Let’s talk about the Mayako Movement !!!!

I bet many thought when the brand was announced over a year ago it would go into this World Championships as a favorite but when you sign one of the best drivers in the world and he wins it establishes a brand’s pedigree immediately.

The Mayako brand was launched in a bit of mystery, and eve now its one of the most anticipated brands in the last 10 years.

The brand gained notoriety when it was announced that JQ was the designer of the platform and that JQ Racing would cease to exist as a car brand. This sent the interwebs buzzing for months as the RC Racing public speculated and buzzed as the brand was launched. Not only was a new chassis announced but also a new support system and a big step away from what has become the business model of the industry, Mayako was not only set to challenge others' design theories but the way the industry does business as a whole. Fast forward a year and we see other companies copying various systems that Mayako introduced.

Mayakpo then shocked the world by making one of if not the biggest Silly Season move in the last 10 years by signing the Viking David Ronnefalk and basically kicking off what would be a busy few months of driver transfers.

Let's have a look at the Mayako Team !

Hampus Berg

Once again Hampus isn’t a household name yet as in the famous words of the Great Jedi Master Yoda “Strong He is with the Force ''. Berg is the young Padawan/Protege of his fellw Swede and RC Jedi Master himself The Viking. Under the tutelage of David Hampus has turned into a very competitive young racer and has adjusted well to the switch to Mayako.

Hampus is still young and in school but Rc Racing is what he wants to do for a job so he is focused and doing what's needed to succeed a staple in the RCGP series this year Hampus has shown impressive pace and character above his 18 years and will be looking to get as close to the Semi Finals as he can at this Worlds. I have no doubt Hampus will taste greatness in his Rc path and join the Viking as a formidable force in the RC scene in the years to come.

Alex “El Machete” Zanchettin

Before Davide Ongaro, Marco Baruffolo, Riccardo Berton and other young fast Italian drivers became popular Alex was the top one of if not the top Italian driver at these international races. Alex cut his teeth and burst onto the racing scene bearing the TLR Flag and had his best years there, Years later and after switching chassis a few times the always happy Zanchettin seems to have found a home at Mayako. Alex is still a viable contender and young. Hopefully he can get a decent result at this Worlds,this would boost his comeback and his rc career .

The Viking David Ronnefalk

When David “The Viking '' Ronnefalk was born it was as if Oden himself had fathered a modern day son and blessed him with the ability to drive and win any race he attends as well as a professional attitude and approach to RC Racing we haven't seen before. Like his Viking ancestors Ronnefalk he is one of the few Euros to cross the ocean and taste victory many times in the USA.

David shocked the world by leaving HB racing after and enjoying great success there by winning the 2016 World Championships in Las Vegas. He then shocked the RC World again by joining Mayako when he probably could have gone to any brand and named his price.

David is a multi time European and DNC Champion plus a winner of a plethora of other races the Viking shows up to a race with one thing in mind to vanquish all foes and emerge the winner.

The Vikings accomplishments on the track are impressive, also add the fact that he approaches the PR side of RC professionally and understands the importance of presenting racing in a professional way David is always available for interviews or anything needed to advance the future of RC racing.

We always say if there is one racer that can grow a brand it is David Ronnefalk and he has taken the Mayako brand on his shoulders and done what it takes on and off the track to grow the brand.

The viking then shocked the world again a few months ago by driving a masterful 45 mins with only one mistake at the 2022 EFRA Euro Championships to take home his 3rd Euro Title and give Mayako its first big win after just 6 months on the new car.

He also came second at the warmup race and has always been fast at the redovan track. The Viking has been working hard and is looking to add another World Championship Trophy to his trophy case. David goes in as one of the big favorites to win this race and rightfully so, The Viking has proven he can win anywhere on any surface or track . Can the Viking become the 2nd ever driver to win this race twice ???

JQ VS Greg Degani

Those that follow the podcast will know all about this. JQ and Greg have a 1000 bet on who places higher out of the 2. Greg Dgani was the first American ⅛ World Champion and has become one of the top 40+racers in the world. JQ will be looking to beat his long time friend and test all his theories put into the Mayako design.

Who will leave Spain $1000 dollars richere JQ or Greg Degani in this case I think we wil find out this answer in the lower mains on Friday LOL

Leftys Simple Thoughts

XRAY actually has the biggest team going into this Worlds with a number of drivers that can do well in the top finals on Saturday. Let's have a look.

