The competitive part of the second day has started and we're now over with the second heats. Zdenek Cermak was fastest in division 1A, Lars Oivind Enerberg won in division 2. Sverre Isachsen is proving to be the main title contender, winning in division 1. Full reports from all divisions inside.
Division 2:
First race in division 2 was won by Patrick Mertens, though it was Even Hvaal who jumped into the lead immediately after the start. But the Norwegian's race was over in the third turn as he spun and was unable to get going again. Ivo van den Brandt had an eventful race, leading for a moment, but he went very wide in the first turn on the second lap and lost pole position. He then struggled to make the losses up, and eventually finished last. Patrick Mertens's steady but quick drive gave him the win in his heat ahead of Gyorgy Fodor and Victor Muzik.
Ole Habjorg took the lead straight off the starting line and did not give it away until the end. Robin Olsson lost his third place to Ko Kasse after spinning on the third lap, but regained his position after Kasse's joker lap. Finish: Habjorg, Sterkens, Olsson.
Lars Oivind Enerberg started the third race very well and led throughout its entirety. He won in front of Knut Ove Borseth and Ole Kristian Nottveit. Lukasz Zoll fought bravely with Nottveit, but lost to the Norwegian to finish last.
Top 3 runners in division 2 were stacked in the last race. Derek Tohill was quickest off the line, but was followed closely by Castoral. The Czech driver drove through joker lap in the first lap, which was enough to pass Guino Kenis when the Belgian did his joker lap. Kenis however regained his position in the first corner of the third lap. Derek Tohill did not have to worry about his rivals and won convincigly.
Lars Oivind Enerberg recorded the best time of 3:31,419 ahead of Knut Ove Borseth and Derek Tohill. Full results can be found here.
Division 1A:
Ildar Rakhmatulin was placed on the grid of the first race as he did not finish yesterday's heat. The Russian was in a class of his own, winning the race with ease. Reinis Safonovs came second, Tomasz Nowak was third. Hal Ridge's Renault Clio sustained some damage to the front end.
Vaidas Navickas won his race without having much to worry about, but the situation behind him was much more interesting. Marcel Snoeijers went very wide in the first corner and was passed by Pavel Vimmer, however the Dutchman regained his position when the Czech went through joker lap. He then fought with his fellow compatriot Harrie Deelen and jumped into second. Deelen fell to last after his joker lap. The only woman in the ranks, Mandie August was fighting with Pavel Vimmer, but was unable to pass him. She went off into the grass once, but managed to return onto the track unscathed.
Zdenek Cermak led in front of Andreas Bakkerud and Clemens Meyer in the third race. The German went very wide in the first corner, but was able to regain his position from David Johansson, but the Swede won when Meyer went on joker lap. Andreas Bakkerud spun out of the track after fighting with David Johansson at the exit of joker lap. All drivers were however able to finish the race. Finishing line order: Cermak, Johansson, Meyer, Susta, Bakkerud
Jaroslav Kalny went very wide in the first corner of the following race, which consisted of the top 4 runners in division 1A. Ulrik Linnemann was fastest, but the race was decided in the last 3 corners of the last lap, when Linnemann fought full contact with Timmerzyanov, as the Russian was exiting joker lap. Order at the finishing line: Linnemann, Timmerzyanov, Larsson, Kalny.
Zdenek Cermak won the total classification with the time of 3:31,485, but the top four drivers (Timmerzyanov, Linnemann, Rakhmatulin) were separated by just 0,184s! Full results here.
Division 1:
First race was won by Tony Bardy ahead of Marcin Wicik and Silvo Viitanen. Valdur Reinsalu experienced some problems with his car, and then spun off together with Bohdan Ludwiczak after the Pole was rejoining from joker lap.
Per Eklund went very wide in the first corner in his race and then had to fight with Kevin Procter, but was unable to catch the front running Finns: Toomas Heikkinen and Atro Maatta. Morten Bermingrud was forced to retire suffering mechanical failure of his Citroen C4.
The following race was by far the most exciting one. It was won by Liam Doran, but two drivers did not make it to the finish line. Frode Holte's Volvo C30 broke down after the first corner, while Michael Jernberg lost a wheel and hit the barrier on the penultimate lap. The damage however should not cause the Swede to sit out the next heat. Ludvig Hunsbedt suffered a rear right puncture.
Sverre Isachsen is looking more and more likely to secure his second consecutive ERC title in Slomczyn, after a strong performance in his run. He won ahead of Kenneth Hansen, Stig-Olov Walfridsson and Renne Munnich.
Classification of the second heat: Isachsen, Hansen, Doran. Full results here.
