Race Reporter: Hannah Hardison
A race that typically takes place under the hot summer sun at the beginning of June was pushed back into the cool Fall weather of November. However, the 2020 Alabama Manufacturer Shootout 11.0 did not disappoint. The four day race format is pretty nice as it allows for a slightly calmer race program. Thursday was practice session 1 from 8am to 10pm. Practice session 2 started at 8pm on Thursday night and then they got a few more hours on Friday morning before we went into qualifying. Keeping things moving we did round 1 of qualifying on Friday night and the rest on Saturday. Lower mains were Saturday night and the rest took place on Sunday in order to keep the program moving along.
The track featured Bobby Moore’s signature frontside double. This layout was fast as drivers were doing 22 second laps. The track was very grooved up, but dusty if you got outside of the line. Tires through qualifying were Silver Rehabs on Nitro Buggy and a Gold Ellipse on Nitro Truck. Some drivers experimented with Detoxes and Maifield, along with others, used them in the mains on Nitro Buggy. The Detox tire has spaced out tread that allows them to hold up to long main events. The provide dependable side bite and a transitioning smoothly during hard cornering.
Qualifying (Best 2 of 3):
Pro Electric Buggy:
1- Ryan Maifield 2- Dakotah Phend 3- Tyler Jones
Pro Nitro Buggy:
1- Ryan Maifield
Pro Nitro Truck:
2- Ryan Maifield 3- Tyler Jones
15 Under Junior Nitro Buggy:
1- Mason Fuller 3- Phi Long Nguyen
40+ Electric Buggy:
3- Brent Thielke
40+ Nitro Buggy:
3- Mark Moon
Electric Truck:
2- Cameron Breaux
Int. Electric Buggy:
1- Kaden Fuller
Int. Nitro Buggy:
2- Kaden Fuller
Int. Nitro Truck:
1- Kaden Fuller
Mains:
Pro Electric Buggy: 1- Ryan Maifield 3- Tyler Jones 4- Dakotah Phend 5- Spencer Rivkin
A1:
• Phend started off leading the race with Jones right behind him.
• Around 8 minutes to go Maifield moved back into the 1 spot where he started.
• Phend got on the pipe a little bit allowing Maifield to create a little bit more of a gap.
• It was a battle between Phend and Jones for that 2nd and 3rd spot.
• Maifield won A1, Jones took 2nd, Phend 3rd, and Rivkin 4th.
A2:
• Maifield, Jones, Cavalieri, and Phend started in the top 4.
• Maifield started to stretch out the lead creating a 2 second gap between him and Cavalieri.
• Jones and Phend were only 1.6 seconds apart, battling for that 3rd and 4th spot.
• Cavalieri was closing the gap being only .8 seconds behind Maifield with 3.5 minutes to go.
• In the final 2 minutes they were bumper to bumper. Maifield was hanging on to the 1st place spot.
• Maifield put the car in overdrive as he started to put a 1.2 second lead on 2nd place.
• Jones, Phend, and Bornhorst were battling 3 ways for 3rd, 4th, and 5th.
• Maifield took the win by .20 seconds with Cavalieri in 2nd, Jones 3rd, Phend 4th, and Bornhorst 5th.
Pro Nitro Buggy: 2- Ryan Maifield
• Ryan Maifield started on the 1 spot in the 45 minute main after taking the overall TQ.
• Cavalieri and Ogden got away from the group early on.
• Maifield and Tollard were battling for 3rd with 40 minutes to go.
• Cavalieri and Ogden were neck and neck when they got together on the other side of the double but managed to hold their spots and Maifield was able to get closer creating a 3 way battle.
• Maifield moved into the second spot as he battled with Cavalieri.
• The leaders started to put a lap on the field with 36 minutes to go.
• Maifield and Rivkin were then battling for 3rd.
• Cavalieri, Rivkin, and Phend all were trying for 9 minute pit stops which kept things interesting for the rest of the field.
• Maifield moved into the 1 and Cavalieri and Ogden were back to hunting him down. Cavalieri was only .20 seconds behind. Ogden 2 seconds behind Cavalieri who was in 3rd.
• Tollard and Tebo were battling for that final podium spot.
• At 20 minutes to go they were spacing out with Maifield 8 seconds behind Cavalieri but he was making up ground.
• Meanwhile Ogden and Tebo were battling for that 3rd spot. Tebo took a pit stop which allowed Rose to move into that 4th spot.
• The gap was closing with 15 minutes left as Maifield was only 4 seconds back from Cavalieri.
• With 6 minutes left Maifield topped off his tank to finish out the race and hunt down Cavalieri.
• Maifield was on fire quickly making up ground only 1.4 seconds apart, Cavalieri was under pressure in those final 2 minutes.
• Cavalieri got it wrong Maifield passed him and then Maifield had a small bobble with Cavalieri taking that 1st place spot back. They truly were neck and neck it was anyone’s game with 60 seconds left. They were battling in that final lap after the clock expired it was intense! It all came down to .70 seconds.
Pro Nitro Truck: 2- Tyler Jones 3- Spencer Rivkin 4- Dakotah Phend
• Tebo started in the 1 with Maifield on the 2 and Tyler Jones on the 3.
• Rivkin, Fuller, and Phend all battling for the 4th spot at 25 minutes to go.
• Maifield is applying pressure to Tebo who is in 1st
• Maifield got into the lead but 6 minutes into the race his car flamed out but his mechanics got him back onto the track. We later learned it was an issue with his clutch ball bearing.
• Tyler Jones took over that first position and battled with Tebo
• Tebo had a small roll over which had allowed Jones to increase his lead creating a buffer at 20 minutes to go
• Rivkin and Bornhorst were battling for 3rd, Bornhorst was all over the back of Rivkin
• Tyler Jones had a small bobble allowing Tebo to make up some time and they were back to battling for that top podium spot. However, there was still 16 minutes to go. They were .30 seconds apart at this point.
• Tebo was able to eek his way out into the lead, but Jones was not making it easy for him to hold that 1st spot. Rivkin was still holding that 3rd spot.
• It was a 3 way battle for 3rd, 4th, and 5th between Rivkin, Bornhorst, and Phend. Rivkin and Bornhorst went side by side over the front double, with Bornhorst etching his way out into that 3rd spot. Rivkin later went on to take back that 3rd spot in the last 6 minutes.
1:10 Mini Truck: 1- Zachary VanDalen
15U Junior Nitro Buggy: 1- Mason Fuller 2- Phi Long Nguyen 4- Drew Williams
40+ Electric Buggy: 1- Brent Thielke 5- Randy Enger
40+ Nitro Buggy: 2- Mark Moon 5- Luis Perez
4wd Open Short Course: 1- Zachary VanDalen 4- Trevor Michael
Int. Electric Buggy: 1- Kaden Fuller
Int. Nitro Buggy: 1- Kaden Fuller 2- Justin Cranford
Int. Nitro Truck: 1- Kaden Fuller 4- Kiarra Hold
Overall, the team worked together and put up good results! We’ll be at the upcoming Winter Indoor Shootout Race and Florida Carpet Championships! See you trackside soon!
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