Cav & Evans set to battle for 2nd Reedy Race title

Team Associated’s Ryan Cavalieri and TLR’s Dustin Evans look set to battle it out for the honour of securing their second Reedy Race of Champions title tomorrow after the results of the Day-2’s closing round of races at West Coast RC Raceway left the pair equal on points.  Running in the same race in the second round of 4WD, Evans finished 2nd behind defending champion Joern Nuemann while Cavalieri crossed the line fourth behind team-mate Ryan Maifield.  The other two races of the round saw wins for TLR’s Mike Truhe and Kyosho’s Jared Tebo.

Winner of the title in 2011, Evans said his race was difficult due to a rear shock on his XXX-4 taking in air but having played catch up to Cavalieri all day he was very happy to be going into the final day of the event equal on points with the 2009 Champion. Starting from third on the grid with only Stefan Pfeihofer ahead of him as the No.2 spot was open, Evans said with his shock issue the race was for him all about trying to hang on for a decent result rather than the win even though he did lead for 3-laps.  The most heavily loaded race of the round with Neumann, Cavalieri and Maifield all starting behind him, he said coming out of out it with 2nd, and more importantly 2 places ahead of Cavalieri, was a ‘great result’.

Frustrated by his third place finish in the opening round of 4WD, a class the German prefers to 2WD, Neumann who took the lead on lap 6 almost threw away the win.  Conscious of the threat the two Ryans poised, the European Champion said he tried to make a gap but slightly over did it resulting in a ‘stupid’ mistake at the end of the straight which allowed Evans and the rest of the field to close right up.  Fortunately for the World Championship runner up with Evans not having the perfect car he could re-establish his lead to take the win by almost 2-seconds.  Although there is still four rounds of racing to go and much can still change the first European to win the Reedy Race really needs the perfect day tomorrow if he is to defend his title.

Round 2 4WD Buggy
Race 1
1.(4) Mike Truhe – Team Losi Racing – 16/5:14.603
2.(6) Neil Cragg – Associated – 16/5:15.434
3.(5) Steven Hartson – Associated – 16/5:17.399
4.(8) Lee Martin – Tamiya – 15/5:01.534
5.(3) Brent Thielke – Associated – 15/5:03.306
6.(1) Cody Tuner – Kyosho – 15/5:06.639
7.(10)Kohta Akimoto – Kyosho – 15/5:06.848
8.(7) Josh Numan – Associated – 15/5:07.200
9.(9) Tanner Denney – Associated – 15/5:08.089
10.(2)Brian Kinwald – Associated – 11/3:46.467

Race 2
1.(6) Joern Neumann – Team Durango – 16/5:09.949
2.(3) Dustin Evans – Team Losi Racing – 16/5:11.898
3.(10)Ryan Maifield – Associated – 16/5:12.811
4.(8) Ryan Cavalieri – Associated – 16/5:13.368
5.(5) Ryan Lutz – Team Durango – 16/5:16.623
6.(1) Stefan Pfeihofer – Associated – 16/5:19.938
7.(9) Dakotah Phend – Team Losi Racing – 15/5:01.571
8.(4) Paul Bradby – Associated – 15/5:04.894
9.(7) Rick Hohwart – Associated – 15/5:07.409

Race 3
1.(3) Jared Tebo – Kyosho – 16/5:11.702
2.(5) Ty Tessmann – HB/HPI Racing – 16/5:13.815
3.(7) Kody Numedahl – Associated – 16/5:14.221
4.(8) Travis Amezcua – Team Durango – 16/5:17.410
5.(9) Atsushi Hara – HB/HPI Racing – 16/5:17.478
6.(4) Chad Due – Associated – 16/5:18.377
7.(1) Peter Pinisch – Associated – 15/5:01.080
8.(2) Hupo Honigl – Team Durango – 15/5:02.348
9.(6) Matt Castellano – Team Losi Racing – 15/5:03.710
10.(10)Rene Trauner – Yokomo – 15/5:06.019

View the overall invitational standings after 8 rounds here (PDF).

View our event image gallery here.