HobbyTown USA HobbyPlex 1:8 Winter Series Round 4 race report

 

Groundhog Day was the date for the fourth round of the 1:8 Winter Series at the Plex. Much like the movie, the day started to repeat the previous rounds, with most of the same faces leading the field. Two championships were wrapped up and the other two classes got just a bit closer, which should lead to an exciting finish in March.

1:8 Truggy
The top three in the truggy points have shared the podium together three out of the four rounds. Intech’s Chris Marrant came into Sunday with a one point advantage over Mugen’s Randy Romanik. Randy struck early, setting an unbeatable top qualifying time in the first heat, while Chris led the 30-minute main event when it counted most. The two left the building with the same one point gap between them, setting up a winner take all scenario going into the finals next month. Jason Duffy finished third, and also has that position locked up for the season.
 
 
Pro-4 SCT
With point’s leader and TLR driver Alex Sturgeon sick and A-main Hobbies driver Scott Rapaport relocated to northern California, the race in Pro-4 got a lot more interesting. AKA’s Derek Wood started the day down four points after three rounds and left with the deficit cut in half. Derek led every single lap of all three of his races. Hobbyplex local Troy Jackson earned his first podium of the year just ahead of newcomer Jamie Barker. With Alex only two points ahead and a throw out score of zero, every lap will count in the finals. A tie and the championship is Derek’s. There will also be a race for the third spot as only one point separates Troy Jackson from Summer Series champ Dustin Hosick.
 
 
E-Buggy
Derek Wood is the new electric eighth scale buggy champ. He never finished lower than second and produced two TQ and wins in the heart of the season. While last year’s champion, Sam Anderson, will come just a bit short of going back to back, his consistent podium finishes are still an impressive accomplishment. The real battle for will be for third. Tony Bacon holds the position after four rounds, but there are three drivers; Dustin Hosick, Mitchel Pavel and Jason Perrotto that still have a mathematical chance to overtake him. Kyosho’s Dillan Voelker put in a great race on Sunday, taking a TQ point and finishing second, but the highest he can finish for the year is fourth. He’ll have to wonder what could have been.
 
 
Nitro Buggy
Nitro buggy looked like it would be a shootout between A-main’s Scott Rapaport and Blue Groove’s Devin McGee, but Scott left the Midwest for a job opportunity in California and put Devin all alone in front of 30 other nitro buggies. Devin needed one more top three to secure the overall win before the finals in March. He got it done, but it wasn’t an easy drive. X-ray’s Danny Bartholomew snagged the TQ just in front of Kyosho’s Dillan Voelker. Devin would sit third for the start of the 30-minute main.
 
As the race played out it became a fuel mileage race between Devin and Sam Anderson. Sam’s 10-minute pit stops would propel him to the win and give him a much needed boost in the points jumping from sixth to third. Devin settled for second and Danny, also doing 10-minute stops crossed just ahead of Tony Bacon for third. Devin will take the big trophy home in March, while Danny Bartholomew, Sam Anderson and last year’s champ Tony Bacon will have to figure out the rest of the finals podium.
 
It has been a record breaking season of the 1:8 Winter Series at the Plex. Two titles and plenty of top ten positions are still on the line, as well as a nice amount of prize giveaways. It all finishes up March 30th. 
 

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