Cavalieri on pole for Buggy Main
Team Associated’s Ryan Cavalieri will start the 1-hour Buggy Main at the ROAR Nationals from pole after winning the first of the Semis in a faster time than Jared Tebo who starts second. Cavalieri lapped everyone up to second placed Ty Tessmann in the 30 minute encounter, being the only driver to run a 29 second lap in either Semis. Top Qualifier Tebo took his Kyosho a relatively easy win crossing the finish line over half a lap up on newly crowned Truggy Champion Ryan Maifield who will challenge for the double from 4th on the grid behind Tessmann.
Lining up as the top Losi on what has been a great day for the youngster, Dakotah Phend will carry number six and is joined by his senior team-mate Adam Drake. The former champion starts 8th behind current World Champion Cody King who beat him to third in the second of the Semis.
Runner up last year, Jesse Robbers makes it two Hot Bodies in the final with his CR8 prototype starting from the eight spot ahead of the only Mugen, which will be driven by Taylor Peterson. Making it into final as one of the fastest drivers outside of the Top 5, bad boy Jeremy Kortz is next up with his Hobao.
Completing the 12 drivers who can still become the 2011 Buggy Champion are Associated duo JR Mitch, the other fastest finisher, and Clint Wachter who was fifth in the first Semi.
Crowned champion the last time Thunder Alley hosted the Nationals and on the podium 12 months ago Mike Truhe was one of the big casualties of the Semis along with 2006 World Champion Mark Pavidis. Truhe, who suffered a broken shock in the Truggy final, was forced to retire after just three laps when the carb on his N-Vision engine jammed. In contention for a bump up spot Pavidis ran out of fuel just as the race entered the final 10 minutes. Also stopping on track was Travis Amezcua ending a disappointing event for the factory Mugen driver.
View our event image gallery here.