Volker leads Reedy Race after Day 1

Ronald Volker is the points leader at the end of the first day of racing at the Reedy Race of Champions, the Yokomo driver capping off the day with his 3rd win from the five rounds of racing. With weather effecting the legendary race’s move to Steel City RC Speedway it was a busy first first day with 2 rounds of practice and the five rounds of heads up racing crammed into the schedule as the rain that washed out yesterday’s practice looks set to return on Sunday.  Having opened the day in the best way possible with a win the first round, Volker’s closing win ahead of team-mate Randy Caster gives him a 2 point advantage over the Infinity pairing of Viktor Wilck and defending Champion Marc Rheinard.  Rheinard finally doubled up on his Round 2 win in the final round but afterwards was less than happy with the performance finishing ahead of team-mate Akio Sobue.  After claiming the first win of the 22nd running of the event, Meen Vejrak’s day went slowly downhill, ending the day with a P7, which as his dropped score still leaves him 4th but a massive 6 points off the leader.

Reacting to his lead, Volker said, ‘Overall it was a good day for sure as I wasn’t sure what to expect coming to this track and how the different kind of format would play out’.  A three time champion of the event, he continued, ‘the way they choose the starting grid is not perfect and not 100% fair. Sometimes you need to be lucky’.  Despite registering the most number of wins, one from last on the grid, the German feels they could be getting more from his car. ‘Tomorrow morning we have free practice and we will make further changes again. Then we will see what happens but it has been a good day for me and the team’.

Classified second in the overnight standings as he has a faster winning time than Rheinard, Wilck didn’t hold back on his thoughts about the new format for making the grids for each round.  With the winners from each round gridded in the same race and on the same row for their next encounter, the Swede said, ‘I got f**ked by the system.  When I got the win we started from the back but now the winners got the front row. I think that system is not far’.  Asked about his fifth round encounter, the former Champion said, ‘I was side by side with Randy (Caster) but got stuck in the pipe.  The marshal was really fast but when he lifted the car the body got stuck and then I couldn’t catch the leaders anymore’.  Again posting the fastest lap for the round he said, ‘I think the car is good and hope I get to use its full potential tomorrow’.

‘I was lucky I was not in the heat with Viktor and Ronald. My car was so loose. I was lucky I started from the front row and could get the win’, was Rheinard’s reaction after winning the less loaded of the two heats.  He continued, ‘It must have been the tyres because my set-up is almost the same as Viktor’s.  He had the fastest lap but I had to fight to keep the car on the track’.  Asked about his position in the points table the 7-time Champion replied, ‘At this stage I would be happy to just finish on the podium’.

View the event image gallery here.