Video – 2wd Qualifying Rd1
- Red RC Network:
- Red RC Events |
- Red RC
Chassis Focus – Travis Amezcua
Chassis – Durango DEX210F
Motor – Speedpassion 5.5
ESC – Viper VTX10R
Battery – Intellect 5000
Radio/Servos – Futaba/Xpert
Body – Kit body
Remarks – US driver Travis Amezcua is running the new DEX210F from Durango, another car that combines the rear end of a 4wd and the front end of a 2wd buggy to create a astro/carpet specific chassis. Using the parts from both the companies buggy platforms it is a new chassis that brings them together and we are told that the complete kit will be released by the end of the year. Having never raced on Astro prior to this race, Travis has had to seek the help of the British Durango team for set-up and adjustment help as he originally battled with push, but is no struggling with off power oversteer.
Image Gallery
New in the Pits – JConcepts Part 1
In the first part of our New in the pits from JConcepts, we introduce the new S2 bodyshell. Created to be used with the new low profile rear transmissions seen here at the Yatabe Arena, the S2 is a further iteration of the popular Silencer shell. The extremely low profile design has been created for use mainly on carpet & astro turf, and will be made available for the Associated B5M standard transmission and the new low profile transmissions making their debut here. JConcepts also made a version for the TLR development car that is being used here by team driver Ryan Maifield and if the car goes into production there will also be a version produced for that car too. Expect to see the S2 body released next month.
Image Gallery
Chassis Focus – Jared Tebo
Chassis –Kyosho RZ6
Motor – Orion VST2 5.5
ESC – Orion R10.1
Battery – Orion 4000
Radio/Servos – KO Propo
Body – Kit body
Remarks – Having set the pace all through free practice and into controlled practice, reigning World Champion Jared Tebo had split his time between the RB6 WC and the RZ6 and having only tried the RZ6 2 times he has chosen it for qualifying. Feeling more comfortable and also being quicker with the 2wd/4wd hybrid he felt he could power easier through the corners and should be safer in racing conditions. The car itself is similar to a third party conversion he tried after the pre worlds earlier in the year but this version has been made by Kyosho and only has two new parts to connect the rear of the 4wd with the front of the 2wd. The car is fitted with a number of JTP RC option parts including front and rear carbon shock towers, battery brace and chassis stiffener.
Image Gallery
Tebo stamps authority on Day 1
Jared Tebo stamped his authority on Day 1 of the 1:10 Offroad World Championships, the Kyosho driver topping the times for each of the six practice runs in Japan. Posting the fastest of his 3-consecutive lap times in the second of the controlled practices, which brought the opening day at the Yatabe Arena to a close, the defending World Champion leaves with the honour of being top seed for tomorrow’s qualifying. Controlled practice would end in a Kyosho 1-2 as an improved Naoto Matsukura managed to move ahead of Neil Cragg with the second fastest time 3/10ths off. Cragg too improved on his CP1 pace despite breaking with a minute left to run with Associated team-mate Ryan Cavalieri, who failed to go the full distance in the first round, posting the fourth fastest time while the next 4 drivers couldn’t better their early pace.
A driver clearly determined to divulge as little information as possible at what is effectively the home track of the former Yokomo ‘chosen one’, Matsukura said a new set-up for CP2 improved the car in every area. Allowing him to set a new outright fastest lap time of 17.089, he said it still needs further improvement in terms of how it is handling the washboard section. Looking to make the car easier to drive as he tries to work on his consistency, his average over the 5-minutes 1-second a lap off that of Tebo, the multiple 1:12 World Champion clearly doesn’t like the whoops and that combined with the set-up needing work appears to be adding to a driver who is showing signs of early frustration.
Breaking a rear arm off his B5M, Cragg said that was the result of ‘having too much fun and trying too hard’. Battling with Tebo, he said he got on the power too early and wheelied onto the straight leading to contact with the wall that caused the break but overall he’s ‘pretty happy with (his) pace’, adding he ‘hope(s) it continues’.
Cavalieri described his performance with a not so positive ‘it was ok’. The 2011 World Champion said he hasn’t been as consistent as in free practice and having ‘tried a few things’ he will go back to a set-up he ran earlier in the day. Saying there would be ‘no more testing, testing is done’, the current US National Champion said we’ll get the good set-up back on and then ‘just run’.
A driver whose lack of pace has been the most noted among his competitors, Lee Martin would end up 13th putting him in the second fastest group for qualifying. Commenting on his CP2 improvement, managing only 22nd in the first round, the Warm-up Race winner said his Yokomo ‘felt drivable that time’. Feeling his overall 5-minute run time was ‘not bad’, he said they still need to find more from the car but at least the day ended with things starting to take a positive direction.
View our full event image gallery here.
Video – 2wd Controlled Practice Rd2