year the event would drop the modified class in favour of 13.5T and 21.5T brushless. A bold move, but one which will pay off. The event as always is one of the biggest in the UK and attracts some of the UK’s top drivers.
Last year’s champion Tony Broad, now driving for Schumacher, would come back to try and regain his crown this season. Last year he dominated through the season, but would he this year? With the likes of Team Corally driver Mark Fuller, Schumacher driver Paul Pinkney, RC Disco drivers Bryan Loynes and Graham Eldridge, as well as TOP/Muchmore UK driver Brian Eldridge, we had the making of a very high class event.
13.5T
In round one, the drivers were getting used to new rides on the carpet and settling in from having been on tarmac for so many months. Graham Eldridge would top the round with 28 laps 305.54 with local driver Richard Thorpe placing his Tamiya TRF417 into second and Rob Sawell, now driving for Serpent, third. Times started to get a lot faster into round two and it was clear that 29 laps was on the cards. Bryan Loynes would have this round piloting his Xray T3’11 to 28 laps in 301.53. It was time for the older of the Eldridge brothers to stamp his mark and putting his development TOP car into second was Brian. Tony Broad now also showed the pace of his new ride, the Mi4CX taking third spot. Round three saw the 29 lap times come thick and fast. Mark Fuller now had the pace to lead the FTD board running his Phi’09 and with 29 laps 304.96 he was a couple of seconds ahead of Paul Pinkney. In third was Colin Gardiner piloting an Xray T3’11 this year. The final qualifying round would see fast times being set. Some great driving could be seen in a few qualifying heats, but it would be Mark Fuller who would take pole for the A final with 29 laps 301.20. Paul Pinkney would line up second with Tony Broad third, making it a Corally, Schumacher, Schumacher front row.
The A finals saw a clean at the start for Mark Fuller in leg one with Paul Pinkney hot on his heels with Tony in tow. Paul was ever hunting Mark down, pushing for an opening and making Mark work his car hard. The pair would pull away from Tony and fight out between them for the win, which went to Mark with Paul just under a second behind him and Tony third. Leg two saw Mark get away clean, but Paul got down the inside at the first corner to take the lead. Paul started to pull a gap over Mark who was driving hard. Paul would hold this lead well and always keep around a second lead over Mark, crossing the line with the leg win. Mark took second and Bryan Loynes third. Overall this meant both Mark and Paul tied on points, but with the qualifying advantage Mark Fuller took the round win, Paul second and Tony Broad third.
13.5T Podium: The top three from left to right. First Mark Fuller, second Paul Pinkney and third Tony Broad.
21.5T
Young driver Jordan Irvine would start off his day up front in round one with 19 laps 306.54 ahead of Vince Coleman and Jack Northam. Round two would see a major jump though in lap times as the drivers got used to gearing the motors right and finding grip. Stuart Tomlinson set 23 laps 308.79 as Jordan would improve by three laps to go second from Vince in third. Round three didn’t see anyone going faster, but Round four would produce Stuart’s best run of the day, taking the pole with 23 laps 302.96. Jordan’s and Vince’s strong second round runs would see them second and third respectively.
The A finals went well for Vince Coleman. In leg one he romped home to an easy win and having to battle harder in the second leg securing second spot, he secured the overall win to take this round. Jack Northam would produce some great driving and take second spot with a second and fourth finish, while Jordan having some bad luck in leg one, but a win in leg two would place him third.
21.5T Podium: From left to right, first Vince Coleman, second Jack Northam and Jordan Irvine third.
It was a really great start to the season and the competition this year has shown it will be fierce, and getting into the top ten will be ever more rewarding. Well done to the round winners Vince and Mark. The next round takes place on 6 November and is already billed to be as exciting!
Watch out for the full www.UKRCRacer.co.uk race report in Radio Control Car Racer Magazine.
Source: UKRCRacer
