Vik takes Q2 at JConcepts Indoor Nats

Tyler Vik took the second round of 4WD Buggy qualifying at the JConcepts Summer Indoor Nationals, the Xray driver heading the times as the lead drivers broke into the 21-laps at the Outback Raceway in Chico, California. Running in the second fastest heat, Vik took the round from Q1 pace setter Ryan Maifield with qualifying top seed Drew Moller completing the Top 3.

Top Qualifier at the Spring Indoor Nationals in Tacoma, Washington, back in April, Vik said his ‘car was perfect’ adding he ‘just had to drive it’. Making a mistake early in the run, he said while it is impossible to make back up any time on this track in the end he was the driver with the smaller mistakes referring to Maifield’s late mistake in the following heat. Running AKA Typo tyres all round on his XB4, he said for the final qualifier he would be paying attention to the track to see if he needs to run slicks saying right now that it is on edge regarding tyre choice.

Maifield said he lost out on the TQ due to a mistake but overall he felt his TLR22-4 was good after making ‘a couple of adjustments’ after Q1. While most drivers made comment to the fact that the track conditions had change a lot since they stopped watering it, reporting traction getting super high, Maifield said it didn’t feel that different to him. Describing his JConcepts shod buggy as being ‘really consistent’ he said the only improvement he would like to make now is to gain a little more speed in the 180 corners. Checking out his front diff he said he will rebuild it for Q3 as it didn’t feel as smooth as he would like it.

Moller described his second run as ‘good’ adding he drove more consistent than in the morning avoiding making any crashes over the 5-minutes. The A-Main Hobbies backed driver said grip levels had gone ‘sky high’ since Q1 but his HB D413 adapted well. Running the same set of Pro-Line Electron tyres he ran in Q1, the 18-year-old said that while the track is almost ready for slicks his set of tyres were now almost a set of slicks so he would just continue with the same package for the final qualifier.

Continuing to make a strong impression this weekend Daimon Borkowicz posted the fourth fastest time. The protege of JConcepts owner Jason Ruona, the talented youngster said he found his Reedy powered Associated B44.2 a ‘little harder to drive’ on the drier track adding that when the track was being waterred it was more forgiving. With his 4th and 2nd from Q1 locking him into the A-Main, he plans to try something for Q3 in the hope of finding something better to run in the A-Main but what changes he will make he will decide nearer the time of the run.

The only top driver to run slicks, a set of Dremeled down JConcepts Barcodes, Steven Hartson would post the 5th fastest time. The World Champion said his LRP powered B44.2 was very fast but he joked he couldn’t stay on the track with them. While the car was difficult to drive on the slicks he said he was not sure what tyre choice to make for the final round adding that while traction is increasing due to them not watering the track by the time Q3 comes around dust could be an issue.

Completing the Top 6 was JR Mitch who was winner of the series opening race – the Winter Indoor Nationals in St.Louis. The Team Losi Racing driver said after a spring change his TLR22-4 was better through the sweeper. Suffering one bobble, he said how he drove after the mistake was how he should have driven the whole qualifier. For Q3 and with the ‘bite coming up’, the Florida driver will refreshen his shocks for the final run.

4WD Buggy Qualifying Round 2
1. Tyler Vik – Team Xray – 21/5:12.833
2. Ryan Maifield – Team Losi Racing – 21/5:13.020
3. Drew Moller – A-Main Hobbies (HB) – 21/5:13.187
4. Damion Borkowicz – Team Associated – 20/5:02.346
5. Steven Hartson – Team Associated – 20/5:03.913
6. JR Mitch – Team Losi Racing – 20/5:05.363
7. Brian Strange – Team Associated – 20/5:05.843
8. Derek Stephansen – 20/5:06.113
9. Eric Albano – Team Associated – 20/5:08.968
10.John Walentia – Team Associated – 20/5:10.780

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Maifield tops opening 2WD qualifier in Chico

Having taken the opening round of 4WD Buggy, Ryan Maifield repeated the feat in the first of the three rounds of 2WD Buggy qualifying at the JConcepts Summer Indoor Nationals at Outback Raceway in Chico. The new Team Losi Racing signing topped Q1 by 2.3 seconds from Team Xray’s Tyler Vik with fellow TLR driver Mark Pavidis completing the Top 3, the trio being the only drivers to post 20-lap runs. Having topped seeding it was a difficult opening qualifier for Steven Hartson with the Team Associated driver ending up only 16th fastest.

