Florida winter champs 2000

Radio Control Car Action, Jul 2000 by Vieira, Peter

Sponsored by TEAM LOSI and RADIO CONTROL CAR ACTION

If you're anything like me, when you play the "If I won the lottery" game, there's always a plan to build an awesome RC track. It would have a two-story drivers' stand with an enclosed announcer's booth and scoring room and plenty of space for sign-ups and car tech. There would be bleachers for spectators, and the track would be big enough for wide-open racing action but not so big that you couldn't see where you were driving. Of course, the whole deal would be built somewhere lush and sunny year-round-like Tampa, FL, for instance.

I don't know if they have any instant millionaires in the West Coast RC Club, but that's just the type of facility the club has built in Tampa's beautiful Lake Park. With its scenic surroundings, racerfriendly layout and challenging track, the West Coast RC Club set the stage for another exciting Winter Champs (oh, yeah; Team Losi and Radio Control Car Action helped out, too). For off-road fun in the sun, this was the place to be.

CLASSES

2WD Stock with Reedy Rage handout motors

Truck Stock with Reedy Rage handout motors

2WD Modified

4WD Modified

Truck Modified

QUALIFYING

Three quals were run for each class, and points were awarded for each qualifier according to time (zero for the fastest time, 1 point for second, 2 for third, etc.). Each driver's worst run was dropped, leaving the best two quals to determine the starting order in the Mains.

THE MAINS

The Stock classes ran a single A-Main, while the mod guys ran Triple-As for points. As in qualifying, the worst score was dropped, leaving the two best finishes to determine the finishing order. If a driver won his first two Mains, his points lead was insurmountable, and he was allowed to sit out the third Main if he wished.

THE ACTION

2WD Stock

Qualifying. Jared Scott did Schumacher proud with a pair of wins for the TQ spot. Robbie Boles took 7 points into the second qualifying position, and Brian Westerman earned the three spot.

A-Main. Two-stock looked as if it was Jared Scott's race. His Schumacher buggy was dialed and looked every bit the TQ machine that it was. Tragedy struck in lap 5, however, when his transmission detonated. Jay Robinette took advantage of the situation to take over first place, while Brian Westerman hung back in second with Robbie Boles behind him; and that's how they finished.

Truck Stock

Qualifying. Jay Robinette was top dog and posted a pair of wins in the second and third quals. Jared Scott's S points gave him the second qualifying position, and Josh Knight tossed out a bad heat to take 5 points onto the third spot on the grid.

A-Main. Top-qualifier Jay Robinette opened up his stocker-than-stock Triple-X and held on to the pole position with Josh Knight a scant lo second behind. Josh caught Jay on lap 5, leaving him to battle with third-place driver Dan Rodriguez. Robbie Boles overtook Dan on the final lap, but the front-runners held their spots, giving Josh Knight the Stock Truck title.

2WD Modified

Qualifying. Matt Francis had 7 points, but that was still good enough for TQ. Mark Pavidis was behind him with 9, and Brian Kinwald started from the three spot. Al. Brian Kinwald "only" qualified third in Two-Mod, but he was smoking in the first qualifier. It was Brian's race to lose, as he lead every lap comfortably-until lap 6, that is, when his Triple-X inexplicably slowed and pulled off the track. Brian's pinion had come loose, leaving his Trinity D4 powerless to propel his machine. Even the mighty can be brought low by a setscrew. Billy Easton cruised in for the win with Scott Brown and Mark Pavidis in tow.

A2. Matt Francis maintained his TQ lead for the first three laps but broke when he piped his car. Kinwald took over to keep a Triple-X up front, while Mark Pavidis and Billy Easton kept Associated in the hunt. Mark almost overtook Brian when Kinwald rolled his Triple-X, but Mark also bobbled, and the lineup wasn't changed. Easton and Pavidis eventually swapped places, but Kinwald could not be moved from the top spot and took the win at the tone.

A3. All the marbles were still on the line for the third main, and living legend Rick Hohwart was driving like a man with something to prove. He took the lead from a fourth-place start, with Mark Pavidis and Jason Ruona (in his Team Losi debut) close behind. Mark made his move in lap 3 to get around Hohwart and take the win with Kinwald in third, but the big story was Billy Easton: the points for his one-two finishes in the first two Mains weren't topped by any other driver, and the overall victory was his.

4WD Modified

Qualifying. Two wins equaled first place for Jukka Steenari. Jimmy Jacobson's two points put him on the grid in second, and Brian Kinwald launched into the Mains from third.

A1. Jukka Steenari was a force to be reckoned with in Four-Wheel, and he posted qualifying times that were as much as 4 seconds faster than the next fastest machine. Jukka blasted off at the start tone and held off Brian Kinwald, who moved into second from third at the start of the race, and Todd Hodge moved into third after a single lap in his fourth-place qualifying spot. The Steenari/Kinwald/Hodge Losi locomotive churned through nine laps to finish in that order.