Video – 4wd, 2wd, 2wd SC & 2wd Truck A-main 3

Neumann & Maifield win A3 to claim runner-up spots

Team Durango’s Joern Neumann and Associated’s Ryan Maifield won the third A-main of 4WD and 2WD Buggy respectively to claim the runners up spot in the blue ribbon classes of the 27th Proline Cactus Classic.  With Maifield successfully defending his 4WD title and Jared Tebo securing the 2WD title in the second A-Main, both A3 Mains were 9-car affairs.  In 2WD Top Qualifier Naoto Matsukura led away the field but as in the opening two mains he would fall back down the field eventually coming home 6th.  Taking over the lead on lap 3, Maifield would stay there till the end to take the win by .9 of a second from Tamiya Racing Factory’s Lee Martin, the European Champion who started 5th on the grid setting the fastest lap of the race.  Claiming his best finish of the finals Cavalieri completed the Top 3 but it wasn’t enough for a podium with the final step going to TLR’s Dustin Evans thanks to his 2nd & 4th place finishes in the opening legs.

A3 of 4WD, the closing race of yet another successful event in the history of America’s longest running international race, would cap off a frustrating weekend for World Champion Ryan Cavalieri.  Again the Top Qualifier would lead the way and look in control of proceedings but with Neumann close behind his B44.2 would roll on the high traction sugar treated SRS Raceway track dropping him to second before a second roll would drop him to third behind Matsukura.  A driver who impressed everyone with his natural speed, a pace that helped him secure TQ honours in 2WD against the best in the sport in their own backyard, the young Japanese driver set the fastest lap of the race as he hauled in European Champion Neumann setting up a final lap showdown but coming the straight he got out of shape leaving Neumann to win by just over 1-second.  The result secured him second overall with Cavalieri, who finished all 3 legs in third, to claim third overall.

Red RC would like to thank Proline for making our second visit to the prestigious Cactus Classic possible and to Team Associated for providing us with media centre (and much needed liquids) for the weekend.

2WD Mod Buggy Overall Result
1. Jared Tebo – Kyosho/Orion – 200 pts
2. Ryan Maifield – Associated/Reedy – 199
3. Dustin Evans – TLR/Orion – 196
4. Naoto Matsukura – Yokomo/Yokomo – 195
5. Lee Martin – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 195
6. Ryan Cavalieri – Associated/Orion – 194
7. Steven Hartson – Associated/LRP – 191
8. Travis Amezcua – Durango/Viper – 190
9. Cody Turner – Kyosho/Orion – 186
10.Joern Neumann – Durango/Speed Passion – 185

2WD Mod Buggy A-Main Leg 3 Result
1.(3) Ryan Maifield – Associated/Reedy – 15/5:12.111
2.(5) Lee Martin – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 15/5:13.013
3.(4) Ryan Cavalieri – Associated/Orion – 15/5:14.249
4.(10)Steven Hartson – Associated/LRP – 15/5:17.810
5.(8) Travis Amezcua – Durango/Viper – 15/5:21.960
6.(1) Naoto Matsukura – Yokomo/Yokomo – 15/5:31.243
7.(9) Cody Turner – Kyosho/Orion – 14/5:00.017
8.(6) Dustin Evans – TLR/Orion – 14/5:15.403
9.(7) Joern Neumann – Durango/Speed Passion – 14/5:16.153
10.(2)Jared Tebo – Kyosho/Orion – DNS

4WD Mod Buggy Overall Result
1. Ryan Maifield – Associated/Reedy – 200 pts
2. Joern Neumann – Durango/Speed Passion – 199
3. Ryan Cavalieri – Associated/Orion – 196
4. Naoto Matsukura – Yokomo/Yokomo – 194
5. Dakotah Phend – TLR/Orion – 194
6. Carson Wernimont – Durango/Reedy – 192
7. Lee Martin – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 191
8. Jared Tebo – Kyosho/Orion – 190
9. Dustin Evans – TLR/Orion – 186
10.Travis Amezcua – Durango/Viper – 184

4WD Mod Buggy A-Main Leg 3 Result
1.(2) Joern Neumann – Durango/Speed Passion – 16/5:18.916
2.(5) Naoto Matsukura – Yokomo/Yokomo – 16/5:20.086
3.(1) Ryan Cavalieri – Associated/Orion – 15/5:02.000
4.(4) Dakotah Phend – TLR/Orion – 15/5:04.354
5.(6) Carson Wernimont – Durango/Reedy – 15/5:06.048
6.(7) Jared Tebo – Kyosho/Orion – 15/5:07.556
7.(10)Lee Martin – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 15/5:09.189
8.(8) Dustin Evans – TLR/Orion – 15/5:14.196
9.(9) Travis Amezcua – Durango/Viper – 15/5:16.669
10.(3)Ryan Maifield – Associated/Reedy – DNS

View the event image gallery here.

