Last weekend Cheese City Xtreme R/C in Monroe, WI hosted the Tekno RC Off-Road Shootout. This event brought out nearly 200 entries competing in 11 different classes. The classes varied in scales since drivers could compete in 1:8 or 1:10 off-road classes, plus they also offered a mini 1:16 class too.
Practice started on Friday at 10am on the fresh layout. The track design had to incorporate all the different vehicle scales to make it both fun and challenging for all the drivers, and the track crew knocked it out of the park with this design!
After drivers crossed the starting line, they had a 180 that led into a short straight. Then they would head left into a small downhill section that led up to the hardest section of the track.
This quad section was very challenging all weekend long, and if you were in the 1:10 classes the best line was to make it a double-double jump, but some drivers were able to single-triple it occasionally. The larger 1:8 classes could nail the quad jump and the mini 1:16 cars did their best just to survive.
Coming off the quad section was a small berm that led into a single jump that was spaced out far away from a landing spot on the other side. The larger 1:8 vehicles used the berm to gain speed to leap over the lowered area and land near the next corner, while the 1:10 cars had to single out both sections.
Then after a short right hand turn there was a massive jump in the back that had another jump to downside on, but again it was well spaced out. Only the 1:8 vehicles could make this double and a driver had to be precise otherwise they would crash out of bounds. The smaller classes would single out both jump sections.
On this side of the track there was also a permanent netting hung up to allow racers to see the track from their pit space, while also protecting them from cars flying end over end pass the pipe.
It was a cool looking aesthetic to the track and made it easy to hang sponsor banners too.
After landing that jump drivers turned right again for a simple double before turning right to come down in front of the driver’s stand. There was another double off to the right of the stand that led into a short sweeper that curved around towards the start/finish line again.
The pits offered plenty of room for drivers to get their cars dialed in as they tried to find that extra 0.10 second on the track.
Near the pits was basically a full size kitchen that offered a variety of food from burgers to brats, frozen pizza, walking tacos and even egg casserole and breakfast bowls in the early hours! It was nice to have such a selection of food and drink on hand so drivers didn’t need to leave the track and miss out on any of the racing action.
The hobby shop (Discount America Hobby) was well stocked with not only the latest RC gear, but they also offer motorsport and automotive sales and services too.
Located outside was Cheese City Xtreme R/C‘s two outdoor race tracks. In the warmer months they operate both a dirt oval and off-road track, and the driver’s stand can be used for both race tracks by simply facing the track you want to drive on. They also run dirt oval indoors occasionally, and you can definitely tell that they have a strong local race program with dedicated racers which is always great to see!
At 6:30pm Friday night open practice was over and a round of seeding was held. Each driver raced for two minutes and their best three consecutive laps would be used to determine where they started qualifying on Saturday. This way when official qualifying began they would be grouped with drivers already on the same pace.
Saturday the doors opened at 8am and the first of three rounds of qualifying began shortly after 10am. The race program called for three qualifiers, but only a driver’s best two qualifying finishes would count. So if a driver TQed two rounds they automatically earned the top qualifying position for their class. For the 1:10 classes the top eight qualifiers were locked into the single A Main. The top two finishing drivers from the B Main would “bump up” to join them for a total of 10 cars. It was similar in the 1:8 classes except for that only the top six qualifiers were locked into the A Main, and two more drivers from the B Main would join them for a total of eight cars. There were 14 entries in the mini 1:16 class so they all ran together, but they did have to qualify for the A Main starting order.
All of the lower mains ran for six minutes except for Novice which was only five. All of the single A Mains ran for eight minutes except for Novice again and the mini class which were five minutes long each. Qualifying ran past midnight on Saturday, and on Sunday the lower mains started at 10am again.
Just shy of noon on Sunday the race program was stopped so drivers could receive door prizes from the event’s many sponsors! After that wrapped up the racing resumed again so let’s see how the team finished up starting with the largest class (35 entries) that weekend, 1/8 Electric Buggy.
Team driver Dalton Balboa locked up the TQ spot in the opening two rounds of qualifying to start on the pole for the A Main!
Fellow JC driver Jared Wiggins qualified 2nd overall right behind him, and when the tone sounded Dalton led the field for the opening four laps. On lap five he would come up just short on the massive double in the back which allowed Jared to move into 1st place. For the rest of the race the two drivers pulled away from the pack as they continued to battle, and when eight minutes were up Jared would cross the finish line in 1st! Joining them on the podium in 4th place was fellow JC driver Kayty Roxberry!
