Schoettler and Hartson top practice in Tacoma

While there was no surprise at World Champion Steven Hartson topping 4WD Buggy practice at the JConcepts Spring Indoor Nationals at Tacoma R/C Raceway, local driver Michael Schoettler caused a bit of a surprise with an impressive timed practice run that makes him top seed for tomorrow’s 2WD Buggy qualifying.  Overall it was a good finish to today’s practice for local racers as they put their track knowledge to good effect to fill four of the Top 6 times based on each drivers 5-lap average time.

Driving an Associated B5M, Schoettler said his buggy ran well throughout the day and overall he was pleased with his performance among the high quality field.  With the surface offering plenty of traction, for tomorrow’s qualifying the 18-year-old plans on make a few adjustments to his set-up as he looks the make the car less edgy.  Running JConcepts Dirt Webs, a tyre he said would be his regular choice for his home track, today he also ran JConcepts new Dirt Tech closed cell insert adding they ‘worked really well’,

Hartson said his 2WD run was good but added he didn’t have the speed of Schoettler.  With plenty of grip and steering from his B5M, the Californian driver plans to leave the JConcets Dirt Web equipped Associated the same for Q1 and just focus on making a clean run.  Despite topping 4WD seeding times from Associated team manager Brent Thielke, he described his B44.2 as only ‘OK’.  Feeling it can be made to work better he is planning on switching to geardiffs for Q1 along with making a change to the oil in his front shocks.

Setting the third fastest time with his B5M, Luke Smith said he has still work to do with the focus being on his tyre prep.  Another local driver, the 20-year-old said his car could do with more rear traction which in turn would help make it more predictable around the track. Running AKA Typos tires all round he said he will continue to use these feeling they will improve with the more running they get. ‘Really decent’ was how Thielke summed up how his B5M performed as he ran the fourth fastest time. Enjoying the track layout and its ‘clean lines’, he said in the run he experienced his first traction roll of the day and so for qualifying he will make a small camber adjustment.  Posting the second fastest time in 4WD Buggy, the Associated team manager said his B44.2 was ‘not nearly as good as his 2WD’.  ‘Not as comfortable to drive’ he plans to think overnight about what changes he needs to make, adding less rear droop is one such idea he is most likely to try.

Behind Thielke we had the first non Associated 2WD with Kyosho driver Ryan Matesa posting the 5th fastest time.  Running an Orion powered RB6,  the local 18-year-old said it felt good and the plan is to run it as is for Q1 and instead ‘just drive it better’.

Another local racer looking to better his driving for qualifying is John Valentia.  Describing his run to the sixth fastest time as ‘alright’, he said just needs the driver to improve for tomorrow.  Running a JConcepts Dirt Webs equipped B5M in the timed practice he will fit another pair of the same tyre combo for Q1 using his targeted safe run to bring the tyres to the same level as the set he currently has so he has a back-up set available should anything go wrong.

Winner of the season opener in Missouri, Tanner Denney didn’t have a strong showing when it counted most and he ended up only 7th fastest.  Suffering a lack of steering on his B5M due to the huge rear end grip the buggy has he plans to make a set-up change to try free up the rear end a little.  Tanner had a similar run with his 4WD ending up 6th fastest.  Describing his B44.2 as ‘hard to drive’ he is considering running no tyre additive for first qualifier.

Third fastest in 4WD Buggy, JR Mitch was pleased with his run.  Happy with the feeling of his TLR22-4, he said the laps are ‘not blisteringly fast’ but they are consisent. Set to leave his chassis set-up unchanged for Q1 the Winter Indoor Nationals winner said he hopes to find some improvement in pace from his driving.

Behind Mitch in the 4WD Buggy reseed it was fellow TLR driver JC Johnson.  Another local racer, he said he was not representing that fact very well so far with 4th. With his TLR22-4 difficult to drive and lacking consistency he also feels he lost time changing between AKA and JConcepts tyres and for Q1 he will start of the day back on AKA.

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