Tebo TQ’s opening qualifier

Kyosho’s Jared Tebo has TQ’d the opening round of qualifying at the 2WD Electric Buggy World Championship in Chico, California, where the Top 3 were separated by just 4/10ths at the end of 5-minutes with Dustin Evans second fastest and defending champion Ryan Cavalieri third. Two notable retirements from Q1 where Pre Worlds winner Ty Tessman, who posted the fastest lap of the round before he stripped a spur gear after his motor moved, and Associated’s Ryan Maified who didn’t even manage to complete a full lap breaking a front wishbone on his opening lap.

Tebo was understandable pleased to kick off qualifying with a TQ run describing things as ‘so close’.  Setting himself the goal of putting in a clean run and seeing how it works out, the Kyosho ace was running 6th on pace at the end of the opening lap but by lap 4 was top of the timing screens staying there til the end of the 5-minutes.  Running AKA Three Rib fronts on his Orion powered RB6 he said they gave him a very safe car and for Q2 he will continue with the same tyre combo, Proline Suburb the controlled rear tyre, and leave his set-up as is.

17-year-old team-mate David Ronnefalk described his run to the 5th fastest time as ‘so so’.  The Swede said he was very happy with his driving this time round but ‘annoyed’ at losing 6-seconds after a coming together with his Japanese team-mate Yusuke Sugiura.  The 1:8 European Champion had problems getting past the Japanese National Champion with the two eventually clashing in the air.  Very happy with his buggy for Q2 he said his aim was just to ‘stay out of trouble’.

Cavalieri, who is running in the second fastest heat, described his opening qualifier as ‘really good’.  Having not looked too happy after practice the 4 time World Champion said changing from a 7.5 to a 6.5 motor had made his Centro converted B4.2 much easier to drive with him not having to over drive.   For Q2 he said he will washer up the front ball set so as to give him more corner exit steering.

Top seed for the opening qualifier, Evans said he started off a little slow but at the rest of the run was really good. The TLR driver said his confidence with the mid motor TLR22 is growing every run adding for the next one he ‘just needs to be a little faster out of the gate’.  The Colorado driver said the wind has started to make the tabletop-triple section rather tricky with him having one big moment that he was fortunate to save.  Team-mate Darren Bloomfield reported a similar slow start ending up 8th fastest.  Having had problems with a motor sensor wire in the final practice, the British driver said after the earlier problem he took a few laps to get the feel of things again.  Once he got into his groove he said everything felt good and he is looking forward to improving in Q2.  Third fastest in the reseeding, TLR’s Mike Truhe crashed on his opening lap with the 3-seconds lost leaving him to only claim 11th, three place in front of the team’s US National Champion Dakotah Phend who crashed while on target for a Top 3 time.

Setting the fourth fastest, Lee Martin was a ‘little disappointed’ with the result.  The Tamiya driver said his slipper loosened off during the race losing him a little drive. Finishing only 1-sec off Tebo he said without this a TQ would have been possible.  Planning to just re-adjust his slipper rather than fit a new one, the British ace said in terms of the set-up he will leave everything as is as he is very happy with his TRF201 XM.

Team Yokomo’s Naoto Matsukura said his aim for Q1 was to put in a safe run and so 6th was ‘OK’.  Having changed his B-Max2MR after the final practice the 3-time 1:12 World Champion said they made it a little tricky to drive.  For Q2 the 20-year-old said he will make a few changes to try and get that the ‘edgeness’ out of the buggy.

European Champion Joern Neumann took his prototype Durango to the 8th fastest time.  The German described his buggy as being ‘OK but not the fastest’ and said the main issue with the run was one ‘stupid mistake’ that cost him around 4-seconds.  With his Durango suffering a little understeer he said for Q2 he will add weight to the front.

Completing the Top 10 for the opening qualifier was Associated’s Kody Numedahl and Schumacher’s Tom Cockerill, whose 10th fastest time raised a few eyebrows.

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