Racers love competing for hardware, but most trophies get stuck on a shelf and forgotten after just a few weeks. For the last seven years, the top finishers at the Futaba Nitro Challenge have taken home trophies they can actually use – O.S. engines, Futaba radio gear, and even cold hard cash! After three years at HX Raceway in Shreveport, LA the race moved to its current home at the famed Dirtburners facility in St. Louis, MO. Here’s the race report from Hobbico, along with race results and a photo gallery (special thanks to St. Louis Dirtburners’ Colton Kiefer and Kristofer Vaugier, ImageX).
The 2013 Futaba/O.S. Racing Nitro Challenge is in the books and it was an incredible event. With over 250 drivers in attendance, a very challenging track and the extreme heat and humidity, it was a true accomplishment for both the cars and the drivers just to make it into the A Mains. For the pros with the double A Main format, it was even more grueling!
Once qualifying was over, Futaba team driver Ryan Lutz took the TQ in Pro Buggy, Pro Truggy and E-Buggy completing the trifecta! Also in the top five were Futaba team drivers Josh Wheeler, Mark Pavidis and Carson Wernimont.
In the E-Buggy A Main, Futaba team driver Lutz put on a driving clinic and took an easy win with Futaba teammate Matt Gosch finishing in third.
In Pro Truggy, it was an epic battle between the two Futaba teammates Lutz and Wheeler. Each one capitalized on the other’s mistakes. In the first 20 minute main, Wheeler came out on top with Lutz close behind. In the second 20 minute main, it was much of the same with Lutz coming out on top this time and Wheeler in second. This resulted in a tie between the two Futaba teammates, but Lutz took the tie breaker via his TQ qualifying position.
In Pro Buggy, Futaba young gun Wernimont took the $150.00 dash for cash and the pole position for the first Pro Buggy A Main. When the tone sounded it was another epic battle with the lead changing positions constantly between Futaba teammates Wernimont, Wheeler and Lutz. In the end, Wheeler took the win with Wernimont coming in second and Lutz falling back to fourth. In the second A Main, it was the Wheeler and Lutz show once again, but toward the end Lutz dropped back to fourth due to a switch issue. Wernimont had a crazy battle on the last lap and finished third by one tenth of a second, but it was good enough to give him second overall with Wheeler getting the top spot on the podium and Lutz taking third.
A special thank goes out to the entire crew at Dirt Burners Raceway for another killer event and we look forward to the 9th Annual Futaba/O.S. Nitro Challenge in July of 2014.
Intermediate Class Prizes
1st place finishers — win a Futaba 4PKS-R Radio!
2nd place finishers — win 2 Futaba high-voltage S9353HV Servos
3rd place finishers — win a Futaba high-voltage S9352HV Servo
Expert Class Prizes
1st place Buggy — wins an O.S. 21XZ-B Speed Engine *
1st place Truggy — wins an O.S. 21XZ-B Engine**
2nd place finishers — win 2 Futaba high-voltage S9353HV Servos
3rd place finishers — win a Futaba high-voltage S9352HV Servo
Electric Truck
- Robbie Seehafer
- Josh Wiechens
- Tim Wiechens
- Billy Caldwell
- Ken Koepping
- Andrew Crocco
- David Johnson
- Jason Boock
- Nicholas Carroll
- Grant Peters
- David Alford
- Rob Hartwell
Electric Buggy
- Ryan Lutz
- Michael Paige
- Matt Gosch
- Joe Sorwell
- Mitchel Gardner
- Rod Rippee
- Eric Fletcher
- Josh Wiechens
- Edwin Hartman
- Danny Bartholomew
- Carson Wernimont
- Dylan Gerard
Intermediate Truck
- Bill Mason
- Alan Larson
- George N
- Jason Slaughter
- Joe Cox
- Jake Tamm
- Brian Seehafer
- Matt Mottsinger
- Ken Spencer
- Max Cramer
- Paul Bomstad
- Jim Cadigan
Expert Truck
- James Green
- Robbie Seehafer
- Jason Perotto
- Mikko Trott
- Tony Bacon
- Ray Molett
- Mike Marshall
- Curtis Maglinger
- Shane Luckey
- Nick Lewis
- Ken Kapson
- Neil Pestka
Pro Truck
- Ryan Lutz
- Josh Wheeler
- Kurt Kellum
- Josh Glancy
- Colton Kiefer
- Sonny Ochoa
- Carson Wernimont
- Nick Gibson
- Mark Pavidis
- Michael Paige
- Chris Marrant
- Zach Phillips
Intermediate Buggy
- Adam Spence
- Joe Cox
- George N.
- Chris Burke
- Rick Hisel
- Brian Seehafer
- Chris Gee
- Alan Larson
- Robbie Tamm
- Marcus Guilliane
- Bill Mason
- Ryan Barnard
Expert 1/8-Scale Buggy
- Tony Bacon
- Jason Bloom
- Matt Sistrunk
- Britten Curry
- Roy Johnson
- Brian Applegate
- Nick Edgington
- Brian Stiffler
- Shane Luckey
- James Green
- Robbie Seehafer
- John Rodgers
Pro 1/8-Scale Buggy
- Josh Wheeler
- Carson Wernimont
- Ryan Lutz
- Josh Glancy
- Mark Pavidis
- Michael Paige
- Kurt Kellum
- Dylan Gerard
- Nick Gibson
- Mitchel Gardner
- Justin Wheeler
- Matt Gosch
Colton Kiefer and the St. Louis Dirtburners would like to thank the race’s official sponsors:
Futaba, O.S. Engines, O’Donnell, Team Durango, ARRMA, Trakpower, Muchmore USA, Duratrax, Team Associated, JConcepts, Byron Fuels, RC Depot, HPI Racing, Hot Bodies, Blaze RC, DE Racing, and Serpent America