Rheinard leads at RROC after ‘almost perfect day’
Marc Rheinard leads the way at the end of the first day of racing at the Reedy International Touring Car Race of Champions. An ‘almost perfect day’, the Tamiya driver capped off a run of three wins with a third in the day’s final round. Chasing a record 5th title at the World famous event that now honours the memory of rc industry pioneer Mike Reedy, Rheinard holds a two points advantage over defending champion Ronald Volker as Meen Vejrak holds third with two more days of racing to come. The fourth round of racing would see Christopher Krapp becoming the third multiple winner as he backed up his Round 2 victory with a win over Volker. Pulling off the pass of the day to get by fellow Swede Alexander Hagberg, Viktor Wilck notched up his first win as did Akio Sobue when he led home Keven Hebert and Rheinard.
A two time winner of the event at Tamiya Raceway, 2006 & 2007, Rheinard said to end the first day at the top of the points is always a great way to start off but cautioned ‘there is still a long way to go’. Set to start the opening race of Day 2 from pole position, the 4-time World Champion hoped he could keep his points tally low with another win. Commenting on his Round 4 race, the German said his TRF419 was good and he felt he could have challenged for the win until when running side by side with JJ Wang the HB driver got out of shape and they collided. Pointing out the contact was not Wang’s fault and was just ‘an unlucky moment’ that was enough to deny him a chance of a ‘perfect day’.
Volker described his day’s performances of a win, 2 seconds and a third as ‘solid but only average’. Adding that while the results give him a chance of a podium finish he added if he is to fight for the overall win he ‘need(s) a way better day’ tomorrow. Challenging Nicholas Lee for the lead of his race in Round 4 after pole starter Charlie Phutiyotin made a mistake on lap 6, Volker would make contact with the Singaporean driver through the sweeper. Having to wait to give back position this allowed Krapp’s Tamiya through for the win.
After a ‘rough start’ that left him last, Krapp said despite being very frustrated he just kept it rolling and it paid off. Having had a huge off at the end of the straight on lap 3 of Round 3, the multiple World’s finalist said with the benefit of his tyre being almost new he was able to close a little on the leaders as he posted the fastest lap of the round. Thanking his mechanic Takayuki Kono for ‘a good job’ in getting his car ready after his earlier crash, Round 4 being brought forward by almost an hour in the schedule, he said once he got into the lead he was able to cruise to the finish. His first visit to the Tamiya track, he said he was happy for his team as his win made them the most winning manufacturer of Day 1 while also putting him 5th in the points overnight.
Starting from 7th on the grid in the round’s opening race Sobue, who kicked off the day with a pair of second places, said his win brought a good finish to the day. The 20-year-old who was star of the recent fourth round of the ETS in Austria when he mixed with Volker for the win, said his retirement in the previous round gave him the benefit of new tyres. With the fastest lap time of that heat, the World Championship finalist would also benefit from Freddy Sudhoff making contact with long time race leader Juho Levanen’s Associated and the earlier Wang and Rheinard moment.
‘Finally’ was Wilck’s reaction to winning what was the best of the day’s 12 encounters. The sole Serpent driver in attendance at the Californian event in the invite class, he said after ‘unlucky heats and shit starts’ it was nice to end the day with a win even though it came the hard way. Contact with front row starter Meen Vejrak in the first corner caused both to spin, he said he then just went for it to try and get back as many of the positions lost as possible. Tagging Hagberg a number of times, he said when he finally pulled off the pass it ‘felt good’. Elaborating on the pass he said with this year’s traction the hairpin after the sweeper was the only place on the track a pass could be executed highlighting the many attempted passes through the sweeper that went awry. Feeling ‘it’s pretty much over for the win’ as his former TRF team-mate Rheinard already has three wins, 10 of the 12 rounds to count, he said he will ‘still keep at it’ as over the remaining two days ‘anything can happen’.
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