Maifield struggles into Main event at DNC
Reigning Dirt Nitro Challenge Buggy Champion Ryan Maifield will progress to the deciding race of the 15th running of the world famous event but having only finished second in between the Xray’s of RC America team-drivers Tyler Vik and Josh Wheeler, the Associated driver’s chances of defending his title are looking somewhat of a tall order for the Arizona ace. Debuting a prototype of Associated’s new RC8 platform at the event, Maifield had a difficult qualifying ending up only 13th fastest overall leaving him on pole for the B-Main. While Maifield led the 15-car field for the first 6 laps of the 20-minute encounter, Vik would move to the front on lap 7 leaving Maifield to battle for the race with Wheeler. With both Tyler and Wheeler posting 44-second fastest laps, the best Maifield could manage would be a 45.150. Commenting on the race a clearly unhappy Maifield kept it brief saying it was ‘going to be a long final’.
With six of last year’s DNC Buggy finalist finding themselves in the B-Main, the race would be the end of the road for four of them. Starting second, Serpent’s Mike Truhe would fall down the order after a number of rough laps and while he recovered back to fourth he would flame out on the final lap to finish 5th. TLR’s Adam Drake who qualified 3rd for last years A-Main would also suffer a flame out leaving the reigning US National Champion 11th. The fourth place qualifier 12-months ago, World Championship Top Qualifier Elliot Boots lasted just 3 laps before retiring, stripping the clutch gearing on his Kyosho. The other of the 2013 finalists who wont make up one of the 15 grid spots for this year’s 45-minute main were TLR’s Billy Fischer who would only finish 7th behind Team Durango’s Joern Neumann, the German having a tough 5 days at the DNC.
Buggy A-Main Grid
1. Dakotah Phend – TLR/Orion
2. Ty Tessmann – HB/OS Speed
3. Jared Tebo – Kyosho/Orion
4. David Ronnefalk – Kyosho/Orion
5. Carson Wernimont – Mugen/OS Speed
6. Cody King – Kyosho/Reds Racing
7. Barry Pettit – Mugen/OS Speed
8. Renaud Savoya – Xray/Orion
9. Ryan Cavalieri – Associated/Orion
10.Taylor Petersen – Mugen/Novarossi
11.Austin Blair – Kyosho/RB
12.Ryan Lutz – Durango/Alpha
13.Tyler Vik – Xray/FX
14.Ryan Maifield – Associated/Novarossi
15.Josh Wheeler – Xray/OS Speed
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