Evans takes 1:8 Buggy TQ at JConcepts Clash

Making his JConcepts Clash debut TLR’s Dustin Evans is the Top Qualifier in 1:8 Nitro Buggy after taking his 8ight to a third TQ run in the fourth & final round of qualifying at the Flowood Indoor R/C Park in Mississippi.  Better known as one of Losi’s leading electric racers Evans pipped defending Champion Ryan Maifield in Q4 by 9/10ths of a second with the fastest 5-minute run of the event.

Having lost out on TQ honours to Maifield on a tie break in the other big ‘clash’ of this event, 2WD Buggy, Evans was very happy to secure the No.1 grid spot for tomorrow’s 30-minute Main.  Planning to run one less full stop than Maifield, knowing his rival will have to run three stops, Evans said based on his fuel calculations after his final qualifier and with no time to test a better engine tune it would be really close on making the 10-minutes and the risk was too high to go for two stops. Switching from JConcepts Hybrids to Stackers for today’s qualifiers in preparation for the final, Evans ran the same set of blue compound tyres in both qualifiers with the level of grip they produced getting better with every lap.  Finding the track surface abrasive, the Colorado drivers said by the end of the run the tyres could have too much grip which could result in a very edgy buggy in the final few laps of what he expects to be a very close race with Maifield.

Missing out on a hat trick of TQ honours having also secured pole in 2WD Short Course, Maifield is confident that he will have better pace in the final having discovered that his LRP powered RC8.2 had too much suspension up-travel.  With this being a World Championship year Maifield said the team’s focus has been on improving the buggy on outdoor tracks and he was trying to get that same set-up to work indoors, a surface that in the past it has worked really well on. Confident he knows what set-up he needs for tomorrow he said he thinks everything should be ‘OK’ to get the job of defending his title done.

Starting third on the grid will be 18-year-old Cole Odgen at the controls of his Murnan Novarossi powered TLR 8ight.  His first time competing at the Clash the Georgia driver said he is looking forward to a good race and is confident that he can come away with a podium finish.  Behind Odgen, JR Mitch will line-up fourth on the grid with his Orion powered version of the 8ight. The offroad veteran said the key to tomorrow’s race is going to be down to getting his tyre choice right, a decision he will make after he has seen what those starting ahead opt to run with.  Having suffered a flame out trying to extend the fuel mileage in Q3, Mitch said he thinks the motor is still a little tight and so will go for the cautious option of three stops.

A JConcepts Clash regular having only missed the 2008 event, Jason Smith is confident that his Novarossi powered TLR 8ight can run 10-minutes between fuelling a fact he hopes to be able to capitalise on.  Having shown some good lap times but made too many mistakes in his qualifier, factory Associated driver Tanner Denney starts sixth but the 17-year-old feels he can redeem himself in the final having come from down the grid last year to finish on the podium.

In 1:8 Electric Buggy Max Flurer topped Q4 ahead of Brent Thielke but with TQ runs in both of yesterday’s heats it is the latter who is Top Qualifier.  Fastest in Q3, 19-year-old Jake Dellinger who also made the 1:8 Nitro Buggy final will start third for the 6-minute triple Mains.

Elsewhere in electric 4WD classes Tanner Denney and Matthew Olson are Top Qualifiers for Buggy and Short Course respectively after both driver TQ’d 3 of their 4 heats.

1:8 Nitro Buggy
A-Main Grid
1. Dustin Evans – Team Losi Racing – 0 pts
2. Ryan Maifield – Associated – 2
3. Cole Odgen – Team Losi Racing – 6
4. JR Mitch – Team Losi Racing – 6
5. Jason Smith – Team Losi Racing – 8
6. Tanner Denney – Associated – 9
7. William McIver – Team C – 11
8. Jake Dellinger – Assocaited – 14
9. Tim Smith – Associated – 14
10.Kevin Hawkinson – Team Losi Racing – 14

View the overall results at the end of qualifying here.

View our event image gallery here.