He's green on the first split time and green again!
- Pylon Hit!
NO! This is unbelievable! It's a pylon hit for Sonka at Gate 16!
And that means Muroya will go through! This is the race of the year! Sonka's time is 1:07.866 with 3s added... it would have been a phenomenal time without the pylon... his gamble didn't pay off
Brageot and Muroya are the first pilots through to the Round of 8...
Pete McLeod: "The wind got me at the end – it was a wild ride. I got hard on the rudder to try not to get a 2s penalty but overall a great season and I actually enjoyed that last run. The wind's really blowing and the track is really slippery now. It may clean up a bit in the second round but it's a new course out there."
Next it's Podlunsek V Dolderer...
The Slovenian is first to enter the track – 145.73kts
- Pylon Hit!
And he's got to set a strong time if he wants to beat Dolderer... but there's a pylon hit already at Gate 2!
And it's incorrect level next... another 2s
And another! This is not how he wanted to end his race career... it's a 1:14.083 with 7s added for Podlunsek
2016 World Champion Matthias Dolderer is the next pilot into the track
But first... Martin Sonka: "From the canopy it looked OK, but it wasn't. The wind is really strong and it pushed me. I was surprised I hit the pylon. We will wait for the results of the others but it was a stupid mistake."
Will Dolderer repeat his win from 2016 at IMS? It would be the end to his 2017 season he really wants...
And he's up in the air... it's 145.34kts through the Start Gate
It's an easy green at the first split time and he's 7s ahead of Podlunsek
He has nothing to prove in this round and should make it through with ease
It's green again... and again...
That's a 1:06.131 for Dolderer and he joins Brageot and Muroya in the Round of 8
Fourth of our four title contenders, it's American pilot Kirby Chambliss now... and with the upsets we've already seen, he's in a good place to get closer to a third career title
He flies against Velarde – which isn't an easy ride... so no room for error now
This is the halfway point of the heat... so still plenty to come
Chambliss is into the track and it's fast! 150.03kts
His time will be the marker for the Spaniard...
It's a little twitchy but he's clean... and this is looking good... keep your cool Kirby!
- Pylon Hit!
And NO! There's the kicker! It's a pylon hit for Chambliss at Gate 13!
He's green on the first split time and green again!
