Rivkin delivers in A2

Having been widely tipped to add the 4WD Buggy title to his World Championship tally since it was announced his home track Hobby Action would host the 2023 Worlds, Spencer Rivkin has delivered a victory in A2 putting his quest back on track.  Finding himself P5 at the end of qualifying, the Team Associated driver opened with a distance P3 in A1 but in A2 he took full advantage of bobbles from Top Qualifier Davide Ongaro and Michal Orlowski.  A mistake by A1 winner Ongaro gave Orlowski the lead but a much more racey looking Rivkin was able get within striking distance of the Schumacher driver had a moment.  Able to sniff a chance of the win, Rivkin busted out a 18.177 fastest lap of the race, and when the leader ran slightly wide after the double at the end of the straight, the Arizona driver didn’t need to wait for an invitation to go to the front with just 2 laps to go.  Winning by 3/10ths of a second from Orlowski, the Top 3 would be completed by Broc Champlin as Ongaro cross the line fourth – a result that sets the stage for a thrilling climax to the Championship we have had to wait four years for.

Reacting to his A2 win Rivkin said, ‘I  took advantage of the opportunities I was presented with.  It is going to be some dog fight out there for A3’.  Improving on his best lap from A1 by half a second, and having been unable the properly challenge the leaders in the opening encounter, the reigning 2WD World Champion said, ‘I drove my own race but I was feeling in the moment and then Orlowski ran a little wide I took the opportunity’.

Despite getting so close to the win, Orlowski said, ‘It was another good race but I relaxed a little too early near the end’.  He continued, ‘I was able to pressure Ongaro into a mistake and had the lead but then near the end I went wide and Spencer got by’.  He said, ‘we’ll see what we can do in the last one’.

Asked about his race Ongaro replied he had ‘not too many words’.  The Italian added, ‘I had too many mistake and was not so consistent. We do better the next one’.

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Video – 4WD A-Main Leg 1

Ongaro sees off Orlowski challenge to win A1

Davide Ongaro has won the opening A-Main at the 4WD Offroad World Championship seeing off a number of challenges from Michal Orlowski.  The Top Qualifier in Arizona, the Team Associated driver would eventually win by 1.4 seconds after Orlowski final challenge for the lead ended when he got his Schumacher up on two wheels.  While the two Europeans pulling clear of the field, Spencer Rivkin would get close to Orlowski after each of his bobbles but the Polish driver pulled away again leaving Rivkin to finish a distance third.  Starting his title defence from 6th on the grid, Bruno Coelho would have a 23-second lap eventually finish P8.

Summing up his race, Ongaro said, ‘I know it is not easy to overtake here and I know you have to push a lot to pass so I just drive my own race because when you push you have mistakes’.  Setting the third fastest lap of the race, the Italian continued, ‘After the track conditions in Q5 I was a little worried about how the track would be but it was good again’.  Looking to A2, as he searches for his first electric World Title, the reigning 1:8 Buggy World Champion said, ‘I will try to do the same again’.

‘A solid start’ was Orlowski’s reaction to A1.  The 2019 podium finisher continued, ‘I was close behind Davide but it is really hard to follow here.  I got really close a few times but I didn’t want to make contact and then had a few bobbles’.  The reigning European Champion said, ‘My car felt really really good and I have 2 more finals to fight for it so things look good.’

Rivkin described his run from P5 to third as a ‘good drive’.  The 2WD World Champion added, ‘a few opportunities arose and I took them but P3 was the best I could do.  To gain two spots was good’.  Asked if he could take the fight to Ongaro and Orlowski, he replied, ‘I know the limitations of this track and I was not going to get rid of a P3.  We did the best with what we got’.

View our event image gallery here.