Jones finished second behind Phend at TARCAR Nitro vs Electric Shootout

0 May 24, 2016, 8:50 a.m.

By Aaron Waldron
LiveRC.com

Race report from Tyler Jones:

I attended the Nitro vs Electric Shootout at TARCAR Raceway in Toledo,OH. First time to this track and it didn't disappoint!! Layout was fast, technical, and flowing. The shootout would take the top 5 nitro qualifiers and top 5 electric qualifiers for buggy and truggy and put them in a triple A main format. The rest of the nitro and electric cars would run regular main formats. TLR factory driver Dakotah Phend was in attendance and that made me happy. This would give me a chance to judge my speed with my new team for 2016.

I chose to only run nitro buggy with my Team Associated RC8B3. In qualifying, Dakotah and I would have some great runs putting me second overall starting position for the shootout mains. My car was great all day on JConcepts tires. My LRP engine with The Nitro Shop fuel mileage mod got amazing fuel mileage sipping Bones Brew fuel. Race Ready Products kept my car clean and shining all day. The new VRP Game Changer shock pistons soaked up the bumps and jump landings with ease.

The mains came and I was pretty excited to be able to race heads up with Dakotah. In the first main, the race officials had some communication issues and the race started with Dakotah and I not even ready. The rest of the drivers took off, Dakotah died in front of me and I got tangled in his wing. So, we were both over a half a lap down at the tone. We both got going and put laps in to drive by the rest of the field to finish the race with me finishing second.

Main number two came and the officials had the starts figured out. Dakotah and I took off at the tone and and battled the whole main swapping the lead. On the last lap I drove my butt off to catch up after a bobble and finished just one second behind Dakotah giving him the overall win. My dad and very happy though seeing I could match pace of Dakotah for all the mains. Our lap times were close all the mains.

Main number three came and I put some different tires on knowing I had second overall locked up. Car was just as good as the other two mains!! But, I had an issue with my sun glasses fogging up for some reason and had some wrecks and just cruised for remainder the main.

I just want to say this too. My dad and I have got a lot of negative comments, texts, and messages since I decided not to sign with TLR for two more years. Brent Thielke and Richard Saxton have been so good to us since we came to AE!! We can't thank those guys enough!! We were even told to our faces this past weekend by another driver since Dakotah showed up he knew he wasn't going to win now. Like I had no chance of winning if Dakotah wasn't there! Most all the comments are from former teammates and people who we thought were our friends.

Thanks to these great sponsors for the support and belief in me for 2016:

TEAM ASSOCIATED
LRP
JCONCEPTS
THE NITRO SHOP
BONES BREW
INFAMOUS DESIGNS BY STEPHEN WILSON
VRP
RACE READY PRODUCTS
SANWA USA

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