Evans TQ’s 2WD Buggy at JConcepts Clash

Dustin Evans is the Top Qualifier of the main class at this year’s JConcepts Clash after the Team Losi Racing driver posted a third TQ run in the fourth & final 2WD Buggy qualifier at the Mississippi event.  Having set the pace in the two earlier qualifiers of the day, Evans’ only challenger for the top spot on the grid was Ryan Maifield, who topped the opening qualifier last night. A number of bad laps from the Associated driver meant Evans topped the timing monitors throughout the 5-minutes, setting the fastest time of the weekend with what he described as the ‘perfect run’.

Delighted at securing overall TQ honours, Evans said that just before the start of the deciding qualifier he made a last minute adjustment to the rear end set-up of his mid motored TLR22 2.0 which made the Orion powered buggy easier to drive.  Commenting on triple Main finals, last year’s runner-up said 2WD Buggy is the strongest of the three classes he is contesting this year and going into tomorrow he is pretty confident about his chances of claiming his first ‘Clash’ win.

Clearly not happy at missing out on the 2WD TQ honours, defending champion Maifield will start the other key class, 4WD Buggy, from pole position.  Along with Evans, Maifield dropped 1:8 Nitro Buggy this year in favour of 4WD Buggy due to the upcoming World Championships.  With Maifield posting TQ runs in Q1 & 3 and Evans fastest in Q2, this class was also set for a showdown in the fourth qualifier until the latter retired with a broken caster block on his aging XXX-4.  His second retirement of the four qualifiers, Evans said with his 4WD too fragile compared to his new 2WD and through the ‘flat out’ S bend at the end of the main straight any slight contact with the pipes is going end his race so he thinks challenging Maifield will be tough.

Starting behind the two World class offroad racers will be JR Mitch in 2WD and Cody Hollis in 4WD.  Switching to mid motor configuration for the final 2WD qualifier Mitch said the change required the buggy to be driven with a special finesse.  Unable to master that driving style he could only manage 8th for the round adding that he will revert back to the rear motor set-up for the finals as he finds it ‘more comfortable’ to drive.  For Hollis, who like Evans suffered two mechanical retirements in 4WD, the final qualifier produced his best run of the weekend as he posted his fastest time around the Flowood track finishing second behind Maifield with young talent Damion Borkowicz third.  The result will see the 13-year-old JConcepts driver line up 5th on the grid just behind his mentor and defending champion Jason Ruona.

In the other key classes Hollis completed a clean sweep of Mod Truck qualifying to top all four rounds to secure the overall TQ honours over the similar TLR 22T of Leon McIntosh.  In 2WD Short Course defending champion Maifield took the last qualifier to secure pole position over Evans with Paul Wynn set to line-up 3rd on the grid.  In the biggest class at the 2013 Clash, e-Buggy, JR Mitch is Top Qualifier despite a bad final qualifier and the Florida racer will also start on pole in 4WD Short Course.  In 1:8 Nitro Buggy young TLR driver Tyler Jones topped Q4 from Jake Dellinger to secure pole position for the 30-minute A-Main ahead of Dellinger’s Associated with Max Flurer securing third.

2WD Buggy A-Main Grid (2 to bump up)
1. Dustin Evans – Team Losi Racing – 0 pts
2. Ryan Maifield – Team Associated – 2
3. JR Mitch – Team Losi Racing – 6
4. Cody Hollis – Team Losi Racing – 6
5. Ryan Eckert – Kyosho – 8
6. Max Flurer – Team Associated – 9
7. Jason Ruona – Team Associated – 10
8. Leon McIntosh – Team Losi Racing – 10
9. Paul Wynn – Team Associated – 10
10.Damion Borkowicz – Team Associated – 11

4WD Buggy A-Main Grid (2 to bump up)
1. Ryan Maifield – Team Associated – 0 pts
2. Dustin Evans – Team Losi Racing – 2
3. Cody Hollis – Team Losi Racing – 4
4. Jason Ruona – Team Associated – 5
5. Damion Borkowicz – Team Associated – 6
6. Brett Kingsbury – Team Associated – 7
7. Ryan Eckert – Kyosho – 9
8. Zack Genova – Xray – 9
9. Jimmy Vanderhaar – Team Associated – 12
10.Blaine Cavin – Team Associated – 15

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