Hertingen Grass Track: Raphael San Millan and Dave Meijerink remain unbeaten

With its incline in the starting bend and the downhill section in the finishing bend, the Hertingen grass track is one of the most extraordinary grass tracks in Europe. At this year’s Speed Night, held under floodlights at the Markgräfler Ring, there were undefeated winners in both the solo and sidecar categories.

In the sidecar class, Raphael San Millan and Benedikt Zapf dominated proceedings in their final race before the European Championship final, winning all their heats. “We went into our final race before the European Championship final in Berghaupten with the aim of improving our starts,” Raphael San Millan told SPEEDWEEK.com. “We managed it and also found the perfect set-up for the track in terms of riding, which wasn’t exactly easy after the long dry spell. We made a few more adjustments between practice and the race and were then mostly off and running.”

In fact, things only got dicey for the eventual winners once, when they were in second place right from the start. “In our third race, Remi Valladon was ahead of us and I managed to catch him on the third lap after I’d positioned myself behind him at a certain speed,” explained San Millan. “We feinted on the outside, then cut inwards through the bend and were able to overtake him on the straight.”

The Baden-based riders seem to be well prepared for 30 August at their home track in Berghaupten, as Raphael San Millan noted: “It was important for us to finish another race on a high note ahead of the European Championship. Knowing that our starts are on point, the bike is working well, and that we won’t be going into the European Championship final on a low note.”

Sieger Dave Meijerink

Foto: fim

In the solo class, Dutch rider Dave Meijerink impressed, coming through the heats unbeaten after world champion Zach Wajtknecht retired whilst leading in his first heat and did not start again. Meijerink also won the final ahead of James Shanes – who only secured his place in the final with a victory in the B final – and the Finn Jesse Mustonen. The best German was Stephan Katt, who qualified directly for the A final but finished last there and ended the day’s racing in fifth place.

Results of the Hertingen grass track races: