Neumann takes Q1 of 4WD Buggy at Cactus

Joern Neumann has TQ’d the first round of 4WD Buggy Qualifying at the Pro-Line Cactus Classic at SRS Raceway in Scottsdale, Arizona.   The Team Durango driver topped the time by just shy of a second over Kyosho’s Jared Tebo with Associated’s Ryan Cavalieri 3rd.  For defending champion Ryan Maifield it wasn’t a good start as he managed only the 18th fastest time.  Chasing a fourth consecutive 4WD buggy title at the 28th running of prestigious event, he summed up his run as ‘hurting’.

The only front running European attending this year’s event, Neumann was happy to kick off qualifying with a TQ run.  Describing his Orion powered DEX410 as ‘easy to drive’, the German put in ‘a clean run with no mistakes’ setting the fastest lap in the process.  Running Pro-Line’s new Transistor front & Suburb VTR rear, unlike many of his rivals he said the tyres ‘worked good from the first lap’. For Q2, the European Champion said the only change he will make is to fit a fresh set of tyres adding that with his 4WD Buggy track conditions have been very consistent since the event began.

Tebo described his opening run as a ‘good start’ adding he felt comfortable over the full 5-minutes.  In terms of his prototype ZX6 he said the rear springs were a little too soft, the rear end laying down too much out of the corners, and for the day’s second qualifier he will fit a harder one.  Feeling he is losing time through the uphill section on the right side of the track he said he needs to ‘get his line sorted better’ there.

Last year’s Top Qualifier, Cavalieri said the run was ‘pretty good’ but found his B44.2 a little loose at the start until the tyres came in.  Having to wait for them to scrub in he said he lost too much time, his time 2-seconds of that of Neumann, but once they did come in the buggy felt ‘good’.  Planning no set-up changes, the former multiple World Champion said he will scrub a fresh set of tyres in more before the start of Q2.

Setting the fourth fastest time, Team Losi Racing’s Dakotah Phend said his buggy was ‘really good’ but he had one bad crash together with a few bobbles through the S-section near the timing loop.  Happy that his TLR22-4 has the speed, the 17-year-old recording the second fastest lap, he will leave his set-up and tyre choice, Pro-Line XT2 Scrub fronts & XT2 Suburb rears, the same for Q2.  Team-mate Dustin Evans said he is ‘struggling’ with the ‘so grippy’ track with him managing only 10th for the round.

Billy Fischer took his Associated B44.2 to the fifth fastest time.  The Team Novak driver said he ‘wasn’t the fastest on the track by any means’ but by keeping the run clean as others crashed he was able to post a ‘solid first run’.  Driving at ‘about 90%’ he said there is ‘more speed in the car but not without risk’.

Having topped yesterday’s controlled practice, Ty Tessmann could only manage the 6th fastest time. The HB driver said his tyres didn’t break in as quickly as he had expected.  Struggling for the first half of the run, which led to a number of crashes,  he said his D4-13 ended the run well.  Planning no set-up changes the US National Champion will work the tyres much harder during the Q2 warm-up laps.

13-year-old Damion Borkowicz put in an impressive first qualifier to set the 7th fastest time.  Running in the second fastest heat, the JConcepts team driver said his B44.2 was ‘super easy to drive’.  Taking off the front sawy bar for the qualifier he said he improved the buggy a lot over what it was like in controlled practice.  Running JConcepts red compund Dirt Web on the rear and orange compound Barcodes on the front, he said other than a fresh set of rubber he will run the same for Q2.  Behind the Florida driver, Associated designer Kody Numedahl and team driver Rob Gillespie and Evans completed the Top 10.

4WD Buggy Qualifying Round 1
1. Joern Neumann – Durango – 14/5:05.266
2. Jared Tebo – Kyosho – 14/5:06.222
3. Ryan Cavalieri – Associated – 14/5:07.369
4. Dakotah Phend – TLR – 14/5:09.654
5. Billy Fischer – Associated – 14/5:13.708
6. Ty Tessmann – HB Racing – 14/5:14.661
7. Damion Borkowicz – Associated – 14/5:16.408
8. Kody Numedahl – Associated – 14/5:21.083
9. Rob Gillespie – Associated – 14/5:21.275
10.Dustin Evans – TLR – 14/5:21.700

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