FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Jared Tebo and Ryan Lutz split 2013 Silver State wins [VIDEO]

0 April 19, 2018, 3:29 p.m.

By Aaron Waldron
LiveRC.com

Everybody knows that Friday is meant for reminiscing old times. Each week we take you back in time as we flashback to some of R/C racing's greatest moments, products, drivers, and more!

2013

Jared Tebo and Ryan Lutz split Silver State wins

The format for the 2013 Silver State, hosted by the Southern Nevada RC group at the Boulder City RC Speedway, consisted of three qualifying rounds for all classes — two on Friday, and one on Saturday before lower main events. In addition to Nitro Buggy and Truck categories for experts, sportsman-level racers and competitors 40 and over, it was one of the first major events to draw top pros to the emerging E-Buggy class, including Kyosho star Jared Tebo - who made his first-career appearance.

One driver who was not at the event, however, was Ryan Maifield - he had just won the Pro Buggy title at the Dirt Nitro Challenge, but sponsor obligations dictated that he attend the JConcepts Spring Indoor Nationals. The Trackside Hobbies round of the Short Course Showdown series further diluted the field at Silver State, but the top remaining U.S. fuel off-road racers still put on a show.

Photo: Joel Navarro, RC Car Action

Various promoters had organized the Silver State at Boulder City from 2005-2009, then again in 2011-2012, often coping with severe weather and drastically changing track conditions. However, the SNVRC group brought in truck loads of clay ahead of the event, and the weekend was blessed with a temperate climate that allowed racers to focus on the track. Just because it didn’t blow out doesn’t mean it was easy!

The driver who figured out the conditions better than anyone else, especially at the beginning of the week, was Ryan Lutz — then of Team Durango. He earned the overall TQ honors in all four classes he entered: Expert Nitro Buggy, Expert Nitro Truck, Open Electric Buggy, and 4x4 Short Course. Grabbing the front row on the grid for the Expert Buggy class required setting the fastest time in the final round to edge Mike Truhe, then with Team Losi Racing, on a tiebreaker.

In the Expert Buggy class, 2005 and 2009 champion Tebo earned his third Silver State title as he took advantage of a late-race mishap by Team Associated’s Ryan Cavalieri, while Lutz held onto third.

Photo: Joel Navarro, RC Car Action

Expert Nitro Buggy

Jared Tebo
Ryan Cavalieri
Ryan Lutz
Adam Drake
Josh Wheeler
Drew Moller
Dylan Rodriguez
Cody King
Billy Fischer
Mike Truhe
Mark Pavidis
Carson Wernimont
Jeremy Kortz
Richard Saxton

Here’s the video replay from Joel Navarro at RC Car Action:

In the Expert Nitro Truck category, Lutz made full use of the TQ advantage to win the biggest race of his career until that point; he won Expert Truck at Silver State again in 2017. Tebo and Cavalieri again completed the podium

Expert Nitro Truck

Ryan Lutz
Jared Tebo
Ryan Cavalieri
Adam Drake
Drew Moller
Jeremy Kortz
Dylan Rodriguez
Cody King
Billy Fischer
Josh Wheeler
Kyle Johnson
Carson Wernimont
Mark Pavidis
Mike Truhe

Again, here’s the video replay from Joel Navarro at RC Car Action:

Just as he did in the Expert Nitro Buggy class, Tebo edged Lutz for the Open Electric Buggy victory - this time with Las Vegas local Dylan Rodriguez rounding out the top three.

Open Electric Buggy

Jared Tebo
Ryan Lutz
Dylan Rodriguez
Adam Drake
Mike Truhe
Ryan Cavalieri
Richard Saxton
Cody Turner
Billy Fischer
Renato Tradardi Jr.
Kevin Burritt
Eddy Fikes
Mike Kennedy
Kyle Johnson

Finally, in the 4WD Short Course class, Lutz ran off with the win in front of Tekno RC’s Chad Panek - more than a year before the two would become teammates. TLR youngster David Jenson finished third.