Ricardo Montiero

While this might not be a common name in the USA or Europe the Portuguese driver has shown he has what it takes to hang with the big dogs. He made the Semis at the Euros a few months ago and followed that up with another Semi final spot. I don't expect him to make the final but he will give a lot of big names a run for their money.

Jonnie and Will Skidmore

The Skidmore brothers from England have been impressive at this track Jon also was the 2021 UK National Champion and both brothers have made semi finals at the big Euro races. This year at the Euros both brothers where in the 1/4 final this performance is not reflective of their abilities IMHO.

The Worlds Warmup saw both of them in the Semis and Jonnie just missing the bump to the A final. It will be interesting to see if one or both of the brothers can be a thorn in the side of the top drivers this week.

Bruno Coelho

The Prince of Portugal is widely considered to be one of the best all around drivers in the world, his main class is on road but he also has 2 World Championships in 1/10 4WD. Oh he also has a 1/8th Nitro Euro Championship. Bruno dabbles in off road and is able to be just as fast and competitive in off road on the right conditions.

He would finish second at the Euros and then 7th at the Warmup and really he's an outside favorite to win this race . If he wins it would not surprise me at all this guy can drive and thats all it is he is one of the best in the world period!

Ty Tessman

Canada’s favorite RC son and 2014 ⅛ World Champion has made his first Worlds A Final in 2008 at the age of 14 and he has podiumed every Worlds since 2012. He is a multi time National Champion and has won a plethora of other BIG RC races.

At one point in his career it seemed Ty was unbeatable but over the last few years with equipment changes it seemed Ty might have lost a step. The Canadian seems to have figured out the gremlins and is looking to be the second driver to win 2 WC titles and also goes in a favorite to Win this race after looking good at the Warm Up.

Ty’s World Championship pedigree is there; he just seems to show up and perform at this race and after a second place finish in 2019 Ty will be out for blood this year. Can the Canadian become the second driver to ever win 2 world Championships…….. It is most definitely a very strong possibility!

Lefts Simple Thoughts !

Tekno RC is one of the biggest brands in the USA having grown immensely over the years with a team mixed with fast regional and national drivers. They have built a great team atmosphere and have some very fast up and coming racers in their ranks. The Tekno pits are some of the biggest there. Dany and Matt have done a great job and are passionate about racing and that is one of the biggest things you need in this industry …… Passion.

Let's meet the Team !!

Jared “The Wizard” Wiggins

The Wizard is the name I gave this racer last year and it seems to have stuck. Jared has been a Tekno stalwart and has been with the company for many years. Wiggins, eats, lives and breathes RC racing. His work ethic is impeccable when he's not racing Wiggins is busy designing, testing and doing what it takes to be competitive hence the moniker The Wizard.

Let's not get it twisted. The Wizard can wheel and after an impressive inaugural Visions Race victory, also he was one of the Americans to make the trip to Redovan for the warm up a few months ago. It will be interesting to see if The Wizard can use this as momentum going into the most competitive race of his life and get a good result. It would be great to see his hard work pay off with the result he wants, good luck Wizard!!

Marco Baruffolo M3

When Mad Man Marco Baruffolo shows up you know things are going to get exciting !! Marco is one of my favorite racers to watch. Marco’s wild style and 0 fooks given attitude on the track always makes for entertainment. Marco was signed by Tekno at the end of 2021 and became their top Euro racer.

2022 has been a learning curve for the Italian after making both the Euros and the warm up his results were lackluster with a 12 and a 13. Marco will be looking to be in the A final next Saturday IMHO he can't settle for anything less than that. This is Marcos' chance to seize the moment and show the world that Ongaro isn't the only fast Italian.

We cannot talk about Marco without talking about controversy. His wild driving style leaves some of his competitors with a bitter taste in their mouths. M3 has been working on this and that is good because I think slowing down a bit will help Baruffolo achieve the results he wants. Marco has the talent and ability to win any race he enters. Will this be his weekend to be a winner?

Jared “Teebs” Tebo

The list of accomplishments for this veteran is impressive. Tebo has been one of the top racers in the world for the last 20 years. Tebo is a 3 X National Champion in ⅛ Buggy and 6 NEO Race wins, Tebo is also a multi time 1/10 World and National Champion as well as a Reedy Champion. Let’s not forget about the other big races Jared has won in his career. You cannot talk about the great racers in RC without Teebs being near the top of that list.

