The HobbyPlex in Omaha Nebraska held the 7th annual JConcepts 1:8 Spring Nationals over Memorial Day weekend. As the Plex has changed adding a building over the race track 5 years ago, the event has been a popular stop for the area Nitro racers to get their first taste of the season for a larger event. The usual suspects of the regional fast guys showed up on Friday to get some laps on the fresh layout built by Alex Sturgeon and crew. Once again, a very fun racing circuit with the normal amounts of above average elevation changes greeted the racers and the cloudy and sometimes rainy weather swirled around outside, not affecting anything indoors.
Saturday would show 3 rounds of qualifying using best 2 out of 3 to seed you into Sundays main events with bump ups from the lower mains. All 3 rounds would go off perfectly with only a short break between rounds to add a little water to the surface.
With all of the rounds completed in the overall TQ in the Expert classes were Kyosho’s Jared Tebo in Nitro Buggy and Nitro truggy, along with Minnesota’s Seth VanDalen in E-Buggy.
E-Buggy would be triple A mains with VanDalen taking round 1. Indiana’s Tyler Jones would get comfortable at the front with his JConcepts equipped Associated RC8B3e and take the wins in A2 and A3 to get the overall followed by Van Dalen and the bump up king of the weekend Hunter Holmberg and his TLR also running JConcepts Dirt Webs. JConcepts TLR David Fast would be 4th, with Jonathan Burkhalter Kyosho/JC in 6th.
Nitro Buggy would be a 45 minute final with Jared Tebo controlling the entire race, however up and comer Jonathan Burkhalter and his JConcepts equipped Kyosho showing the speed that had him P2 after qualifying was keeping things interesting along with past champion Tyler Jones shadowing the pair lap for lap. As the race wore on, Tebo inched out to a controllable lead and let the youngsters battle out for the podium. As they swapped back and forth between bobbles and pit stops the 2 spent the entire main very close together. As time wound down Jones would finish in 2nd followed by Burkhalter in 3rd and JConcepts drivers Josh Ford, David Fast and Nick Gibson also in the A final.
Truck would have Jared tebo with a controlling race while Minnesota’s Josh Ford come in 2nd with his JConcepts equipped Mugen followed by Shane Luckey.
Another great weekend at the HobbyPlex with a great group of racers and the awesome host Alex Sturgeon. Mark your calendars for the 8th annual on next Memorial Day. See you there.
