Maifield is 4WD Top Qualifier at JConcepts Finals
Team Associated’s Ryan Maifield pulled off another overall TQ at the JConcepts Indoor National Series Finals posting the fastest time in the third & final round to secure pole position for tomorrow’s 4WD Buggy A-Mains. His second TQ of the day, having earlier wrapped up the honour in 2WD Short Course in Q2, the Arizona ace will start the triple Main ahead of fellow Associated driver Nick Gibson who starts from the no.2 spot.
With the heats reseeded for Q3, this was the first time all the top drivers ran together and in the first TQ to be decided 4WD, it was a close run battle between the similar Reedy powered B44.2s of Maifield and his World Champion team-mate Steven Hartson. Hartson looked on target for a 15-lap run until a mistake on lap 8, which allowed Maifield to the front. After a 25-second lap on Lap 2 which left him running 8th, Maifield would work his way to the top of the timing screens, posting a new fastest lap of the day with a 20.795 on lap 11.
Despite getting hooked up on the piping on the penultimate lap Maifield would hold on to take the final qualifier from Hartson, the only other driver to post a 20-second lap over the day, with JR Mitch third and Q1 pace setter Nick Gibson fourth. With 17-year-old Gibson set to line up second on the grid, Hartson will start third with Mitch, the first non-Associated car lining up fourth. Unfortunately for Dustin Evans a blown rear diff in the warm-up put him out of contention for a competitive round. Although he completed the run he finished outside the Top 10 and will line up 5th on the grid.
4WD Buggy A-Main Grid
1. Ryan Maifield
2. Nick Gibson
3. Steven Hartson
4. JR Mitch
5. Dustin Evans
6. Matt Gosch
7. Aydin Horne
8. Chad Due
9. Carter Flotron
10.Mitchel Gardner
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