Teebs joined Tekno back at the end of 2018 after a long tenure at Kyosho (12.5 years in total). He would taste early success on his new chassis and the switch looked to have rejuvenated Tebo after almost retiring from RC racing a couple years prior to the switch.

Tebo is living his best life JTP RC is keeping him busy as well as enjoying family life as now the new generations of Tebos are getting into racing, he seems to be happy and in a good spot in life. With all that said, that big Nitro buggy win has eluded Teebs the last couple years. He is always fast in qualifying, he has the pace and has won truggy at these same events. That Nitro Buggy win has been like the elusive thylacine of Australia, it is out there Tebo just has to find it.

At the age of 35 the big question to ask is how many chances does Tebo have left to win this race. He isn't alone in this quest his fiercest competitors for the last 20 years have been Ryan Cavalieri and Ryan Maifield and they too are in search of this elusive win that is the IFMAR Nitro Buggy World Championships.

The one thing you can never do is count Jared out, his years of experience and international racing have prepared him for these high pressure situations. Many people say Tebo will not be much of a factor at this race but I beg to differ, if there is one person that can snatch a win from the racers that are considered favorites it's Teebs.

While Jared doesn't need a ⅛ World Championship he has already cemented his place in the RC history books as one of the greatest. A win next weekend would add the ultimate proverbial feather in the cap that is Teebs RC Racing Career and give Tekno Rc their biggest win to date.

What do you guys think can Teebs seize the moment and make it a #teknotakeover?

Fast forward to 2022, HB Racing now have 3 World Championships with Ty Tessman adding the second in 2014 followed by David Ronnefalk in 2016. The HB Chassis is popular around the world and genuinely considered one of the best all around cars on the race scene.

Silly season 2021-22 was very interesting for HB Racing. The big shock was when their #1 driver David Ronnefalk left the team after 6 years in 2021. Nobody saw this coming and the Viking made the move to Mayako. This seemed to knock some of the wind out of the team near the end of 2021.

HB Racing would turn their attention to young up and coming racers and signed Jackson Brunson, Ryan Pavidis as well as Team Fuller Mason & Kaden. Veteran Cole Ogden would find himself at the top of the totem pole on the team and the HB Team was looking solid going into 2022.

Let’s take a look !

Jackson Brunson

For me this has been the biggest surprise. The Georgia native made the move from AE and has seen some of his best results this year. Jackson has greatly improved and is now a staple in A finals at the big USA races and has a couple top 5s to back it up.

It will be interesting to see if Jackson can make into the semis and see where it goes from there.

Ryan Pavidis

Ryan has focused on 1:8 racing the last 3 years and the results are showing. Having a last name like Pavidis you would think the pressure would be on for Ryan but he seems to approach his racing methodically and in a non stressed way. Let’s be realistic, his shoes of his father are hard to fill when you have had a career like the legend Mark Pavidis.

The move to HB Racing has been good for Ryan, 2022 has seen him continue to make A finals and improve as he fights his way thru the ranks. This will be his first worlds, and a great next step on his RC Journey!

Team Fuller

If I was a team owner these are the two young drivers I I would sign. The Fuller family races as a family and have done great things in a short time. It's really good to see their parents at the races combined with Their sons Ice Man Mason and his younger brother Kaden this is how racing should be a family affair.

TLR IMHO made a big mistake letting them go at the end of 21. Why you may ask? Well Mason had a great 2021 shoeing great pace and not being scared to tackle the big dogs in RC.

W hen I heard he made the move to HB I told everyone that this was the one of the best moves of Silly Season. Mason has had a great 2022 with multiple top 3 places and he’s getting faster each race.

If Ryan Maifield and Dakotah Phend are the two best racers in the USA then Mason isn’t too far behind. Mason has a bright future ahead of him and my dark horse to make the final next week. Also if he doesn’t make the main it’s no big loss as the 17 year old will have many opportunities in the future.

Kaden is the younger brother and after a small break from rc to play football he seems to be rejuvenated and getting faster since he joined HB. He has the potential to be just as good as his brother and I think we will see these brothers become a formidable diad in the RC racing scene. Team Fuller is here to kick ass and take names the future looks bright for them.