Maifield & Cavalieri swap truck titles

Team Associated’s Ryans exchanged 2WD truck titles this evening at the Proline Cactus Classis at SRS Raceway in Scottsdale, Arizona, with Maifield winning the 3rd of the Mod Truck A-Mains to take over the title from last year’s victor Cavalieri who in turn won the final 2WD Short Course encounter to secure the title held by Maifield for the past 12-months.

Starting directly behind Top Qualifier Cavalieri, Maifield took the lead of the 3rd A-Main when the outgoing champion got out of shape and ran wide as the field came to the loop for the first time.  From there Maifield, who successfully defended his 4WD Buggy title earlier in the day, led all the way to back up his Leg 1 victory 1.6 seconds ahead of his team-mate who would set the fastest lap of the race.  Finishing third, 2.2-seconds behind Cavalieri, Leg 1 winner Joern Neumann who deny Associated a 1-2 finish with the factory Durango driver securing the overall runner-up spot on a tie-break by 1.5 seconds.

Having had a frustrating time in today’s buggy finals, World Champion Cavalieri was relieved to claim at least one title at the Cactus.  Starting the 2WD Short Course mains from 2nd behind Maifield’s No.1 SC10.2, a rise in wind would play into to hands of the No.2 Orion powered Associated. Enjoying a ‘cat & mouse’ battle with his team-mate, he said he ‘got lucky’ when the wind came up as his Orion speedo’s brake setting allowed him to keep his trucks noise down while Maifield clearly struggled.  Taking the win to back up his Leg 2 result he took the overall win by a point from Maifield with Durango’s Ryan Lutz securing the final step on the podium.

In 4WD Short Course which was wrapped in leg 2 by TLR’s Dakotah Phend, outgoing Champion Neumann took the win to secure the final step on the podium.  The German, took the lead of the race when team-mate Ryan Lutz retired in the final minute of the 5-minute race.  Finishing 3rd in the leg behind Hupo Honigl, second in Leg 1 & 2 gave Top Qualifier Billy Fischer the overall runners up spot for a TLR 1-2 result.

Mod Truck Overall Result (Top 3)
1. Ryan Maifield – Associated/Reedy – 200 pts
2. Joern Neumann – Durango/Speed Passion – 198
3. Ryan Cavalieri – Associated/Orion – 198

Mod Truck A-Main Leg 3 (Top 3)
1.(2) Ryan Maifield – Associated/Reedy – 15/5:11.966
2.(1) Ryan Cavalieri – Associated/Orion – 15/5:13.653
3.(4) Joern Neumann – Durango/Speed Passion – 15/5:15.880

2WD Short Course Overall Result (Top 3)
1. Ryan Cavalieri – Associated/Orion – 200 pts
2. Ryan Maifield – Associated/Reedy – 199
3. Ryan Lutz – Durango/Tekin – 196

2WD Short Course A-Main Leg 3 (Top 3)
1.(2) Ryan Cavalieri – Associated/Orion – 14/5:08.944
2.(4) Dustin Evans – TLR/Orion – 14/5:09.922
2.(1) Ryan Maifield – Associated/Reedy – 14/5:11.065

4WD Short Course Overall Result (Top 3)
1. Dakotah Phend – TLR/Orion – 200 pts
2. Billy Fischer – TLR/Novak – 198
3. Joern Neumann – Durango/Speed Passion – 198

4WD Short Course A-Main Leg 3 (Top 3)
1.(5) Joern Neumann – Durango/Speed Passion – 15/5:13.925
2.(4) Hupo Honigl – Durango/DualSky – 15/5:16.677
3.(1) Billy Fischer – TLR/Novak – 15/5:20.531

View the event image gallery here.

Video – 4wd, 2wd, Pro4, SC & 2wd Truck A-main 2

Maifield & Tebo take buggy titles at 27th Pro-Line Cactus Classic

For the first time in a number of years the blue ribbon buggy titles at the Proline Cactus Classic have gone to two different drivers with defending champion Ryan Maifield successfully retaining his 4WD title while Jared Tebo took the 2WD win, a crown he last held in 2008. In the truck classes, 4WD Short Course was also decided with Dakotah Phend wrapping up the title in the second leg of finals.

Starting from pole in 4WD, Ryan Cavalieri looked like he had done enough to force the event to the third & final leg. Controlling the race out front, while leg 1 winner Maifield and Team Durango’s Joern Neumann battled back and forth over second, on his penultimate lap the World Champion clipped the piping after the triple sending his buggy onto its roof allowing his Associated team-mate & arch rival together with European Champion Neumann to get passed. Cheered on by the crowd, this being Maifield’s home event, the Arizona ace completed two laps at the front to take his second A-Main of the day and with it his third consecutive Cactus Classic 4WD Buggy title. Clearly relieved at securing the win after a difficult start to the weekend, Maifield said the best phrase for his win was ‘never give up’. Describing the race as hectic, he said wind caused him trouble at the triple and then he traction rolled allowing Neumann to pass him to second but having made changes to his JConcepts equipped B44.2 he said it was ‘ridiculous’ which was backed up by his fastest lap of 20.145 which was over 3/10ths of a second faster than the second fastest which was put in by Neumann. Admitting he didn’t think he could get the win sewn up early he said ‘for sure I got lucky but having not given up earlier in the race meant I was there to capitalise’.

