October 2, 2016

Chassis Focus – Jared Tebo

Chassis – Kyosho Inferno MP9 TKI4
Engine – MX B4
Tyres – Pro-Line Holeshot M3
Fuel – MX
Radio/Servos – KO Propo
Body – TKI4 body

Remarks – Kyosho star driver Jared Tebo is using his MX powered MP9 TKI4 with a number of TKI3 parts, such as the front knuckles and lower suspension mounts, which he feels more comfortable with. Using his basic setup, his focus is not on outright speed but on consistency and making the car comfortable to drive. Jared feels his current setup is better suited to the predicted bumpier conditions later in the event and is happy to stick with his current tire selection, which are PL Holeshots in M3 compound.

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October 2, 2016

Chassis Focus – Ryan Lutz

Chassis – Tekno NB48.3
Engine – Alpha Plus Dragon 3
Tyres – AKA Gridiron Super Soft
Fuel – Byrons Fuel
Radio/Servos – Futaba
Body – LFR Assassin

Remarks – Top Tekno driver Ryan Lutz is using his Alpha powered NB48.3 with a number of prototype parts aimed at making the car easier to drive. The car sports new front and rear arms, new c hubs, new spindles, new wider lower suspension blocks and new springs. Ryan himself hasn’t been to Vegas since the Silvestate and so is using his Sikcross setup from 3 weeks ago when they had most of the new parts and is very happy with the car so far in the early runs.

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October 2, 2016

Chassis Focus – Adam Drake

Chassis – Mugen MBX7R
Engine – Novarossi Drake
Tyres – Pro-Line Electroshot
Fuel – Flashpoint
Radio/Servos – Hitec
Body/Wing – Kit Body/Pro-Line

Remarks – Multiple US National Champion Adam Drake is using the MBX7R, powered his own Drake edition Novarossi engine. Using what is his base setup, he has just made some small changes, again for later in the week he will alter his setup to one he developed for bumpier conditions which sees changes to the anti squat, kick along with shock oils and pistons.

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October 2, 2016

Chassis Focus – Ty Tessmann

Chassis – HB Racing D815 V2
Engine – OS B2102
Tyres – Pro-Line Electroshot
Fuel – VP Tessmann 25%
Radio/Servos – Sanwa / Savox
Body – Pro-Line Predator

Remarks – Reigning World Champion Ty Tessmann is using the latest HB Racing D815 V2 with the all new B2102 engine from OS, featuring the lowered cooling head. Giving the Canadian’s car a very distinctive look, Ty has been testing it for a few months and says that there is no difference in engine temperature but the handling difference is quite large saying the car is more predictable in the high speed corners as it doesn’t dive upon turn in. In terms of setup he is using what is his base setup while the track is smooth but is confident they have a good setup for the track when it starts to rut up. Using the new Electroshot tire from Pro-Line, it is a mix between the handling of the Holeshot and durability of the Electron pattern.

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October 2, 2016

The Worlds according to Ruona – The hand shaking phase is over

Well, we made it through the hand shaking phase of the worlds. You know, where everyone across teams, countries and pit areas pretend to like each other for a little while. It’s always fake, it’s always awkward and personally, I look forward to when we all go back to normal. Sure, we all respect the competition, but in all reality, let’s race already.

We’ve been here since Thursday evening and today finally got our first laps starting around 2pm on Saturday. We did have the qualifying “race in” event but let’s face it, that wasn’t really needed. For the crew that makes the tour, we all know who should and shouldn’t be in the race. I would have preferred to give the qualified drivers more practice than to a gimmick race. Oh well, let’s move on.

In the era of social media, I don’t know what people are more proud of. Actually racing the worlds or just taking a photo showing they were at the worlds. I don’t know why we aren’t trending yet, everyone says that we should be on ESPN like those cool drones. I just want to trend. Screw ESPN, I want to be trending news on social media someday. Keep pumping those hashtags, track photos and pit shots. We will be there soon.

