REEDY RACE: Neumann, Phend, and Maifield win dramatic first round of 4WD

After six rounds of racing 2WD buggies, the first round of 4WD was incredibly intense - the speeds, and the aggression, both went through the roof. With the drivers able to charge harder due to the extra grip and superior braking stability, passing attempts and defensive driving ratcheted up several levels, and so did the tempers.

 

 

Behind the wheel of his HB D413 for the first time on U.S. soil, David Ronnefalk took the holeshot and Ryan Cavalieri got into second through the step downs from third on the grid. On the second lap, Ronnefalk over-jumped the triple and Cavalieri got by for the lead, only to case the first left double and let Ronnefalk retake the spot. At 2:20, Cavalieri crashed on the triple and Jörn Neumann moved to second. At 3:20, Neumann got into Ronnefalk in the infield and stopped to wait for him while putting his car in a position to block Cavalieri, so the three exited the situation in the same order. With one minute to go, Ronnefalk left the door open entering the PL Point 180 and Neumann dove to the inside - Ronnefalk’s car was left facing the pipe, while Neumann and Ronnefalk got by, and that’s how the race finished.

 

Words were exchanged between the top three drivers on the stand afterward, and Gord Tessmann filed an protest on Ronnefalk’s behalf. Referees checked out the LiveRC replay and decided to issue Neumann a warning, but did not impose any penalties that changed the outcome of the race.

 

 

 

 

Daniel Kobbevik held his position in turn one to take the holeshot over JR Mitch, and Phend dove to the inside of Mitch after the step downs. From tenth on the grid, Tessmann fought all the way to sixth on lap one. On lap two, Kobbevik bounced off the pipe in the infield sweeper and dropped to third behind Phend and Mitch. Kobbevik made a mistake on the right side of the track and dropped all the way to eighth, which let Tessmann by for third. Halfway through the race, Mitch got loose at the end of the straightaway and Tessmann went around the outside, then Mitch crashed over the LiveRC lumps and gave up third to Carson Wernimont in the following turn. Wernimont set off in pursuit of Tessmann but didn’t get close enough to pass by the end of the race.

 

 

 

 

Chad Due took the holeshot while Steven Hartson held off Jonna Haatanen in turn one. On the second lap, Hartson snuck to the inside of Due after the triple to take the lead. The following lap, however, Hartson hit the pipe in the center of the track after the triple and let Due back by for the top spot. Hartson tried to shut the door on Haatanen at the end of the chicane and dropped back to sixth, while Haatanen waited for him and left the situation in seventh. Meanwhile, Barry Baker and Dustin Evans moved into second and third. At 2:20, Due crashed on the triple and dropped to fourth, while Baker took the lead and Ryan Maifield leap-frogged over Evans into second. At 2:40, Baker crashed over the triple and dropped to fourth, putting Maifield into the lead, Evans into second, and Drew Moller third. At 3:25, Evans cased the right side double and Moller moved to second briefly before Evans got it back. The following lap, Evans landed on the pipe over the triple and crashed, giving Moller and Baker a chance to pass. With less than a minute to go, Baker crashed on the triple and moved Evans back to third.