Cole Ogden (The Beast From The East)

Cole Ogden is one of the most talented drivers I’ve seen! When the Georgia native has a point to prove on the track it’s almost impossible to stop him. We have seen Cole put on some masterful driving at races. Also what I like about Cole is he doesn't hold back he says what’s on his mind , couple this with his outgoing persona and somewhat wild nature h Ogden has become a fan favorite and has been given the moniker The People’s Champion. Cole definitely has all the tools needed to win this race and any race he attends but if there is one thing he has lacked this year it’s results.

After Ronnefalk left HB Cole was then promoted to what I’d say is the #1 position on the tea. With this promotion also comes more expectations to do well. Unfortunately the man with the long hair has struggled this year to get those results. His racing package is very solid and Cole IMHO should be winning some of these races. I’m not sure if it’s the pressure of being # 1 at HB and having a bunch of youngsters nipping at your heels but Cole hasn’t seemed to be able to replicate the 2020-21 form so far this year.

With that said I believe Cole will do quite well at this race and here is why. The HB car is good, the HotRace tires will be the ticket at Redovan and his engine program is great, but here is the reason I fell he will do well next week ….. experience. Cole has races in Europe many times, he has raced The Neo Race many times and back in 2019 he spent a lot of time in Spain practicing and racing with his then Teammate Ronnefalk. IMHO this gives Ogden a slight edge.

I really hope Cole makes the final. He is the first real East Coast racer to make it big in racing and I really want to see him do well at this race. Also I think he needs to have a good showing to cement himself in the HB team going into 2022 after a not so good 2022. He’s the veteran on the team and is a popular figure in RC he has all the tools needed to do well at this race and I hope he does.

Tomas Musso

After watching the young racer from France at the last 2 rounds I can say that Musso is a legit racer. Musso will represent Monaco and I believe he will do quite well and better than a few of his American teammates. It will be interesting to see if he can transfer his RCGP success to the world stage. He’s experienced for his young age and I think he will surprise many.

Jessica Palsson

Being a female racer in RC can be a bit difficult. We see very few female racers in the make dominated industry but Jessica has carved out her path and is probably one of the most recognized female racers in the industry next to Ronda Drake. Where Ronda is no nonsense and aggressive in her racing Palsson seems to be calm and in control as she hits her lines on the track. Her father is also a well accomplished racer who was very fast in the attitude era of RC. They also run a track in Sweden so Jessica gets lots of practice. RC is for everyone and I hope to see more female racers in the future.

Will Jessica retire JQ for the second time in 3 months ?

Will we see some of the younger HB drivers surprise everyone ?

Will we see Cole Ogden from the 2021 ROAR Nats who was pretty much unstoppable until the fuel tank issue ?

Will we see Mason Fuller snatch the opportunity and show the world what’s up?

There are lots of questions but the answers will have to wait another week!

Yesterday I talked about TLR today let’s talk about their biggest Rivals Team Associated!

Team Associated

When you think of Team Associated or AE for short, the words like greatness, legendary, heritage, innovation and prestige. AE changed RC racing as we know it with the release of the RC10 back in 1984, AE has rooted itself infamy when you think RC racing you think AE. They also go into Spain as the World Champion and have a good chance to win it again !

Cole ‘CFT” Tollard

Cole F**king Tollard!!!! The mild mannered and quiet, almost 22 year old from Wisconsin has a maturity well above his young age. CFT has been putting in the work over the years and has become quite an accomplished 1/10 racer. After finishing school last year Cole is now doing RC racing full time I believe, he also has made the transition to ⅛ scale nitro racing. As we know Nitro racing is a steep learning curve but CFT is putting his head down taking his lumps and bumps that most do at the beginning.

At RCGP USA Cole would do well on the high grip track with 2 second place finishes. But this is the Worlds and things are very different, Redovan and level of competition are two big hurdles to overcome for CFT!

Raging Aydin Horne

Aydin has been a breath of fresh air ! In an industry where dialed, character and awesome are the three favorite words said in most interviews by Pro Rc Drivers, Aydin is up beat, funny, witty and I always see him smiling even when things are bad!!! It is great to see this in a young racer. This gives me hope that we might actually develop some interesting personalities in this somewhat stale environment we currently are in.

Aydin is a product of the AE 1/10 youth program that was started with Factory Track and has burst on the scene as a very fast 1/10th driver. He started focusing on 1/8th in 2021 and saw some early success which was backed up with a solid 2nd place at the ROAR Nats in 2021.

