Tebo is Top Qualifier in 2WD Buggy

Jared Tebo repeated his turn around Q3 topping performance to take the final 2WD Buggy qualifier to become Top Qualifier of the 26th edition of the Pro-Line Cactus Classic. The former 2 time winner of America’s longest running offroad meeting, his last win being in 2008, the factory Kyosho driver topped Q4 ahead of Q1 and Q2 pace setters Ryan Cavalieri and Dustin Evans while defending champion Ryan Maifield was fourth, the position he will start tomorrow’s triple A-Mains in Arizona.

After a troubled day yesterday in which he failed to break into the Top 10 in either of his heats, Tebo was delighted to end up Top Qualifier for the biggest class at the famous international event. After taking the final round, run under flood lights, a very happy looking Tebo said his Orion powered Ultima RB5 felt really good and he is now ‘ready to race tomorrow’. Expecting the racing to be ‘interesting’ his plan is just to keep hitting his marks and try to claim his first Cactus title with Kyosho.

Cavalieri, who away from the track is a close friend of Tebo, starts second and is equally confident that he has the buggy to retake the title he last held in 2010. Describing his B4.1 as very comfortable to drive, the World Champion is looking forward to the finals, expecting a lot of passing particularly at the quad section where it is very difficult to pull of the perfect landing every lap.

In contention for the overall TQ honours, a bad landing at the quad on his last lap cost Evans the chance of topping the round and taking pole position for the finals. The US National Champion, whose TLR22 will line up third, said the order of the grid is not going to make much difference to the racing. Planning to just drive his own race he said at he end of the five minutes he believes he can be there for the win.

Putting the question to Maifield if he could retain his title from fourth on the grid he replied ‘Scott Brown won this race from 7th before, so anything can happen’. Setting the second fastest time in three of the four qualifiers Maifield said ending up fourth on the grid proves how close things are between the top four drivers.

Round 4 Qualification (Top 6)
2WD Buggy
1. Jared Tebo – Kyosho – 13/5:19.736
2. Ryan Cavalieri – Associated – 13/5:20.096
3. Dustin Evans – TLR – 13/5:20.329
4. Ryan Maifield – Associated – 13/5:22.160
5. Dakotah Phend – TLR – 12/5:04.113
6. Steven Hartson – Associated – 12/5:04.286

2WD Buggy A-finalists
1. Jared Tebo – Kyosho
2. Ryan Cavalieri – Associated
3. Dustin Evans – TLR
4. Ryan Maifield – Associated
5. Dakotah Phend – TLR
6. Steven Hartson – Associated
7. Brian Kinwald – Associated
8. Billy Fischer – TLR
9. Travis Amezcua – Durango
10.Brent Thielke – Associated

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