Volker leads as Reedy Race at the mid point

With half of the 12 rounds of heads up racing complete at the Reedy Race of Champions, it is Ronald Volker who narrowly leads the way from defending champion Marc Rheinard.  The sixth round of racing would see the early title contenders maintain equilibrium as both drivers recorded wins, the other race going to Round 4 winner Randy Caster.  The only time both drivers don’t line up in the same races today, it was Rheinard who laid down the gauntlet after a disappointing start to Day 2 as he won the opening race of the round from fourth on the grid ahead of P8 starter Viljami Kutvonen and Naoto Matsukura. Starting his encounter from 3rd, Volker however would match his fellow German to win ahead of 3rd in the overall standings Akio Sobue to make it a neutral round in terms of the point divide between himself and Rheinard. Two pretty straight forward races the third race would provide all the action.  While Caster would complete a tone to tone win from pole, behind him there was a great battle between Austria’s Thomas Pumpler, American Touring Car stalwart Rick Hohwart and for a time Juho Levanen.  Pumpler would hold his nerve to finish second, himself and Hohwart high-fiving after their crowd pleasing tussle.

With a 1-point deficit to Volker based of the best 5 0f 6, both dropping a 3rd place for now, Rheinard said, ‘In the end it was an easy win but before that I had to take care with Naoto and a few others’.  Going to the front on lap 7, he continued, ‘As soon as I passed them for the lead they crashed so then I could just cruise in the lead’. Commenting on Volker’s lead and looking to the two races that will complete the second day’s action, the Tamiya star said, ‘It going to be tough.  We are racing in the same races and both times he is starting up front while I’m at the back.  For Round 7, Rheinard’s TRF419X will line up last on the grid as Volker starts off P3 while for their 8th race its a P6 start with Volker on pole.

Summing up his 4th win of the 19th running of the Reedy Race, Volker said it was ‘what we planned’.  The former champion said, he was ‘just patient at the start as Felix (Law) blocked very good and I had no chance to pass at the beginning’.  Starting from pole, Law  would eventually roll at the chicane allowing Volker ‘to do (his) own race’.  With his LRP powered BD7 suffering a big impact in the previous race when he collected Keven Hebert on the straight after his car shutdown,  he said his car was a little loose as the impact had damaged a front wheel – drivers having to use new tyres in the odd race and the sane set in the proceeding even numbered race.  On his lead in the points, the reigning ETS Champion reacted, ‘overall I’m happy with the day so far as I have got two wins’.  Commenting on the grid order for the next two races he added, ‘the next ones I will just try to stay ahead of Marc so I will take it easy at the start so as not to get caught up in any incidents’.

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