2022 has not been as kind to Aydin in ⅛ he has had his struggles but still manages a positive attitude and looks to the future. I have him in the same spot as Cole. They go to this race to get experience and plan for the next Worlds. With that said it would not surprise me to see either of these two racers do better than I think. It is kinda funny how we see AE developing 1/10th Racers into Nitro racers making them All Rounders. Both Cole and Aydin are poised to have great careers in RC and will have many opportunities at a World Championship.

Spencer Rivkin

Rivkin has been the flag bearer for AE over the last few years in both 1/10 and in the USA ⅛. Spencer is another product of AE developing a 1/10th driver into a nitro racer. Spencer has had ear;y success, he won the 2wd 1/10th Worlds in 2015 and 2019 also he is 2X Roar 1/8th Nitro Buggy National Champion and he just won the 4wd Leg of the 10th Scale Roar Dirt Nats a couple weeks ago. He is also one of the 3 North American drivers that made the trip to Spain for the warm up.

The warm up was not kind to Spencer. It started bad with JConcepts not being able to get the tires they had shipped out of customs and this would put Rivkin on the back foot. His troubles would continue and Rivkin would not make it out of the ¼ finals, but all was not lost. This is a warm up and Spencer goes into this race with more experience than all but 2 of his fellow Americans and I expect him to use that to get him into the A final.

As I have said on the podcast lately Spencer has been a lot less PC in his interviews this year. If it's not going well or things are wrong he has been very vocal about it. It is good to see drivers being allowed to express themselves and we should encourage this then everything being fine and dandy. IMHO Spencer seems a bit frustrated with his ⅛ results; he has had an up and down battle with this category this year.

IMHO Spencer needs to make the A final this year he doesn't have to win but definitely has to make the final. With racers like Cole and Aydin nipping at his heels as well as the plethora of talent in the USA and Europe staying on top at AE must be difficult. With this in mind Spencer will have to deal with this pressure and push forward. He's good enough to fight for the win at any race and I believe the warm up will benefit him, but to win this race you can't be just good enough. Will we see Rivkin go next level and add a 1/8th WC to his list of accomplishments?

Davide Ongaro

The Italian Stallion !!! Davide Ongaro has wowed the RC Racing world and due to Covid he has become the longest reigning World Champion and also gave Team Associated their first ⅛ WC.

The young Italian has wowed the world with his impressive skills to the point that he was accused of using a gyro, this all came to a boiling point at the 2018 World’s in Australia where a protest was filed against him and his car was completely stripped in search of a gyro. Ongaro was crowned WC and has enjoyed 4 years at the top of the RC Totem Pole. In those 4 years he has transformed from a pudgy young boy that was nervous to talk to a confident young man who doesn’t seem to get phased at anything you throw at him.

Ongaro is confident and goes in as a big favorite to win this race especially after winning the warm up. Ongaro

seems to have this aura about him that no matter what he will find a way to win. Rightfully so as he has some impressive victories under his belt.

This year has seen the first real signs of weakness for Ongaro or maybe his competitors have just caught up to him.

The coveted Euro Championship still eludes Ongaro as well as getting a big win at a USA Race. This year has seen Ongaro suffer defeats to Canas and Ronnefalk. RCGP Italy saw Canas beat Ongaro on home turf and at the UK round Ronnefalk, Canas and Pekko were faster …… but still Ongaro found a way to win.

It’s hard not to get against Davide. He is on trajectory to become the first Back to Back World Champ. Will this be the year we see this amazing feat happen?

If anyone can do it it’s Davide Ongaro !

The Finns

I know I missed some SWORKz Drivers and I’ll fix that later and I’m sure I’ll miss some Associated Drivers as well but I have to talk about Joona Haatanen and Pekko Iivonen.

Joona is Factory AE due to his 1/10 skills but at the Euros showed speed and just missed out on a A final spot. Joona is talented and good. He will show some speed and pace but this isn't really his first class so expectations are not that high.

Pekko the Ringer!! While Pekko isn't on the AE team per se he will drive the AE car at this race because his main sponsor is his local hobby shop. After making the a final at the Euros with the AE and then being extremely fast at RCGP UK with the Mayako you cannot count the young Finn out. Pekko is fast in all classes and can race anything. He was very impressive and the world got a taste of him at RCGP. I expect Pekko to be a thorn in the sides of many racers next week and if he can make the semis I don't see why he cannot make the A final . Pekko is one of my Dark Horses for this race. Pekko has a future in RC but in what classes it is yet to be determined.