Tebo was delighted with his 2WD win which ends a decade of domination by Associated’s B4 at America’s longest running world famous international event. Benefiting from being able to run his Orion powered RB6 in mid motor configuration, the sugaring of the SRS Raceway creating super high traction, the Kyosho team leader said he just tried to repeat his Leg 1 performance avoiding mistakes. Having a little moment early on which allowed Top Qualifier Naoto Matsukura to pull out a lead he said he was forced to push a little harder this time round. Leaving his AKA shod buggy exactly the same as the previous final he said due to the extra midday temperature his shock oil was a little soft but the buggy still felt really good and pulling off some the best laps of the weekend he was able to catch the young Japanese star, getting right with him when the Yokomo driver clipped the pipe coming onto the main straight. A mistake three laps later was Tebo’s opportunity to move to the front where he would stay for the next four laps to take the win by 4/10ths from outgoing champion Maifield. While the overall winners of buggy have been decided the battle for the remaining podium places is sure to be hard fought with Top Qualifier’s Matsukura and Cavalieri determined somewhat to redeem themselves for the costly mistakes in the opening two legs.

In 4WD Short Course, Phend was made to work hard for the win in Leg 2 by Top Qualifier Billy Fischer. Having won Leg 1 when Fischer threw away a comfortable lead, the 16-year-old again got passed the veteran when he ran wide off the triple but this time he was able to fight back. Pressuring his junior team-mate it was Fischer who would ultimately crack making a mistake on the penultimate lap allowing the Team Losi Racing young gun to take the win and with it a Cactus Classic title for his Team Losi Racing team and the events title sponsor Proline, both Phend & Fischer running Proline tyres on their truck.

In the two other truck classes, having retired from the opening final, Neumann took his Durango to a comfortable win in Mod Truck ahead of a good battle between Leg 1 winner Maifield, Top Qualifier Cavalieri and Tebo which after a number altercations saw defending champion Cavalieri finish second followed by Tebo & Maifield who at one stage had led the encounter. In 2WD Short Course Maifild looked like he was on target to defend his first title of the weekend, leading for the majority of the race, but an error on the last lap allowed Cavalieri through to take the win and force the title to the 3rd leg.

2WD Mod Buggy A-Main Leg 2 Result
1.(2) Jared Tebo – Kyosho/Orion – 15/5:09.248
2.(3) Ryan Maifield – Associated/Reedy – 15/5:09.668
3.(1) Naoto Matsukura – Yokomo/Yokomo – 15/5:11.139
4.(6) Dustin Evans – TLR/Orion – 15/5:13.587
5.(4) Ryan Cavalieri – Associated/Orion – 15/5:14.319
6.(5) Lee Martin – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 14/5:03.803
7.(8) Travis Amezcua – Durango/Viper – 14/5:05.479
8.(10)Steven Hartson – Associated/LRP – 14/5:06.717
9.(9) Cody Turner – Kyosho/Orion – 14/5:15.325
10.(7)Joern Neumann – Durango/Speed Passion – 12/4:21.250

4WD Mod Buggy A-Main Leg 2 Result
1.(3) Ryan Maifield – Associated/Reedy – 16/5:18.872
2.(2) Joern Neumann – Durango/Speed Passion – 16/5:20.576
3.(1) Ryan Cavalieri – Associated/Orion – 15/5:01.517
4.(4) Dakotah Phend – TLR/Orion – 15/5:02.222
5.(6) Carson Wernimont – Durango/Reedy – 15/5:05.912
6.(7) Jared Tebo – Kyosho/Orion – 15/5:07.675
7.(5) Naoto Matsukura – Yokomo/Yokomo – 15/5:09.174
8.(8) Dustin Evans – TLR/Orion – 15/5:10.708
9.(9) Travis Amezcua – Durango/Viper – 15/5:14.220
10.(10)Lee Martin – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 15/5:16.428

Mod Truck A-Main Leg 2 (Top 3)
1.(4) Joern Neumann – Durango/Speed Passion – 15/5:15.820
2.(1) Ryan Cavalieri – Associated/Orion – 15/5:19.613
3.(5) Jared Tebo – Kyosho/Orion – 15/5:21.602

2WD Short Course A-Main Leg 2 (Top 3)
1.(2) Ryan Cavalieri – Associated/Orion – 14/5:03.931
2.(1) Ryan Maifield – Associated/Reedy – 14/5:04.194
3.(3) Ryan Lutz – Durango/Tekin – 14/5:10.574

4WD Short Course A-Main Leg 2 (Top 3)
1.(2) Dakotah Phend – TLR/Orion – 15/5:12.544
2.(1) Billy Fischer – TLR/Novak – 15/5:15.747
3.(4) Hupo Honigl – Durango/DualSky – 15/5:18.993

View the event image gallery here.

Video – 4wd, 2wd, 2wd SC & 2wd Truck A-main 1