Steven Hartson wins IFMAR 4WD World Championship

LiveRC.com 

Steven Hartson has won the IFMAR 4WD 1:10 EP Off-Road World Championship at Silver Dollar R/C Raceway in Chico, California. Hartson secured the victory by winning two of three A-main legs.  

Hartson, starting from the sixth grid position, used the "smooth and steady" approach in A1 to work his way around several cars that had been pushed too hard, or not driven carefully enough. His steady hand -- combined with the ability to go blazing fast when needed -- allowed Hartson to meticulously drive his way to the front of the pack and hold off a hard-charging Ty Tessmann to take the win.

Hartson wasn't quite as fortunate in A2, however. He quickly moved up into 4th before a mistake took him out of the running for the win. Naoto Matsukura would take A2 from the 8th spot on the grid which sent us to A3 with five drivers still alive for the title.

A3 was a whirlwind of missed and gained opportunities littered throughout the race's five minutes. With half the field knowing they had a chance to win it all, some panicked and tried to push their luck while others stayed patient and let the race come to them- the latter describing Hartson's approach. The Team Associated driver slowly picked off one driver after the other while filling their rearview mirrors with steady, mistake-free lines.

Naoto Matsukura, on the other hand, risked it all in the first corner by pitching his car sideways over the first jump section. He collected himself enough to fight his way back to the front by the end of the race, which set up an unbelievable last two laps between himself and Hartson. The most dramatic part of which was on the last lap when Naoto took a risky line over a jump section and landed on Hartson sending both cars into a tumble that would require a turn marshall to straighten out. Realizing his error, Naoto waited and let Hartson firmly re-establish himself in the lead position before resuming- a true sign of sportsmanship. Hartson pulled away and cruised to the finish line for the win.

The victory gives Hartson a career-defining win and could serve as his official "break-through" moment. Long known as one of the top drivers in Southern California and the U.S., Steven will now be known around the world as one of the few drivers who can claim they are an IFMAR World Champion. 


FINAL RESULTS:

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