As heavily posted already, (trending) the track and facility are top notch and well prepared. Chris Tocco has answered the call and I finally signed off on the deal when he showed me the backup water supply unit today. I try to think of everything but man, he thought of the backup water supply unit? Next level! The layout itself is nicely built and I repeat, in a smooth condition a great track for me or my driving style. I told Paul Wynn, this looks like a track we would design for our Clash event which has to work for both 1/10th and 1/8th scale vehicles. Ironically, the 1/8th guys at the Clash would normally complain it’s built for 1/10th scale. Well, this one is built for the 1/8th worlds….so there.

In my opinion, the track lacks that signature section. That wow factor that makes someone’s driving stand out over another. I’ve been here multiple times and it’s probably my least favorite layout. Knowing that Chris has thought this out quite a bit, I think he believes the conditions and bumps will be more the character we are looking for. Didn’t JQ post this already? I’m agreeing with JQ? I’m outta here…

The drama today which was once again made worse on FB was the issue with the wings. Apparently a few years ago the rules were changed and the side-dams need be a certain size for number decals. You know, those things you can’t see on the track that indicate a car number which doesn’t matter because your transponder has a number which relates to your name. If there was only a way to differentiate cars from one another on the track. In a perfect world, the cars would have different paint schemes and color combinations so an experienced race announcer could look at the vehicles and be able to separate them based on appearance…..I know, I know…race cars have numbers and it does help..I get it.

Going back to the wing, I never really considered looking at minimum size areas or rule changes. I just figured maximum size was all that mattered and for the simple fact, if we used a certain wing at the last several worlds that it would be legal for the next worlds. As Donald Trump says, WRONG! I think I was less worked up about it than anyone…I was like, just put the Kyosho wing on and be done with it. They have 400 in the hobby shop for $30 each. Some got creative and bolted a section to their standard wing. I like it! Let’s make some stuff again, too much is available perfectly out of the package. Let’s see your skills with scissors, dremel and some hardware. I guess the irritating part of the whole thing was the letter IFMAR wrote to the racers and manufactures telling everyone how stupid they are and were. Jeez, talk about a total bitch slap to the face. I can’t wait to write that press release in a few months.. ….Specifically designed with IFMAR rules in mind, the JConcepts Hybrid “IFMAR spec” wing has been carefully crafted of durable polycarbonate and pre-trimmed for that perfect fit and finish.

Overall, today was a good day for practice. There were some surprises and you could already see the affect of the track watering schedule and how it progressed into the day. It’s going to be a challenge to keep it completely consistent and also have water on it. I wouldn’t completely bet high on guys that win practice because there are going to be highs and lows depending on the water and time of day. The race will be won and lost in dryer conditions because the semi-final and mains are obviously longer. Let’s take a look at the top 15, make sure our guys are somewhere to be seen and keep motoring along. Keep an eye out for the guys that will go 10 minutes in qualifying or also in the mains….that will certainly be a factor before it’s all said and done.

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October 2, 2016

Tebo fastest in opening practice

On what can best be described as a very leisurely opening day to the 1:8 Offroad World Championships in Las Vegas it was Jared Tebo who set the pace as drivers ran just a single 10-minute practice run each around the RC Tracks of Las Vegas track.   Posting a best three consecutive lap time of 1:42.818, Tebo led a Kyosho 1-2 from Elliott Boots with the separation less than 1/10th of a second.  Behind, Mugen’s Cole Ogden would post the third fastest time while on a complete 10-minute race time it was his team-mate Adam Drake who would top the time sheets. With the focus of the first practice being to learn the track, something most drivers reported as not taking long, reigning champion Ty Tessmann would post the 15th fastest time summing up the track as ‘not challenging yet’.

