Rheinard first repeat winner at Reedy Race
Having taken a win in the opening round of racing at the Reedy Race of Champions Marc Rheinard has become the first repeat winner as he held off Christopher Krapp in Race 2 of the third round. Starting from the outside of the front row, the Infinity driver got the jump and broke clear quickly but once Krapp found a way passed pole sitter Randy Caster, he quickly reeled in his fellow countryman. In the end however Krapp got caught at the loop allowing Rheinard to take a victory lap with JJ Wang finishing a close third. Following Rheinard’s win all the attention was on what Ronald Volker could do in Race 3. Starting from pole position Reinard’s team-mate Jilles Groskamp would become the day’s 8th different winner keeping Volker in second which leaves the duo even on points at the top of the standing – Rheinard having 2 wins and a 3rd compared with a win and 2 second places for Volker. In the opening race of the round Ryan Cavalieri came through from 3rd to post his first win followed by pole sitter Barry Baker who had a good battle holding off Jan Ratheisky.
‘I was on the limit’, was Rheinard’s reaction after win No.2. The reigning 6-time Reedy Champion added, ‘It was a tough one but the result was perfect, every point is important’. Explaining why it was such a tough race, the German said, ‘I had to fight with the car. I had a lot of understeer. I made a good start and with Randy behind me it took a while till Krappi went by and that’s what allowed me win’.
Summing up his win, Groskamp said, ‘it especially nice when I can keep Ronald behind me. I had good pace and he didn’t come too close. The pace is there and the speed of the car is good so I’m happy’. The former World Champion added, ‘it was windy now and sometimes it caused one of us to go wide. The win is good but better because I beat Ronald, and it was good too for Marc. It’s nice to start the first day with a win especially because my heats today are pretty tough. There is still a lot of racing to go’.
Commenting on his race, Volker said, ‘I got a decent start and was able to get 2nd quickly behind Jilles. It took time to close the gap but then the wind caught me two times in the wrong spot and blew me off line and that ended my race for the win’. Changing cars for Round 3 in anticipation of the sun finally showing itself at Tamiya Raceway, he said the aluminium chassis was pushing and not as good as his first carbon chassis car. He said while conditions were sunnier, the wind negated the benefits the car change should have brought.
Claiming the first win for the American drivers, Cavalieri said his race ‘wasn’t too bad’ but quickly added, ‘we need to make more changes’. Asked where he felt his Associated could be improved, the offroad ace replied, ‘I don’t feel super comfortable. Finally we are racing in the sun but the weather is playing a role in making it hard to make the right decisions with set-up but I hope we can get it right for the next one’.
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