The 17th Annual Reedy International Off-Road Race of Champions was held at West Coast R/C Raceway in La Mirada, California this past weekend. This would be the first time the Reedy Race has been back in the USA since 2001. The history of this race is truly amazing, starting back in 1987. Previous Invitational winners in attandace for this years event were: Rick Hohwart (1992), Jeremy Kortz (1994), Greg Hodapp (1995), Brian Kinwald 1998/2000), and Ryan Cavalieri (2009). Along with the Invitational Class, the always highly contested 2wd and 4wd Open Classes made for great racing where the winner of each class would be given the opportunity to race in the Invitational Class the following year!
The race schedule consisted of:
Thursday
Open Class: 3 rounds of practice
Invitational Class: 3 rounds of practice
Friday
Open Class: 3 rounds of IFMAR qualifying
Invitational Class: 3 rounds of practice
Saturday
Open Class: 1 round of IFMAR qualifying followed by 10 minute lower mains ran with 2 bump-ups
Invitational Class: 4 rounds of 2wd buggy heads up racing
Sunday
Open Class: Remaining 10 minute mains followed by 10 minute Double A-Mains
Invitational Class: 4 rounds of 4wd buggy heads up racing
For the 2wd and 4wd Open Classes, Double A-Mains would be ran to decide the champion. Motocross scoring was used by giving points for the overall finishing order in each main event. The 2nd A-Main was weighed more than the first A-Main if a tie would occur.
Kyosho Team Driver Shaun Dunlap made the trip down from Portland, Oregon with brother in-law / Kyosho America Team Manager Joe Pillars to attend this very prestigious event. Dunlap would race in the 2wd and 4wd Open Classes.
Dunlap went on to TQ rounds 1, 2, and 4 in the 2wd Open Class to give him the overall TQ and #1 starting position for the Double A-Mains.
At the start of A-Main #1, Dunlap started out putting in consistant laps knowing it was a 10 minute A-main. After a few laps in, a big pile up in the middle of the pack allowed Dunlap to stretch out a big lead. Kyosho Team Driver Jason Jakubczyk worked his way all the way from the final bump spot starting 10th on the grid all the way up to the 2nd position. This would give the only 2 Kyosho drivers 1st and 2nd at the halfway point of the main. Dunlap never made a mistake and put in a very smart drive when coming through lap traffic to take the win! B-Main bump up winner Johnny Loguidice finished in 2nd, with 2nd qualifier Josh Numan in 3rd.
As the tone went off for A-Main #2, Dunlap lead the field around for the first lap. A mistake by Dunlap through the double-double section handed the lead to Numan. Dunlap would regroup very quickly and began to push the pace. At the halfway point of the main, Numan had a straight lead on Dunlap. The way the scoring works, Dunlap cknew he could just settle for 2nd and still win the overall since it would give him a 1 and a 2. Dunlap was on a mission and a mistake by Numan put both leaders with-in 1 second of each other. Dunlap would eventually get around Numan and begin to pull away. When the checkered flag finally waived, it was Dunlap crossing the finish line first to take home the Reedy 2wd Open Championship! Numan would finish 2nd in A-Main #2 and 2nd overall. Johnny Loguidice would finish 3rd in A-Main #2 and 3rd overall.
2wd Open Overall Finishing Order
1. Shaun Dunlap (TQ) Kyosho RB5-SP2
2. Josh Numan Associated
3. Johnny Loguidice TQ Racing
4. Michael Schoettler Associated
5. Rob Gillespie Associated
6. Matt Schreffler Losi
7. Charles Hicks Losi
8. Jason Jakubczyk Kyosho RB5-SP2
9. Jimmy Barnett Associated
10. Ricky Gaynor Losi
Congrats also goes out to Kyosho/Team Orion Factory Driver Jared Tebo who tied for the overall win in the Invitational Class with Dustin Evans after 6 rounds of racing, but would just miss out on the win after using the 3rd tie break.
Invitational Overall Finishing Order1. Dustin Evans 8 points
2. Jared Tebo 8 points Kyosho3. Ryan Cavalieri 9 points
4. Ryan Maifield 9 points
5. Ty Tessman 12 points
6. Lee Martin 12 points
7. Brian Kinwald 13 points
8. Kody Numendahl 14 points
9. Mike Truhe 16 points
10. Jorn Neumann 16 points
11. Steven Hartson 17 points
12. Travis Amezcua 19 points
13. Matt Chambers 21 points
14. Neil Cragg 21 points
15. Brent Thielke 21 points
16. Rick Hohwart 23 points
17. Naoto Matsukura 23 points
18. Scott Brown 24 points
19. Paul Bradby 25 points
20. Marc Rheinard 25 points
21. Joe Pillars 25 points Kyosho22. Dakotah Phend 26 points
23. Viktor Wilck 28 points
24. Greg Hodapp 28 points Kyosho25. Peter Pinisch 29 points
26. Jeremy Kortz 32 points
27. Frank Root 34 points