All eyes will be on Ongaro next week and AE is looking to get that second ⅛ WC so the pressure is on. Will we see Ongaro do what no driver has been able to do and go back to back?

We will find out soon !

Let’s start with TLR !

First off my sincere condolences to the Losi family and all of the TLR/Losi Motorsports family, may Gil Pops Losi Sr rest in peace and thank you for all that you have done for RC Racing. We lost another icon of the industry this past weekend.

Losi is one of the most iconic names in our industry, when Pops and Jr designed the JRX2 I wonder if they knew how huge it would be and how it would change RC Racing. This was a direct attack on the Team Associated dominance we saw back in the late 80s in electric racing . The two companies had epic battles in the off road electric classes, gas truck, and later on in the 1/8th nitro buggy market. These teams have fought tooth and nail on the track as well as in the magazines and media. Pilfering each other's drivers this is when RC Racing started to get more “Factory” and to me this truly was the glory years of RC and these iconic teams battled hard.

Fast forward to 2022 and the rivalry continues with TLR getting back to basics with their racing program after a tormentous last 6 years. The sale of the brand to Horizon Hobby in 2001 then in 2015 the loss of Adam Drake. The brand has struggled a bit to get its bearings and get back to its glory days.

The addition of Tomas Tran as team manager back in 2020 as well as the signing of Ryan Cavalieri in 2021 has seen a resurgence in the brand. Lets not forget the Phenom Dakotah Phend who IMHO is the best all around off road RC Racer in the world at the moment.

TLR entered the ⅛ market in 2006 with the revolutionary Losi 8ight and saw success on a national level very quickly with Adam Drake and Mike Truhe. Truhe would go onto TQ the 2008 Worlds in Charlotte and looked the favorite to win but Hara woul;d beat home with one less pitstop.

TLR wants a 1/8th World Championship and 2022 might be their best chance in many years to win one. The new car seems to fit their two top drivers and Phend goes into this Worlds as one of the top favorites to win next weekend, let’s have a look at these two drivers.

Tater Sontag

Don't Sleep on Tater he has made some finals this year but this is different. It will be a great experience for the young racer and to improve his racing, it will be good to see where he ranks among the young racers from around the world as I expect him to battle it out with them.

Ryan Cavalieri

You all know how I feel. I think Cav is the GOAT, he will definitely go down as one of the best of all time with 25+ National Champions, 4 Reedy Race wins, 4 time 10th World Champ, Neo Race Champion, ⅛ National Champ and many more big race wins. Cav has won almost every race that is out there. He has had a lustrous career but the last 4-5 years have seen many ups and downs for the veteran.

After a rocky departure from Team Associated at the end of 2018 Ryan found himself at SWORKz for 2 years. The first year for Cav was rough for him but he seemed to find his stride in 2020 and put in some impressive drives as well as a win with the platform. Cav would leave SWORKz at the end of 2020 and join TLR for the second time in his career in one of the biggest moves of that silly season tha year. This time Cav would not be the #1 driver and star of the team like he was back in the day. He stepped into the second driver role behind Dakotah Phend who has been TLR’s superstar for many years and well deserved.

This situation is a bit different from what Cav is used to but as he gets older and Rc racing continues to evolve Ryan ois finding ways to reinvent himself and continue to be a force to beat in RC racing. While he isn't as dominant as he used to be, Cav has found ways to do well in 10th scale since joining and now seems to be finding his stride with the 1/8th platform.

Cav has made the last 3 worlds finals with his best performance coming in 2014 with a 2nd then 5th in 2016 and 2018, Cav’s Worlds Pedigree runs deep these are the races Ryan just seems to step it up to another level, when the stakes are high and the pressure is on Cav just gets better.

Cav has found his 1/8th form just in time but what Cav has that gives him an advantage is his experience. I believe that will be key to him doing well. It will take every bit of experience and WC tricks that Cav can muster to do well at this race.

I have to admit the fanboy in me just wants to say Cav will be fine and he can win but I also have to be realistic. I think Cav will be in the Semis. I still believe he can make the final but just barely, I unfortunately don't see Cav winning this race, I do believe that if anyone can use his racecraft and experience to take advantages of other racers mistakes and snatch a victory it can be the wily veteran but a lot of things have to fall in place for that. Of course I can be completely wrong and Cav is out there in the hunt for TQ and on pace and a threat to do well, this is Ryan Cavalieri we are talking about and if anyone can pull this off it is The GOAT.