Team products used:
- 3184 – Silver compound Ellipse 1/8 buggy tire
- 0431 – S15 Tekno EB48 2.0 body
- 3357 – Mono 1/8 buggy wheels
- 5010 – Tekno NB48 2.1 Fin Titanium Turnbuckle Set
- 2998 – Razor 1/8 buggy and truggy wing
The next largest class with 26 entries was the Pro4 Short Course Truck class, and Jared dominated qualifying by setting the fastest times in all three rounds! When the tone sounded it was Jared off the lead before colliding with a marshal that caused him to drop back to 2nd on the 4th lap. Dalton would take over the lead, but on the very next lap Jared would take over 1st again. At that point it was two man battle between Jared and Dalton as they chased each other around the track and put the entire field down by two laps. When time had expired Jared would net his 2nd W of the weekend!
Team products used:
The other SCT class offered that weekend was the 13.5 Short Course Truck class. Team driver Trevor “Chilly” Duncan was able to put down a TQ run in the 3rd and final round of qualifying, and started 2nd overall for the main event.
On the opening lap he would dip down to 3rd place before moving up one spot on lap two. An incident with another car caused the leader to slow down before the massive back double, and Chilly snuck inside of him to take the lead on lap three. He continued to click off fast laps and would put the entire field down one lap while taking the win!
Team products used:
- 3131 – Silver compound Smoothie short course truck tire
- 0282 – HF2 SCT body
- 3344 – Hazard SCT wheels
- 2416 – 3.5mm Fin Titanium Turnbuckle Set for the T6.4 & SC6.4
- 2993 – Radial Ceramic Bearing Set for the B6.4 | B6.4D | T6.4 | SC6.4
- 2298 – B6.3 Carbon Logo / Cargo Net Battery Brace
- 2492 – Fin VCS3 Shock Bottom Cap
- 2701 – Fin 13mm Shock Cap
- 2702 – Fin 13mm Shock Collar
- 2333 – High-Flow 30x30x10mm Aluminum Cooling Fan
- 2983T – 10mm Fin Titanium Shock Stand-Offs with bushing
- 2341 – 4mm Large Flange Serrated Locknut
In the Mod 4wd Buggy class Dalton was able to secure his 2nd TQ award for the weekend by running the fastest laps in 1st and 3rd qualifier!
In the main he would lead the opening two laps, but on lap three when he came up to the massive back double he had to slow down his car for two lappers ahead of him and single out both jumps. Jared was right behind him and he was able to double the jump, and also jump into the lead at the same time. Jared continued to click off fast laps and claimed his 3rd win of the weekend!
Team products used:
- 4017 – Silver compound Smoothie 2 2wd/4wd rear buggy tire
- 4019 – Silver compound Smoothie 2 4wd front buggy tire
- 0354 – F2 body for the Tekno EB410
- 3348 – Mono 2wd/4wd rear buggy wheels
- 3353 – Mono 4wd front buggy wheels
In the 13.5 Stadium Truck class Chilly was able to top seed on Friday night and started off strong with an opening round TQ run! After all three rounds of qualifying were ran he would start 2nd overall for the eight minute main.
On the opening lap the leader would spin out heading into the sweeper which allowed Chilly to take the lead briefly. He then got caught on the pipe on the 180 past the start line and would drop back to 2nd place. He continued to run in 2nd place for three more laps as the top three trucks broke away from the pack. On lap six the leader would catch the pipe turning into the 180 which allowed Chilly to take back the lead for good and grab his 2nd win at this race!
Team products used:
- 4049 – Silver compound Smoothie 2 LP truck tire
- 0388 – Finnisher truck body for the T6.x & YZ2-T
- 3354 – Mono stadium truck wheels
- 2416 – 3.5mm Fin Titanium Turnbuckle Set for the T6.4 & SC6.4
- 2993 – Radial Ceramic Bearing Set for the B6.4 | B6.4D | T6.4 | SC6.4
- 2298 – B6.3 Carbon Logo / Cargo Net Battery Brace
- 2492 – Fin VCS3 Shock Bottom Cap
- 2701 – Fin 13mm Shock Cap
- 2702 – Fin 13mm Shock Collar
- 2333 – High-Flow 30x30x10mm Aluminum Cooling Fan
- 2983T – 10mm Fin Titanium Shock Stand-Offs with bushing
- 2341 – 4mm Large Flange Serrated Locknut
In the 1/8 Electric Truggy class once again Jared dominated all rounds of qualifying with 21 lap runs in each qualifier! In the A Main he had a few early bobbles that dropped him back to 2nd place briefly, but by lap seven he took over the lead for good as he put his truck into cruise control to take the win while putting the entire field down two laps!
Team products used:
- 3185 – Blue compound Ellipse 1/8 truggy tire
- 3369 – Mono 1/8 truggy wheels
- 2998 – Razor 1/8 buggy and truggy wing
This also gave Jared his 4th win and the 6th overall title for the JConcepts race team that weekend!
Photo credits: Cheese City Xtreme R/C & Discount America Hobby & Motorsports
Videos from this event can be found over on this YouTube playlist courtesy of IowaRCTracks.