‘The best my car has been so far here’ was how Maifield summed up the performance of his Orion powered TLR22 in the opening qualifier. Making changes since yesterday’s seeding practice based on recommendations from both TLR’s Frank Root and Team Orion’s Joe Pillars, he said his mid motored buggy now had speed while still being comfortable to drive. Last year’s 2WD winner at the A-Main Hobbies hosted event, Maifield said Q1 was the first time he got to run alongside all the fast drivers and this made it much easier to pace yourself in relation to the competition. Having changed the car every time he has gone out on track, Maifield said with the car working well he will leave it the same for Q2 as he tries to get more familiar with his new cars.

‘Way better than I thought’ was how Vik summed up his qualifier. Suffering one crash the San Francisco driver thought he would end up with a Top 10 not a Top 2 time. Running AKA Deja Vu rears and Typo fronts on his Associated B4.2 Centro, he said the car was really good and he had no intentions of changing anything for Q2.

Still running his TLR22 the same as how he arrived in Chico with it, him using Dustin Evan’s Reedy Race of Champions set-up, Pavidis was pleased with his qualifier. Saying the car was no different to practice, the former World Champion said at the end of yesterday he was pretty confident that while his 3-consecutive lap pace was not so fast over 5-minute he had a good form. Running AKA’s clay Typo tyre all round, in the front he is trying a new black foam insert. Designed for high bite tracks he said here he has found it to smooth out the front end. Finding the track a little more aggressive this morning than yesterday, he said he has only two sets of tyres ready for qualifying and for Q2 he will run the second of those with the aim of repeating a similar result which would allow him then to use Q3 to scrub tyres in for tomorrow’s A-Main.

Having led the Team Associated challenge in the first 4WD qualifier, Damion Borkowicz again was the teams top runner posting the 4th fastest time. The Florida youngster said his Reedy powered B5M struggled for the first 2 minutes with the car really hard to drive but there after he said it was really good. Feeling there is not much he can do to improve this particular problem, he said he will continue with the car as is. Suffering one flip over after the triple he said he was able to drive real smooth after that and his aim for the next qualifier is to try to keep himself in that right mindset.

Drew Moller posted the 5th fastest time also driving an Associated B5M. The LA driver said his car was good but he had ‘one long crash’ that cost him over 4-seconds. Getting stuck on the piping while running a Top 3 pace he said the ‘marshal was half asleep’. Happy with his pace he said he will not make any changes for Q2.

Spencer Rivkin completed the Top 6, the 15-year-old describing the run as ‘alright’. Suffering one mistake in which he flipped over his B5M, he said the car was too soft and he will now change to a harder spring.

Running second to Maifeld for a time Root said the run was ‘really good until I crashed’. TLR’s Senior Product Developer said as he does not race as much as he used to his nerves got the better of him and due to traffic the marshal had to wait before getting to his buggy. Having recommended a change to Maifield for Q1, he said that worked well and for Q2 he will now make the same droop adjustment to his own TLR22.

