Tebo wins first A-Main

Top Qualifier Jared Tebo has moved a step closer to his first 2WD  Electric Buggy World title after he held off a late challenge from man of the race Neil Cragg, the Associated driver having started 10th on the grid.  Originally a practice final was on the schedule but with an ominous dark cloud heading for the track the decision was made 5-mins before what drivers planned as a practice run to be declared A1.

Afterwards Tebo said this left him scrambling for tyres as he had a fresh set fitted to his Kyosho RB6 which he was planning to scrub in for the 3 legs that lay ahead.  Describing his win as ‘what he needed’, he said the wind was a big problem throughout the race but said his early incident in which he gave away the lead was his own fault as he just went in too hard resulting in a roll.  This hampered defending Champion Ryan Cavalieri allowing Lee Martin to the front but the British ace also got on two wheels on the high traction surface allowing Tebo to the front.

Despite the moment Martin was still in contention for the win but his challenge would come to an end a few laps later when he got out of shape for a second time, this time the wind caught his Tamiya blowing his TRF201XM across the track pipe.  A very dejected Martin said he had buggy set-up to try a number of set-up changes which on the announcement that the first run would in fact be A1 he had to quickly change back.

Man of the race Cragg said he made an unbelievable start and he hopes he can make two more of them.  Top Qualifier two years ago the former World Champion said it was ‘ridiculous’ changing the race 5-mins before the start.  He too was planning on using the practice final to test a new set but starting from 10th on the grid he opted to stick with it for the final adding he had very little to lose.  He said the changes on his Centro converted B4.2 were good and running second he just aimed to keep it on two wheels but getting so close to Tebo he said he just had to have a go for the win but the pair touched and he had to let Tebo go.

Since the race the cloud that spooked the race officials has passed with the remaining two mains under no treat of rain.

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A-Main Leg 1 Result

2WD A-Main Leg 1
1.(1) Jared Tebo – Kyosho – 11/5:16.062
2.(10)Neil Cragg – Associated – 11/5:16.569
3.(3) Lee Martin – Tamiya – 11/5:19.603
4.(2) Ryan Cavalieri – Associated – 11/5:19.759
5.(4) Dustin Evans – TLR – 11/5:24.591
6.(8) David Ronnefalk – Kyosho – 11/5:29.088
7.(7) Darren Bloomfield – TLR – 10/5:00.910
8.(9) Kody Numedahl – Associated – 10/5:03.083
9.(5) Naoto Matsukura – Yokomo – 10/5:06.197
10.(6)Ryan Maifield – Associated – 4/1:57.563

World Champion to be crowned after dark

Sterling work by the A-Main Hobbies track crew, and most of the drivers on their race team, have meant that despite last nights heavy rain which flooded the track we will be crowning the 15th 2WD Electric Buggy World Champion today.  Following a team-managers meeting IFMAR have issued a new time table which will begin with a round of 4-minute rolling practice with drivers running in the order in which they have qualified for their respective finals.  After this the finals will begin at 17:10 with a practice run of the A-Main Final before the original schedule will be followed albeit considerable later than planned.  This will mean that it is almost certain to be dark here in Chico, California by the time we crown the World Champion.  Having dried the track the track team have also managed to sugar water the track which in turn has been gone over with a blow torch.  Full credit to A-Main Hobbies for their work with even the owner of the online r/c retailer Kendall Bennett being full hands on driving the diesel roller.

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Tebo ‘rains’ as 2WD Top Qualifier

Jared Tebo is Top Qualifier for the 2WD Electric Offroad World Championships after heavy rain last night led to the cancellation of this morning’s fifth and final round of qualifying.  Originally the stage was set for Tebo and defending champion Ryan Cavalieri to go head to head to start onpole position for the finals but with the track unraceable this morning there was little option but to cancel Q5.  Originally 3 of the 5 rounds were to count but with only 4 rounds complete the grid has been determined by each drivers two best heats leaving Cavalieri second on a grid that will see the Top 5 places filled by drivers representing 5 different manufacturers.

Behind Tebo and Cavalieri, Q2 pace setter Lee Martin will line up his Tamiya third ahead of Team Losi Racing’s Dustin Evans and Team Yokomo’s Naoto Matsukura.  The team with the most World titles in electric offroad, Team Associated are not surprisingly the best represented car in the final with four Centro mid motor converted B4.2s on the grid.  Ryan Maifield starts sixth, with AE designer Kody Numedahl 9th while Neil Cragg, Top Qualifier in Finland, scraps in to complete the 10 car field.

The big surprises are the failure of two of America’s talented young guns to make the cut.  Unfortunately for Pre Worlds winner Ty Tessman he just ended up 11th taking the unenviable honour of BQ.  16-year-old US National Champion Dakotah Phend, who won that title at this track in August, will also feature in the B-Main.  While Europe’s 1:8 Offroad Champion David Ronnefalk has made the final in 8th right behind the driver he took that title off Darren Bloomfield,  the reigning 2WD Buggy European Joern Neumann hasn’t. The German Team Durango ace will line up 3rd in the B-Main.

2WD A-Main Grid
1. Jared Tebo – Kyosho – 0 pts
2. Ryan Cavalieri – Associated – 3
3. Lee Martin – Tamiya – 4
4. Dustin Evans – TLR – 4
5. Naoto Matsukura – Yokomo – 8
6. Ryan Maifield – Associated – 8
7. Darren Bloomfield – TLR – 8
8. David Ronnefalk – Kyosho – 12
9. Kody Numedahl – Associated – 12
10.Neil Cragg – Associated – 13

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