TOP 3 FOR KENNOL IN EUROPEAN DRIFT
Adam ZALEWSKI’s KENNOL sponsored Toyota GT86 clinches a podium in Drift Masters European Championship! The opening of the 2021 season took place in Austria, and the KENNOL-supplied cars did good, since Juha Jintanen finished in the Top 8. Next race is to be held in famed Riga, where the title might be decided.
▌ADAM ZALEWSKI DOES IT AGAIN
After a (very) long 2020 season with almost no racing, Adam ZALEWSKI was eager to drift. The 2009 Polish Karting Champion and 2017 Drift Masters Grand Prix Champion was in need for serious track time. And intense battles. That’s exactly what he offered to the crowd and fans in Austria, last weekend.
Last season’s deception was intense for the young Polish driver. 21 years old, full of talent, but yet to find the proper support to match his potential. In Riga 2020, he was so close to a new DMEC title. But had to give up because of a material failure. This year again, in the 1st round, he had to forfeit his 3rd place battle because of a tire issue. And each time, it happens against good drifters, but with a big team to back them up.
▌THE IMPORTANCE OF GREAT GEAR
This is part of the racing competition. Talent alone cannot bring titles. And Adam ZALEWSKI has both. Last season, he gave a try at KENNOL solutions, and decided to stick to it. Of course the KENNOL ULTIMA range gives a reliability that few brands can offer. The bio-ethanol fuelled 2JZ engine gives loads of power and torque, protected by the KENNOL ULTIMA 10W60 and KENNOL ULTIMA 75W140. But if anything else fails, or broke, it’s sometimes difficult to bring spare pieces for each element, weekend after weekend.
All the changes we made looked very promising. But the turbo didn’t agree, and our spare was at home…
Juha RINTANEN, 2013 Drift All Stars Champion
On the Finnish side of the KENNOL squad too, mechanical issues were at the menu. Once again, nothing to relate to the lubes or coolants, but who can expect a turbo to quit in the middle of the weekend? Juha RINTANEN had to cancel his battle, whereas he ended up in Top 8 during Round 1, against the future Top 2 of the weekend.
Maybe something is too intense, due to the new racing formats? Indeed, many championships have made a choice: racing 2 rounds within the same weekend, just in case COVID-19 shortens the season again. That sounds good in terms of organisation. And costs less for the promoters, who just need to book half the circuits they used to book before. But what about the teams and drivers, who need to double their efforts each weekend?
Same goes for next DMEC race, to crown the King of Riga, in Latvia, for Rounds 3 & 4 on July 31st & August 1st.
