Cavalieri gets first win in Round 2

Defending Reedy Race Champion Ryan Cavalieri claimed his first win of this year’s 20th running of the event when he saw off a late challenge from the ever spectacular Ryan Maifield in a race that saw the duo produce the first 16 lap runs for 2WD around the OCRC Raceway.  In the other two encounters of the round former 2WD World Champion Neil Cragg took a tone to tone win in Heat 1 over Rick Hohwart while in Heat 2 current 4WD World Champion Steven Hartson came through from 4th to win by almost 7-seconds from Cody King.  For Round 1’s most convincing winner Dustin Evans it was a tough second race for the TLR driver.  Starting Heat 1 from 8th on the grid, the former champion was making his way to the front and looking good for at least a Top 3 finish but a coming together with Germany’s Oliver Scholz on lap 4 dropped him back to last from where he was only able to recover to 4th.

Having started his opening race from 8th on the grid and got a third place finish out of it, for Round 2 it was Cavalieri’s turn to start up front alongside Ty Tessmann whose prototype HB had the pole.  The Canadian would lead away the field but on the second lap would gift Cavalieri the lead with a roll over just before the right side double.  Behind Maifield, who started 6th had already made his way into third by lap 5 and closing fast.  Posting the fastest lap of the round, with a lap that was 2/10ths faster than his team-mate, by lap 10 he was passed Tessmann. Now the charge was on.  Closing the gap, airing it out over the jump section in front of the drivers stand, Maifield brought the gap down to well under a second but Cavalieri responded with his fastest lap of the race. Still Maifield wasn’t done but time ran out and the pair crossed the finish separated by just .58 of a second.  Afterwards Cavalieri said while Maifield airing out the jump directly in front of the drivers stand was distracting but he just kept telling himself ‘don’t throw it away’.  Maifield said for such a ‘stacked field’ 6th to 2nd was ‘good’.

Heat 2 proved an entertaining affair as young Tanner Denney having got passed TQ starter Rob Gillespie tried to hold off Hartson who showed great patience behind the teenager.  Holding the World Champion at bay for 11 laps, a sterling performance, a mistake let Hartson through from where he easily pulled clear to win by 6.7 second.  Unfortunately for Denney he would roll again with three laps to go eventually finishing 3rd behind King.

One of the most popular drives of the round came in Heat 1 from veteran racer and 1992 Reedy Race Champion Hohwart.  The Associated driver almost found his way to the front when Craig made a mistake on lap 7, but piling into the British drivers B4.2 this allowed Jared Tebo on his tail.  Despite the World Champions best efforts a very cool Hohwart held on to take a very popular win just .689 behind Craig.

Round 2 2WD Buggy
Heat 1 Result
1.(1) Neil Cragg – Team Associated – 15/5:07.628
2.(2) Rick Hohwart – Team Associated – 15/5:08.317
3.(5) Jared Tebo – Kyosho – 15/5:08.700
4.(8) Dustin Evans – Team Losi Racing – 15/5:10.792
5.(10)Brian Strange – Team Associated – 15/5:12.413
6.(7) Kody Numedahl – Team Associated – 15/5:12.618
7.(9) Tyler Vik – Xray – 15/5:14.586
8.(4) Oliver Scholz – Team C – 15/5:15.181
9.(6) Marc Rheinard – Tamiya – 15/5:17.978
10.(3)Billy Fischer – Team Novak – 15/5:18.371

Heat 2 Result
1.(4) Steven Hartson – Team Associated – 15/5:01.301
2.(8) Cody King – Kyosho – 15/5:08.001
3.(2) Tanner Denney – Team Associated – 15/5:08.672
4.(1) Rob Gillespie – Team Associated – 15/5:08.835
5.(10)Travis Amezcua – Team Durango – 15/5:11.975
6.(9) Jörn Neumann – Team Durango – 15/5:21.341
7.(7) Christoffer Svensson – Kyosho – 15/5:22.292
8.(3) Joseph Quagraine – JQ Products – 15/5:23.943
9.(6) Josh Pain – Team Yokomo – 14/5:00.057
10.(5)Cody Turner – Kyosho – 5/1:56.790

Heat 3 Result
1.(2) Ryan Cavalieri – Team Associated – 16/5:19.345
2.(6) Ryan Maifield – Team Associated – 16/5:19.925
3.(1) Ty Tessmann – Hot Bodies – 15/5:02.027
4.(10)Dakotah Phend – Team Losi Racing – 15/5:08.626
5.(7) Carson Wernimont – Schumacher – 15/5:09.425
6.(4) Lee Martin – Team Yokomo – 15/5:09.685
7.(5) Mike Truhe – Serpent – 15/5:10.355
8.(9) Barry Baker – Team Reedy – 15/5:10.674
9.(8) Ryan Lutz – Team Durango – 15/5:17.360
10.(3)Brian Kinwald – Team Associated – 11/3:48.249

View the complete Reedy Race of Champions event heat listing here (PDF).

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