Maifield & Moller top practice at Reedy Race
Ryan Maifield and Drew Moller topped practice for the 21st running of the Reedy Race of Champions at OCRC Raceway today in California. Last year’s runner-up, Maifield took his TLR22 to the fastest lap time in the third and final round of 2WD practice ahead of team-mate & last year’s 2WD Open class winner JP Richards. In 4WD it was new HB signing Moller who set the pace from defending Champion Ryan Cavalieri and Maifield, the Ryans best lap time separated by 0.001 of a second.
Maifield declared himself happy with how he ended out practice. Managing to find more steering, something he said everyone was struggling with today, he described his 2WD as having a good combination of speed and consistency. Having had some issues with the triple, Maifield said moving to a different position on the drivers stand helped him get that figured out. In 4WD he said he left his TLR22-4 unchanged other than a new set of tyres and like his 2WD he said it felt both fast and comfortable to drive.
Describing his D413 as ‘awesome’, Moller felt he got used to the track in the final practice. Having missed the opening practices due to a school exam this morning but allowed to run with the open class so as to not be at a disadvantage in terms of breaking in tyres, the 18-year-old said he is very happy with both his cars. Running a Kyosho in 2WD, Moller would post the 6th fastest lap time in the final practice despite popping a dog bone after running too much droop.
Running for the first time in the invitation class, having booked his place in the 30-driver line-up with his win in 2WD Open last year, Richards was very happy with his day, in particular his 2WD pace. With the real action set to get underway tomorrow with four rounds of heads up 2WD racing, he said his TLR22 is super easy to drive as well as being consistent. In 4WD he said ‘some drastic’ set-up changes for the final practice had improved his TLR22-4 considerably.
Chasing a third consecutive Reedy Race title this weekend, having become its most winning driver when he took his third win last year, Cavalieri said it was just a case of driving his cars from here on in. Happy with his 2WD, he said on his B44.3 a change to the rear pistons was ‘not as a good’ and he will revert to the set-up he ran in the opening two practices. Also running a new set of tyres in his final practice, he said they came in good towards the end which was good should he need a second set later in the event.
Having set the pace in early 2WD practice, another of this year’s invitation class debutants Spencer Rivkin said a change to his B5M left him a loose car in the final practice. Changing the car’s gearing so as to move the motor more forward the 16-year factory Associated driver will revert back to the set-up he started out with. Having left his 4WD unchanged over the day, the said both cars are good for racing with them comfortable to drive but still having a lot of speed.
Having endured a tough Reedy Race last year when the race moved to his home track, Steven Hartson will be hoping for a better run at OCRC this time round. Claiming the fastest time over three consecutive laps in 2WD buggy today, the 4WD World Champion said now that his tyres are broken in everything is good and ready to go racing. In 4WD he said the car is good but he has ‘just got to stop breaking it’ and ‘calm down’ so as to be more consistent.
Completing the podium last year, Ty Tessmann was happy with both his cars. Using the last 2WD practice to run in new tyres, the Canadian said while he expects to run just the same set of tyres for the event it was good to have a second set broken in should they be needed. In 4WD he said the anti squat and kick-up changes worked well and he is happy to leave it unchanged for the racing. With drivers getting to practice a start in the final round of practice, the 1:8 World Champion said it is hard to pass and you have to force way through so he said the front row starts are going to be important.
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