2WD Buggy Qualifying Round 1
1. Ryan Maifield – Team Losi Racing – 20/5:12.835
2. Tyler Vik – Team Xray – 20/5:15.147
3. Mark Pavidis – Team Losi Racing – 20/5:15.641
4. Damion Borkowicz – Team Associated – 19/5:00.426
5. Drew Moller – A-Main Hobbies (AE) – 19/5:00.551
6. Spencer Rivkin – Team Associated – 19/5:00.971
7. Frank Root – Team Losi Racing – 19/5:00.988
8. Justin Moon – Serpent – 19/5:02.517
9. Eddie Bernal – Team Associated – 19/5:02.915
10.Chris Bridgewater – Team Associated – 19/5:03.955

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Maifield TQs first 4WD Qualifier at Indoor Nats

Ryan Maifield kicked off his arrival at Team Losi Racing in the best way possible as he TQ’d the opening round of 4WD Buggy qualifying this morning at the JConcepts Summer Indoor Nationals. Setting the fastest lap, Maifield topped the round by 1.94 seconds from the Associated of Daimon Borkowicz, the up & coming talent having set the TQ pace of the top heat for a number of laps before a rollover. Having topped last night’s seeding practice, Drew Moller completed the Top 3 just 56/1000ths off Borkowicz.

Happy to top the round and set the fastest lap, Maifield said overall his Orion powered TLR22-4 was too safe admitting that his rivals at times were quicker but because his car was ‘too easy to drive’ he could ‘cruise around with no mistakes’. Looking to improve the car in particular for the 180 corners, for Q2 he said he will make an adjustment to the rear toe and dog bone angle.

‘Super dialled’ was how Borkowicz described his Reedy powered B44.2. The 14-year-old said he had couple of mistakes which allowed Maifield to go to the front and for Q2 he added he needs to keep focused on his driving and not worry about who else is in the heat. In terms of his car he will ‘keep it all the same’.

‘A good first round’ was how Moller summed up Q1. The 18-year-old said he started out the 5-minutes driving too conservatively. Very happy with the performance of his HB D413, he will leave the car as is saying he knows he has the speed and he just needs to work on ‘clean(ing) lines up a little’.

Setting the fourth fastest time was Chris Jarosz. The Associated driver described the run as ‘pretty good’ adding he had ‘no real complaints’. Admitting to a couple of small mistakes, the Sacramento based driver said he was still working on his line choice before the triple which he feels if he can clean up would make it easier to do every lap. Running ball diffs in B44.2, he said he was on the fence about changing to geardiff and will see how team-mates Hartson and Rivkin go on making the switch for Q2 before making a decision.

Setting the sixth fastest time behind the Xray of Tyler Vik, Hartson said his LRP powered B44.2 felt like it had too much grip and as a result he couldn’t push hard. The World Champion’s buggy ‘did not have a smooth arc through the corners’ and he hopes by switching to geardiffs for Q2 that will cure both his problems giving him an overall easier car to drive. Rivkin, who set the 10th fastest time will also make the switch to geardiffs having reported similar issues with the handling.

4WD Buggy Qualifying Round 1
1. Ryan Maifield – Team Losi Racing – 20/5:00.022
2. Damion Borkowicz – Team Associated – 20/5:01.962
3. Drew Moller – A-Main Hobbies (HB) – 20/5:02.018
4. Chris Jarosz – Team Associated – 20/5:02.290
5. Tyler Vik – Team Xray – 20/5:03.309
6. Steven Hartson – Team Associated – 20/5:04.115
7. Eric Albano – Team Associated – 20/5:05.136
8. JR Mitch – Team Losi Racing – 20/5:05.472
9. Brian Strange – Team Associated – 20/5:07.342
10.Spencer Rivkin – Team Associated – 20/5:08.086

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Hartson fastest in 2WD seeding

Steven Hartson set the pace in seeding for 2WD Buggy at the JConcepts Summer Indoor Nationals, the Team Associated driver fastest over 3-consecutive laps from team-mate Spencer Rivkin with TLR’s Frank Root completing the Top 3. Suffering an undisclosed issue with his TLR22, when Ryan Maifield eventually got running he would post the fourth fastest time ahead of Associated driver Chris Jarosz, who posted the fastest lap, while 4WD Buggy Top Seed Drew Moller completed the Top 6.

Hartson said overall his LRP B5M ‘felt good’ although compared to earlier runs it was ‘a little harder to drive as if it had too much grip’. ‘Still able to put down consistent laps’, the Californian said for qualifying he will ‘sauce a little less’ his JConcepts Dirtweb tyres adding with this change he feels he should be in good shape for tomorrow.

