Orlowski gets elbows out for A2 win

It is all going to come down to A3 at the 1:12 World Championship in Florida, with Michal Orlowski taking the win ahead of defending Champion Marc Rheinard.  Having won A1 with a flawless race, Kemp Anderson came crashing back to earth in A2 when he ran wide on the opening lap resulting in contact with Orlowski.  With Anderson coming off worst, finding himself at the back of the field, the contact delayed Orlowski enough for Rheinard to go to the front.  Quickly gapping the rest of the field, the European pairing held station until the race reached mid distance and Orlowski got his elbows forcing an impressive pass on his great track rival but good friend off track.  Then with a minute to go, Rheinard mounted a challenge to take back the lead but looking to set-up a last lap pass he would get to much kerb causing the back of his Awesomatix to step out and allow Orlowski to breath again and take the win with a faster time than that set in A1.  With Anderson eventually retiring from the race having buried his car under the track boards as he tried to make a comeback, 2018 World Champion Alexander Hagberg completed the Top 3 over 8-seconds back with Donny Lia fourth.

Reacting to his A2 win, Orlowski said, ‘I’m not sure what happened at the start.  Kemp was pretty wide and I tried to avoid him but it all happened so fast.  I saw Kemp’s car flying off so I was lucky to come out second behind Marc’.   The Schumacher driver continued, ‘Again the car was loose at the beginning but at 4-minute mark it was really good.  I caught Marc and then he went wide one corner and we know what happened after that.  I pulled away a bit but because the car was sliding around at the beginning I started to lose traction at the end.  It was very stressful to keep Marc behind but I got it done.  The race time was good which is crucial.  It’s all in for A3’.

Explaining his race, Rheinard said, ‘I had built up a good gap but then made a shitty lap which allowed Michal to close.  I tried to protect my line but he pushed his way through’.  Winning the first of his two 1:12 World titles the last time it was held in Florida, he continued, ‘I was quicker in the end but it wasn’t easy to make a pass without touching.  On the last lap I got too much kerb and spun out.’  Looking to A3, the German ace sad, ‘It’s all open but Orlowski won that with a good time so that could be a factor’.

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