The Phenom Dakotah Phend

I have to admit I am a Dakotah Phend fan, His talent and work ethic are impressive, everyone used to say Phend can only do 5 min races but he has put that saying to rest. Combined with the Fabulous One Barry Baker as his mechanic/mentor Phend has worked hard on proving everyone wrong.

The Phenom goes into this race as a high favorite going into next week’s race but let’s have a look at why. Phend has been the only driver to openly Challenge and out right defeat Ryan Maifield in the last 2 years of dominance in the USA for Ryan.

Phend also snatched his first 1/8 th ROAR Nitro Buggy National Title this year to add to the plethora ph other National titles. Phend has been getting it done in ⅛ and 1/10th on all surfaces and all types of races whatever race he is at he is favorite to win. He has shown he can race more than 5 mins and win long nitro mains. You can't say TLR without Phend coming to mind. The Phenom signed with the company approximately 17 years ago!

Dakotah shows maturity above his age At only a young 25 years old Phend is a veteran in our sport first touching a control at the age of 7. He is a veteran in this sport but has yet to taste World’s Glory and this might be the only weakness I see in Phends armor is that he does not have a WC yet.

If you have not had the chance to watch Phend drive in person you are truly missing out. He is incredible to watch and in all honesty I think this is the best chance he has had to win a World’s. His program is probably the best it has been, he has the support needed, he's confident and has the victories to back it up ………. Phend is in a good spot!

This won't be Phend’s last chance to win a world championship. He is still young and has many chances in him. I see many World Championship wins in Phend’s future but I can't help but think that winning this one for Pops would be extra special and an amazing story that legends are made of.

Good luck to the TLR Team ! Phend can do it. That's for sure lets see how the plot is unveiled next week.

The SWORKz brand has been around for sometime now, my first time learning about the brand was when AMain Hobbies was the distributor, Marty Korn was the USA Team Manager and in February 2014 SWORKz signed Atsushi Hara on a 3 year contract. The Hara/SWORKz relationship would not last the 3 years and the split came in October 2015, the brand never really took off in the USA and after the Hara split and all but disappeared in the USA.

While the brand faded in the USA in Europe there was a resurgence in the making when Austrian businessman Max Sonnleitner would step in and purchase the brand in 2016. With a new passionate owner and the financial backing SWORKz started the journey to where it is now.

The beginning of 2018 saw SWORKz jump back into the racing scene in Europe by signing Austrian Martin Wollanka and German Jorn Neauman both were fast and making A finals at big Euro races at the time. One year later they signed a very young and up and coming Spanish racer named Juan Carlos Canas from Mugen.

2 months into the 2019 season would see the shocking departure of Elliott Boots from Kyosho to SWORKz and this now gave the company a driver capable of winning. They didn't have to wait long. Elliott would win the 2019 SilverState, Boots looked to take the world by storm with the SWORKz but after SilverState the brand grew in Europe but still struggled in the USA.

Fast forward to 2022 and SWORKz is turning into one of the powerhouse companies in RC. The brand is strong in Europe and growing worldwide. Tim Lime has done a great job in the USA over the last 2 years and the brand is growing. They have a new distributor with Beach RC and the USA team now has top drivers like Joe Bornhorst, Tanner Denney, Spencer Heckert and Camden Lime.

Juan Carlos Canas

With all this talent on the SWORKz there is still one driver that is shining just a bit brighter than all his team mates at the moment and that is Juan Carlos Canasa or JCC for short. The 21 year old has found some fine form in the last 1.5 years.

The young racer from Spain has been the first Spanish racer to challenge Robert Batlle’s long time dominance at the Spanish Nats. I truly believe that Canas is a product of Batlle’s success that then increased the level of Spanish racing at the moment.

JCC goes into this Worlds as one of the 3-5 drivers that can win this race. At the worlds warm up Canas was blistering fast and set the TQ, he would have to settle for a 5th after starting from the rear of the field due to him having to race the LCQ to get into the final. RCGP Italy Canas was on fire and outright beat his nemesis Davide Ongaro in his home country at the OspyTeam track.

In Portugal at the Euros Canas would take TQ and win his semi final and start on the pole position the even, JCC looked unbeatable all week but bad fuel mileage would be his undoing and he would not add a Nitro Euro Title to partner his Ebuggy title he won earlier this year.

