Our first time to the Dirt Nitro Challenge in Pheonix, Arizona was one of our most challenging travel races but the best racing we have seen in 1:8 Off-Road Nitro!!! This was most likely the largest race ever with over 800 entries to race over 5 days. The track held together wonderfully and grooved up to have very good traction. Water was used for just about every qualifier during the day and as needed when the sun went down. The layout was fun and yet challenging on mastering. Running 5 classes proved helpful since the practice time was limited. Truggy worked really well for me in 40 over to make the B-Main. Sitting 5th I was left to have a bad start. Frustrating since my truck was good and felt I could have bumped to the A-Main but that’s racing. In Expert Truggy I was middle of the class making the E-Main sitting in 8th I was able to get to 4th and eventually bump due to the truck in 3rd was underweight. So off to the D-Main I went. I started 15th and finished 13th out early due to a shock end pullout.
The Pro-Line rubber proved to be the hot ticket with M3 Hole Shots in all classes. I know in Buggy a few used LockDowns and Blockades. But the fast way around the track were Hole Shots.
In 40 over Buggy I made the C-Main and would start 11th and have a flame out that left me finishing 9th. In Expert buggy I started in 4th and had a bad first lap. I had to fight my way back up the pack, but a glow plug letting go ended my race a little over the 7-minute mark. I was lucky that my OS Speed Spec II was not damaged. The OS Engines have been perfect for me. Such an easy engine to tune and makes great power.
Samantha raced in her very first large event! She ran Sportman E-Buggy and though there was only one heat of them she was in the A-Main! She qualified 11th out of 15 and finished in 11th place!! She drove a wonderful race with very little wrecking and was smooth and consistent all week. She is going to be a contender, watch out boys!!!
The weather was in the upper 70’s to mid 80’s most all the week and usually sunny with a few clouds here and there. Great weather compared to the 9 and 1 degrees home was experiencing.
Looking forward to a great outdoor season of racing!!!