Running in Heat 13 of 16, the track conditions later in the round appearing to be more favourable for a quicker time, Tebo was pleased with his opening run saying, ‘I couldn’t be happier with my first run out there’.  Opting to run Proline Holeshot M3 tyres on his MX powered MP9 he said ‘it felt awesome’ and for the second practice in the morning he ‘will not change anything’.  A good friend of track owner Chris Tocco, the former Worlds Top Qualifier said, ‘I thought it was a great layout.  It flowed really well. Its fun and the best since the track opened’.  Describing the conditions of the first practice as ‘loose & smooth’, the American expects the track to get better as it roughs up adding as a positive that ‘when it breaks up its not going to get crazy’.  Asked if any sections could effect a lap time he felt getting the corner before the brick section right would give a better run through the bricks and also on the following section leading on to the main straight.

Boots was pleased with his first run saying ‘I went out to learn the track and felt in the groove pretty much straight away’.  He added, ‘Its a flowing fast track, I like it but we’ve only had 10-minutes on it so will change’.  The reigning back to back European Champion said with the ‘cars pushing a little’ in the loose conditions he just tried to focus on keeping tighter in the corners.  Running Proline M3 Electroshot tyres on his Reds Racing powered example of the MP9, the British driver plans to change a few things for the morning saying ‘its practice so we need to use the track time to try things’.

Tessmann described his first run as ‘OK’ saying it was ‘just about getting first laps in’.  The Canadian said while the shocks on his HB Racing D815V2 were ‘a little heavy’, he focused on getting a feel for the tracks option line adding he doesn’t yet know which is better ‘but going around the hump is easier’.  Running Proline’s Electroshot tyre he will switch to a Holeshot for FP2 to ‘see if its any better’.  While he said the track is ‘not challenging yet’, he predicts ‘its going to get more difficult’ but sharing Tebo’s views concluded ‘but its not got to get impossible’.

HB Racing team-mate David Ronnefalk was pleased with his opening run, the Swede slightly faster than Tessmann with the 13th fastest time.  Running on AKA Grid Iron super softs, the former European Champion summed up the opening run with ‘it took a couple of laps to get used to the track but the balance (of his D815V2) was nice and it was super easy to drive and we know this set-up is pretty good when it gets bumpy’.  His only negative was that the car  ‘was pushing too much for my liking’ and for tomorrow they will try to get ‘more natural steering’.  Describing the track as ‘super nice’ and having a ‘good mix of easy (sections) and places to lose or gain time’ he said he prefers a rough track adding ‘it will get there’.  Running a 7-port Orion engine in the first practice, Ronnefalk plans to test his preferred choice of a 3-port tomorrow.  While the 7-port has more speed he said the 3-port has a really good feeling on the bottom end adding he likes his engine to be ‘snappy’.

Leading the TLR challenge, Ryan Maifield would end the opening practice just ahead of Ronnefalk on 3-consecutive lap pace.  Having led the final at the 2014 Worlds before suffering a steering servo failure, he summed up his first run on the track by saying, ‘everyone is doing the same times and when the track gets more character it will be better.  Right now it is simple to drive’.  Running JConcepts’ new Teaser tyre on his 8ight 4.0, he said ‘the track is going to dramatically change and its going to get a lot harder to go fast.  There are holes in the track already after one run’.

Setting the 6th fastest time behind Drake and Tekno’s Ryan Lutz, Lutz setting the fastest lap of the practice with a 33.3, Team Associated’s Kyle McBride was happy with his RC8B3 describing it as ‘easy to drive’. Running a new prototype Pro-Line body for the run, the Aussie added that they need to work on getting more corner speed for tomorrow.  Describing the track as ‘pretty simple’, he said ‘the layout is fun’ but expecting it to get rougher he expects it will also get harder.  Asked if any elements of the track presented an opportunity to make up time he said ‘sticking to tight lines was important as it was easy to get pushed wide’.  Team-mate Ryan Cavalieri, runner up at the 2014 Worlds, would manage only the 25th fastest time saying they need to run less front end camber to make his RC8 more responsive mid corner.  Describing the track as having a ‘really good flow’ with the ‘jumps spaced pretty nice’, the multiple electric offroad World Champion said the track needs to groove up more to start getting a good racing line to follow.

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