Phend TQs final qualifier

Dirt Nitro Challenge debutant Dakota Phend TQ’d the final round of qualifying to secure second on the grid for Sunday’s main buggy event behind Top Qualifier Ty Tessmann who opted to sit out Q3. The TLR young gun outpaced Associated’s Ryan Cavalieri by 3.4 seconds with Tessmann’s Hot Bodies team-mate Jessie Robbers completing the Top 3. A 16-hour day at the Fear Farm which saw the last heat finish up shortly after midnight, Phend’s Q3 time was the quickest of the day 4/10th better than Tessmann’s best time.

For defending Champion Jared Tebo the 13th running of the event is proving a difficult one and he finds himself only 9th on the grid after a below par performance from the TQ Master. A late charge by the European drivers competing in the Arizona event helped them secure the final three spots on the grid.  Kyosho’s young Swede David Ronnevalk secured 10th position ahead of the Xray pairing of former multiple European Champion Renaud Savoya and Czech ace Martin Bayer.

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