Rivkin said having played around with a lot of stuff over the day for the seeding run he went back to his base set-up as well as making his B5M softer. He said his car was really good after the change allowing him to run ‘pretty fast laps’ despite the track being slower than earlier. With the buggy ‘really stable’, the 15-year-old said for qualifying he may consider making the car a little stiffer for Q1.

59/1000ths of a second off team-mate & TLR Senior Product Developer Root, Maifield said expecting the track to be loose he didn’t sauce his front tyres but with the track having better grip this choice left him looking for a little more steering. Still learning his new cars, this being his debut race with TLR, he said compared to his Associated cars his Orion powered TLR22 had different characteristics in terms of how it reacts to saucing and getting a better handle on this is just a matter of getting more time with the cars.

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Moller tops 4WD seeding in Chico

Drew Moller topped seeding for 4WD Buggy at the JConcepts Summer Indoor Nationals, the A-Main Hobbies driver taking his HB around the track in the fastest 3-consecutive laps from the Associated pairing of Daimon Borkowicz and Steven Hartson. The first time new TLR’s new star signing Ryan Maifield found himself on the clock with one of his new buggies he would post the fourth fastest time followed by the Xray of Tyler Vik and his protege Spencer Rivkin.

Having only got his D413 three weeks ago, having to get it in from Europe, Moller said nerves got to him a little and he had a couple of mistakes but overall he was very happy to top the times. Running factory HB driver Ty Tessmann’s Reedy Race of Champions set-up on the car, the LA driver said he has pretty much just run the car as is since arriving at Outback Raceway, this being his first time to the track which is owned by his sponsors A-Main Hobbies. Describing the car as very easy to work on and running on Pro-Line’s Electron tyre he said he planned to leave everything as is in terms of set-up for tomorrow’s opening qualifier and instead just ‘calm down a little and take things more easy’.

Running a faster single lap than Moller, Borkowicz was very happy with his pace being only 81/1000ths off over 3-laps. Using JConcepts’ Barcode fronts and Dirtweb rears on his Reedy powered B44.2, finding the Barcode front makes the car ‘tamer’ than running Dirt Webs all round, the 14-year-old described the feel of his car as ‘pretty good’ adding it had ‘quite a bit of steering’. Having made a sway bar change and adjusted the rear camber link for the run, the up & coming Florida driver said this was the best the car has been and for Q1 he will ‘probably leave it alone’.

Setting the fastest lap of the single round of seeding practice, his LRP powered B44.2 running a 14.619 lap, Hartson said he could have got a little luckier with traffic but overall he was happy. Running the same JConcepts tyre combo as Borkowicz he said the car was comfortable to drive adding it ‘should be good for tomorrow’, three rounds of qualifying making up the Day 2 schedule.

Running a new set of tyres, Maifield said considering this he wasn’t expecting too much. Running Dirt Webs all round, he said his Orion powered TLR22-4 was ‘extremely consistent’ and with two sets of tyres now scrubbed in for qualifying he feels he is ‘good shape’. Setting the fastest overall time for the three minutes, like Hartson he said traffic was a bit of problem and he is looking forward to running on track at the same time as he rivals tomorrow in qualifying.

Top Qualifier at the Spring Indoor Nationals, Vik said his XB4 ‘felt kind of greasy’ to drive. Running an AKA Pinstrip and Deja Vu tyre combo he said having watched Mark Pavidis do his run on Typos with his TLR looking good on them he will go with that tyre choice for Q1. In terms of his buggy set-up, the San Francisco driver plans to leave it as is for now.

Rivkin said his goal for the seeding run was an overall time rather than fastest three laps and in terms of that pace he ended up second fastest to his mentor Maifield. Running a used set of JConcepts Barcode/Dirt Webs he said his B44.2 was good from the start and he was easily able to run that pace without any crashes. For qualifying the 15-year-old said he will just freshen up his shocks and do some maintenance work but make no changes to the set-up.

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