Tessmann takes opening Truggy qualifier

Having topped yesterday’s practice Ty Tessmann continued his form through to the opening day of qualifying at the ROAR Nationals by TQ’ing the opening round from Ryan Cavalieri, Ryan Maifield and defending champion Jared Tebo. Happy to take the round the Hot Bodies driver said his D8T felt very edgy and lacked consistency, something the winner of the Warm-up race put down to the track conditions.  Expecting better track conditions for this afternoon’s second qualifier, the 18-year-old does not plan to make any set-up changes but expects to go for a harder tyre compound when the conditions at Thunder Alley should be warmer.

The runner-up at last year’s Nationals, Cavalieri said he made a small mistake but overall it was a good run.  Happy with his RC8T he doesn’t plan to make any changes for Q2.  Team-mate Maifield led the round until he made a ‘bad mistake’.  Happy with the handling of the truck the former champion said it was geared a little too low and he will change this for his next run.

Defending Champion Jared Tebo didn’t get his opening qualifier off to a good start crashing on the opening lap.  Pulling back some time he then crashed again on the penultimate lap which he said cost him second for the round.  Ending up fourth the Kyosho driver said his truck was good but they have a little work to do in the engine department.  Setting the fastest lap of the round, team-mate Cody King claimed the fifth fastest time.  The Buggy World Champion said as always the opening qualifier was a little crazy and he had a couple of tumbles but his MP9 felt good and he is hoping for a cleaner run next time out.

Jesse Robbers, team-mate of Tessmann, described his run as ‘only OK’.  Sixth fastest and the last of the drivers to record 15 laps he said his OS engine was too rich and he also had some problems with traffic.

Running a Mugen this week until the expected arrival of Durango’s truggy next month, Ryan Lutz claimed the seventh fastest time.  Still learning the truck as he goes, Lutz said the rear didn’t feel right and he hopes he can improve it for Q2.

Adam Drake was top Losi taking his Novarossi powered 8ight to the eight fastest time.  The Californian said the run started well until he made a mistake. Once back on track he had some issues with traffic but overall was happy with his truck.  TLR team-mate Drew Moller and Mugen team driver Dylan Rodriguez completed the Top 10.

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Ryans rule buggy practice

At the end of practice for the ROAR Nationals in Southern California it is Team Associated who controlled today’s pace as their drivers where the only ones to record 15 lap runs with Ryan Maifield topping the time sheets from Ryan Cavalieri. Winner of the Warm-up event at Thunder Alley back in April, Maifield ran a stiffer set-up on his LRP powered RC8B in the final controlled practice changing to harder springs and sway-bars. Finding the buggy easier to drive following the changes, the Arizona racer says he will run it as is in the morning and that he is feeling positive about the first qualifier.  Drivers will run a total of four qualifiers with two round tomorrow and Saturday.

Running Proline’s new Blockade tyre in the final practice Cavalieri setting a new fastest lap for the event with a time of 29.108.  The former electric off road World Champion, said the new tyre, which has been designed with finals in mind, gave good forward grip and a really smooth side bite. Cavalieri was happy with his driving saying he was ‘hugging some good lines’ and he feels ‘pretty pumped up’ for qualifying.

Unable to improve on his morning time Hot Bodies’ Ty Tessmann ended the day third fastest.  Running in the last group, the Canadian said track conditions for his second run were slower but he said his OS powered D8 felt good and the plans is to run it that way for the first qualifier.

Defending Champion Jared Tebo ended the day fourth fastest having found some time in the final practice.  The Kyosho ace said changes made had improved the feeling of the car and with a few more very small adjustments it should be good for qualifying.  Team-mate and current World Champion Cody King also improved his time in the final practice to just make it into the top 10, behind former World Champion Mark Pavidis, with the 10th quickest time over 7-minutes.

Doing an impressive job to set the fifth fastest time young Dakota Phend was top Losi just ahead of his senior team-mate Adam Drake.  Switching from green to red compound Losi Kingpin tyres the 14-year-old from Michigan said they suited the track conditions but the steering on his Nitrotec powered 8ight was a little aggressive and they will need to make changes for qualifying. Unable to improve his morning time due to the track being wet and in general slower as the sun had gone off it, Drake said tomorrow is going to be about choosing the right tyre for the conditions of the track at the time of your runs.

Jesse Robbers, runner-up to Tebo at last years Nationals, took his new Hot Bodies CR8 to the seventh with his afternoon time, while Travis Amezcua was the quickest Mugen in eight.

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Hot Bodies top Truggy practice

Truggy practice for the 2011 US Nationals has been competed at Thunder Alley with the Hot Bodies of team drivers Ty Tessmann and Jessie Robbers at the top of the time sheets.  The duo broke into the 15 laps in the third & final practice with Tessmann, the winner of the Warm-up event, posting a time that was just 13/100th faster than his team-mate.

Behind them and the only other truggies to break 15 laps were the Associated of Ryan Maifield and the Kyosho of Cody King.  Not 100% happy with his RC8T, former Champion Maifield plans to make a number of changes ahead of qualifying in the hope of being in a stronger position to challenge the two Hot Bodies driver.

Running 14 laps Team Durango driver Ryan Lutz, who is running a Mugen this weekend ahead of the arrival of Durango’s Truggy, was 5th fastest ahead of the similar Alpha powered MBX6-T of Taylor Peterson. Responsible for designing Serpent’s 811 Cobra-T, Billy Easton took it to the seventh fastest time ahead of defending champion Jared Tebo whose Kyosho completes the Top 8.

Team Losi Racing’s Adam Drake, who was fastest in this morning’s controlled practice, was unable to post a quick time after two incidents, one of which was his own making, cost him a lot of time.  Despite the two bad laps, Drake said his truggy was really good and he is confident about tomorrow’s qualifying.

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