Record setting attendance at the Team Associated HobbyPLEX Summer Series Rd.4

 

Round 4 of The Team Associated Summer Series at the Plex took place Saturday, July 13. Despite the heat and unbearable Midwestern humidity, another new attendance record was set with 158 entries. Just like the previous rounds, the intensity rose to another level and those that stayed to watch all the mains were in for a treat.

PlexSpec Beginners
Previous Plexspec summer series champions have gone on to great things, so it’s no surprise that all eyes are on who’s risen to the top during the season. This year it’s down to two of the youngest racers at the HobbyPlex. Kaden Fuller has dominated qualifying all season capturing the TQ in all four rounds. Travis Hizer Jr. has kept pace by winning two races and finishing ahead of Kaden three times in the mains. Kaden has put those TQ bonus points to good use and clings to a one-point lead. Adam Rutherford sits in a comfortable third place, five points out of second. Clayton Wittmayer won Saturday’s race and gave his points total a much needed boost. Without some bad luck in the first couple rounds it might have been a three person race to the finish in September.
 

Stock Truck
Stock Truck saw the return of Brian Valles to dominating form. It was his third win, but first TQ to go with it. Cole Henriksen and Don Drozd rounded out the top three. This trio has made up the podium in one form or another for three out of the four rounds which is why they also make up the top three in points. Brian has a two-point lead over Cole, while Don waits patiently in third four points back.
 

4wd Modified
Even though the points don’t show it, wheeler has been a tight race every month. That race is usually between Team Associated’s Will Brinton and X-factory driver David Fast. Will took his third TQ of the season, while David won the race. Will’s dominance back in April and May has earned him a four point lead. David has a whopping seven points over third place Dustin Hosick. The closest race in 4wd is for that third place spot. A reinvigorated Brian Bernt moved to within one point of Dustin. The two Lincoln natives will have two more months to figure it out.
 
Pro-2 SCT
Team Associated’s Alex Vanderbeek still has a four point lead over Kyosho’s Dillan Voelker and privateer Derek Wood who are tied for second. If Alex had won this round it would pretty much be over, but Dillan drove hard and captured the TQ and then held off Derek and Alex for a nail biting 8-minute main event. The two will have to finish ahead of Alex for the remainder of the series to have a chance.
 
Stock Buggy
The battle for this year’s stock buggy title has come down to eight-year-old Des Moines native Mason Fuller and Hobbyplex local Brian Valles. Cole Henriksen sits ten points back in third. Mason broke out Saturday with another TQ and a win. Mason will need some adult composure in the next round as everyone will be gunning for him. Stock Buggy is another class with a tight battle for third. In fact, there are five drivers within striking distance of the podium behind Cole Henriksen. Last year’s title came down to the last corner, it appears 2013 will be no different.
 
Mod Buggy
Saturday’s mod buggy A-main will go down as the most exciting races of the season so far. Team Associated’s Chad “Rico” Karstens and Mack Vanderbeek began the race first and second with TLR driver Alex Sturgeon third. At the halfway point of the 8-minute final, Chad made a mistake that inverted the top four. Suddenly Derek Wood was the leader followed by Mack, Rico and Alex. The four drove nose to tail for about five laps until Derek finally relented and Mack took over. Rico’s battery softened and he unfortunately exited the race a minute from the finish. Alex pressured Mack for most of that final minute until the two tangled on the tricky off camber switchbacks. This allowed Derek Wood to pass them both and capture his first modified summer series victory. Mack would take second and Alex, who made sure that Mack got underway before going anywhere, finished third. It was a good point day for Derek. He now sits third overall. Mack gained a point on Alex, but is still four back from a tie.
 
Mod Truck
Mod truck had a familiar grid as almost everyone that raced the buggy main was also in truck. The race started out much like the buggy main until a pileup in the off camber switchbacks collected second place on back. Alex Sturgeon never had much pressure from the field after that point and drove to victory. Rico and Mack both worked themselves into the top three after exiting the first lap carnage near the back of the pack. Alex has a commanding lead in the points posting three TQ and wins in a row. Mack is second well ahead of Derek Wood in third. Unless something catastrophic happens in the final two rounds, the podium for mod truck is set.
 
Novak Short Course Buggy
Another class that is pretty much wrapped up is Novak SCB. Don Drozd has dominated the field since round two and has accumulated a six point lead. Saturday was bitter sweet for Don, because a week earlier all of his short course gear had been stolen. Fellow racers and the Plex helped get him going again just in time for practice on Friday. Dillan Voelker drove his Ultima SCB to a nice second place finish boosting him to second in the overall points just ahead of usual suspect Rob Turner. Lincoln native Jason Andrews finished third and put himself in position for a run at third overall just one point back from Rob.
 
Pro-4 SCT
It was a good point day for Dustin Hosick. Even though A-Main Hobbies driver Scott Rapoport took the TQ and won the race, everyone that was relevant in the championship finished mid-pack. Dustin’s second place run essentially sealed the deal. Only a couple DNF’s or a major mishap in qualifying will keep Dustin from securing this year’s Pro-4 title. The race for second and third is down to Mike Fuller, Nick Pavel and last year’s champion Mark Gengenbach. Both Mike and Mark had a throw out race, while Durango’s Nick Pavel continued his steady climb through the ranks moving to third overall and only one point behind Mike Fuller in second.
 
The 2013 Team Associated Summer Series at the Plex rolls on August 17th. With only two rounds left, time is running out to make up ground. It’s quite possible several champions will be crowned very soon! 

  

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