October 28, 2019

Track Focus – Steel City RC Speedway

Track Name – Steel City RC Speedway
Owners – Phil & Kyle Goodwine
Country – USA
Location – Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, California
Direction – Clockwise
Surface – Asphalt

Steel City RC Speedway plays host to the 22nd running of the IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World Championship and the track has immediately made an impression on the drivers with reigning World Champion Dario Balestri going as far as describing it as ‘maybe one of the most beautiful’ he has driven on.  Its high grip levels however are set to be the greatest challenge to drivers over the coming week.  Only opened last year, the track is located at the full size Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and it has quickly established itself as one of America most high profile outdoor tracks.  Earlier this year it hosted the famed Reedy Race of Champions for electric touring cars after it lost its home following the closure of the Tamiya Raceway and now it has gathered together the best nitro drivers in the World to decide who is the No.1 come Saturday.

The story behind the track name and how it came into existence is an interesting one.  Originally the land the track sits on was part of the Kaiser Steel factory, the 2nd largest steel producer in the world during World War 2.  The company however went bankrupt and was bought by Penske, one of US Motorsport’s most successful teams, who built the full size motor speedway.  Running an electric touring car race in one of the parking lots during the Indycar weekend at the track, that was the start of the relationship between the real track and the Goodwines.  Father and son team Phil & Kyle Goodwine would negotiate a lease to build the impressive looking track that is now Steel City RC Speedway and their choice of red colour for the infield have made it one of the most distinctive and easily identifiable tracks out there.

Giving his reaction to the track, Balestri said, ‘it is super beautiful.  The layout is great and the surface is like a billiard table.  It is an absolutely great layout for 1:8’.  Asked about the high traction levels, the track being sprayed for traction, he replied, ‘the grip is amazing so even if you find a good balance you still need to manage your driving not to flip.  You are always on the limit’.

Former World Champion Simon Kurzbuch said, ‘the layout is really good.  It has a bit of everything, a fast chicane, a nice left section, it is really nice’.  While a fan of the layout, the Swiss driver added, ‘the grip is on a level that is not drivable yet, for me anyway so I am going to have to adapt my driving.  I have never experienced such high grip before.  In the morning and in the evening almost everyone flipped’.

‘It’s nice.  The layout is challenging and fast but the grip conditions make it very special, was Dominic Greiner’s thoughts on the track.  The former 1:10 World Champion continued, ‘we tested here before but now things are very different with way more traction so we can’t use any of the set-up from testing.  We need try to make it that the car doesn’t flip’.  The German added, ‘the surface is super flat, no bumps, and there is going to be less tyre wear with the high traction but with big tyres for quali it is going to be super hard to find a set-up’.

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May 26, 2019

Wilck becomes only the 4th multiple Reedy Race Champion

Viktor Wilck is the 2019 Reedy Race Champion, the Infinity driver becoming only the 4th multiple winning of the legendary race on this its 22nd running.  Having conceded defeat to overnight points leader Ronald Volker as the final day’s action was widely expected to be rained out, a dry but cold & windy morning presented the 2012 champion with an opportunity to resume battle with Volker.  With 2019 a new chapter in the history of the race following the demise of the famous Tamiya Track, conditions at new Steel City RC Speedway for the final two rounds of heads up racing were less than ideal with traction at a premium. It was a dramatic start to the morning as going head to head from the front row Wilck and Volker made contact in the penultimate round resulting in both cars breaking.  One race to go and 1-point separated the pair.  As the grid were published for the showdown, they would race in the same heat but the grid was somewhat controversial as Wilck was on pole and Volker lined up 11th. Up front Wilck, who was fastest throughout the event, pulled clear for an easy win while Volker worked his way through to second. This left them tied on points with the same number of wins, 2nd and 3rd places so it came down to the total time of their best three results which thanks to the only 21-lap run of the event in Round 10 gave Wilck his second Reedy Race of Champions title.  Having come into the weekend chasing title No.8, Marc Rheinard would complete the podium in Fontana well clear of team-mate Akio Sobue in fourth.

Not known for flash celebrations, an unassuming Wilck said, ‘It feels really good to come out back on top after the troubles of the previous days’.  The Swede continued, ‘I think my car worked great all weekend and I think I was fastest all the race.  It feels good to get the first win my new team Infinity’.  Revealing that his IF14 featured many prototype parts that are set to feature on his Japanese team’s upcoming new touring car chassis, he said, ‘the new car worked perfect and I thank the team for the perfect support. It’s nice to win the Reedy Race again’.

Struggling to convey his emotions regarding the final two races of the event, a clearly frustrated Volker said, ‘I feel I was treated very unfair with the system and don’t want to say anything more I might regret later’ – a reference to the grid for his final race.  The 3-time Champion continued, ‘never the less congrats to Viktor, he had the best pace. Thanks to Team Yokomo US and Hayato for his hard work’.

‘The podium is OK, I tried but I don’t think anyone could match Viktor’s pace. He deserved it’, was Rheinard’s reaction to the final result.  With 4 more Reedy Race titles than any other driver, the German added, ‘Three times in a row for Infinity is a great result’. On his own performance over the weekend he said, ‘I struggled a bit, maybe it was my car or maybe this is just not my layout and it suits Viktor better’. One of the Tamiya track’s greatest fans, he continued, ‘the conditions here are unique. I hope they change for next year. The racing was not nice to watch or drive and we need that to keep the Reedy Race special’.

View the event image gallery here.

May 26, 2019

Volker & Wilck eliminate one another in penultimate Reedy Race encounter

It was a dramatic start to the final day of action at the 22nd running of the Reedy Race of Champions as title rivals Ronald Volker and Viktor Wilck went head to head from the front row because a clash while battling over the lead eliminated both drivers on the spot. With the expected overnight rain staying at bay, drivers arrived to a dry but cold and windy track making for difficult conditions with traction at an all time low.  Winning each of their final encounters yesterday meaning they would be gridded in the same heat, it was Volker on pole with Wilck alongside.  Initially it was Volker who had the better start, Wilck making a number of mistakes over the opening laps but soon he was in his groove and quickly back on the rear bumper of Volker.  With 5-laps to go it looked like Wilck had found a way through in the front chicane but a slide saw Volker’s Yokomo shoot across into the side of the Infinity driver with both cars spinning off into the barriers before Volker’s car was collected by Akio Sobue.  Both cars broken, they were both out and with one race remaining it is all to play for in Round 12 as Volker holds onto a 1-point lead over his rival.  With the two drivers out Meen Vejrak took the win while the other encounter saw outgoing champion Marc Rheinard cement his podium finish with his 3rd win of the event.

Giving his reaction to the race, Volker, who retired with a broken front spool cup, said, ‘It started off fine and there was more grip than the practice session but eventually Viktor was quicker and caught up.  In the hairpin he tapped me from behind and I got out of shape on the exit. It was not a fair move.  He went inside me but overshoot it a bit. I didn’t want to give up my lead but as the grip is low today my car spun in the chicane when I was side by side with him and we made contact’.

Asked his thoughts on the incident, Wilck said, ‘In the beginning I had a few mistakes, it was super loose but then I got comfortable with the car and closed in on Ronald. I went on his inside and actually passed him but he decided to punch us both off the track.  Suffering a broken turn buckle and arm pin, the Swede concluded, I have to see the video to see exactly what happened’.

View the event image gallery here.