Tebo TQs first Buggy qualifier
Defending champion Jared Tebo has got his 2011 campaign off to the best start possible by TQ’ing the first Buggy qualifier here at Thunder Alley. The Kyosho star set the fastest time from Team Durango’s Ryan Lutz and Round 1 Truggy Top Qualifier Ty Tessmann. Tebo said he just went after a clean first run and this approach worked out well for him. Despite the track being watered before the top heat had their run, the World Championship Top Qualifier said there was a lot more grip in the track than expected. Due to the high temperature Tebo said his AKA shod MP9 was too soft.
Recording the fastest lap on his way to the second fastest time, Lutz was very happy with how his DNX408 responded to a host of changes since yesterday. The combined adjustments, which included reverting back to mounting the shocks to the front of the arms, made the rear of the buggy roll more to create better overall stability. Lutz plans further changes to the rear suspension but said he will watch how the track develops over the day before choosing what way to go with the oil and tyres.
Having TQ’d the opening Truggy qualifier this morning, Ty Tessmann was not satisfied with his third fastest time in buggy. The Canadian said the track was getting bumpy and they needed to make his D8 easier to drive. Describing it as a clean run the 18-year-old is confident that if they can get the buggy more dialled in he can top the time sheets in Q2 this evening. Team-mate Jesse Robbers was leading the top heat until he rolled his CR8 and needed marshalling. Runner-up last year, he said the prototype chassis felt really good, however by the end the hot conditions started to thin out the shock oil causing the buggy to get a little loose.
Emerging young talent Dakotah Phend once again outshone his more experienced Losi team-mates as he took his Nitrotec powered 8ight to the fifth fastest time. The 14-year-old made a last minute decision to switch from green compound Kingpins to the harder red which he said was a good call. A little loose for the first minute and a half following the watering of the track they suit the warm high grip conditions perfect for the remainder of the run.
‘Better than I expected’ was how Serpent’s Billy Easton summed up his run to the 6th fastest time. The former 2WD electric off road World Champion said he ran too light a shock oil for the conditions making his 811 Cobra a little unstable.
Fastest in yesterday’s practice, Ryan Maifield could only manage 7th. The Associated driver was running a fast time until the steering servo in his RC8B started to burn out. Managing to coast to the finish for the points the winner of the Warm-up race said it was his own fault as he had noticed a problem with the servo last night but with so much to do on the buggy he forgot to change it for the qualifier. Team-mate Ryan Cavalieri said any chances of a competitive run ended on the first lap when a front dog bone popped out costing him around 6 seconds.
TLR’s Matt Castellano took the points for eight with Associated’s JR Mitch and Kyosho’s Mark Pavidis completing the Top 10. Elsewhere 2009 Champion Adam Drake had a flame out while current World Champion Cody King struggled with the high grip once the track dried.
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