RCGP UK would see the usually quiet and calm Canas get frustrated for the first time that I have seen and he would show his displeasure to the referees. Whether it was a crack from pressure or frustration from the Euros we will never know but nonetheless Canas was very fast at this race and would suffer a DNF in the 60 min final.

Canas can win this Worlds he has plenty of time at the Redovan track and he has also put his racing into another gear the questions is not about his ability and pace to win. JCC and his father have put in a lot of work and you can see it paying off. Can Canas perform for 60 mins under the highest pressure he has ever been in and cross the line victorious?

Many think he can and that makes him SWORKz best chance at their first worlds IMHO.

Elliott Boots

Elliot is no stranger to the Redovan Track. Boots would take his second Euro title at Redovan back in 2016 . Alsp he is no stranger to the World’s but Unfortunately for Elliott the Worlds has not been too kind to him.

He would TQ the race in Argentina back in 2012 Elliott would DNF in his Semi and not race the 60 Min final.

2014 would see him once again not make the final after he flamed out in his Semi.

2016 looked to be his year as he qualified 2nd behind Tebo after the Semis Elliot would start mid pack in 5th and slide back to last before the first lap was complete. He would have to settle for a lackluster 10th.

2018 would not be any better for Elliott as he would not make the final.

Fast forward 4 years and a lot has changed for Boots. He now spends most of his time living in Italy working closely with the Rossi family and REDS Racing, he has Verry as his mechanic and he has a brand new baby.Botts looks happy in life and RC and continues to shop why he is a 2x Euro Champ and Silvetstate Champion.

Boots finished 4th at the warmups and 8th at the Euros this year he has also shown incredible speed at the RCGP Euro Rounds and just won back the UK National Title. Is this the year we see everything come together for boots and become the first UK WC?

Joe Bornhorst & Tanner Denney

To be honest this is a hard one to predict let's start with Joe.

Joe joined SWORKz this year and was very impressive at the DNC. He was fast all week and would settle for 2nd in Nitro Buggy at the DNC. He looked a lot more relaxed and rejuvenated at his new team and has stepped into the top dog role easily at SWORKz USA. RCGP at S&B Raceway Joe looked equally impressive and dominated the first days of the event.

As impressive as Joe has been this year the big Win has still eluded him and he has seemed to taper off a bit mid season but a top 5 finish 4 weeks ago at Wicked Weekend could give Joe the confidence needed to make his first Worlds Final. We shall see how Redovan treats Bornhorst but it will not surprise me to see Joe to be on pacer or in the final.

Tanner Denny is another enigma, he too made the switch to SWORKz in 2022. I would say his 2022 has not been as good as his 2021. Denny is very fast and has shown glimmers of brilliance in his career,he has shown he can race and beat many of his peers.

Tanner has been holding down a full time job and doing RC semi professionally on the side. Rc Racing is hard as it is and competing against guys that do this for a living is even harder, so I feel a Semis showing for Denney would be great. He has the potential for more but the level of competition will be too high and tight and i would be pleasantly surprised to see denny in the fight for a spot in the A final

Spencer Heckert & Camden Lime

Both are great young racers. It will be interesting to see how they do against the other young racers at this race. The Semis would be a realistic target for both but very hard to do . I look forward to seeing Camden and Max go at it as the last time these two met was at DNC 2018 in the Open class which Max won. I see both Camden and Heckert in the ¼ finals directly with the possibility of bumping to the Semis. Anything after that is icing on the cake.

Leo Valente

The young Italian has been impressive ! He was very fast at RCGP Italy and was fast at the warmups and would finish 13th in the A final IMHO, which was a great result for Leo.

Unfortunately things have quieted down for the young racer as he did not attend the Euros in Portugal. We have not heard much about Leo recently but he's going to be in Redovan next week. Let's see how he does .

The Wonder From Down Under Kyle McBride

The man from Australia just signed with SWORKz at the beginning of the year. Kyle is one of my dark horses. You can never count Kyle out; he shines on the World’s Stage. He has made the IFMAR Worlds Final each year since 2010 and his best position was 3rd in 2010. Kyle just seems to be able to step it up a notch on the international stage.

As good as he is internationally it has also been one of his downfalls, coming from Australia to travel to these races does not come very often for Kyle due to budget. We have always said Kyle needs to move to the USA or Europe for a year or two to compete against fast racers on a regular basis.

Kyle did attend the Warm Up race in June but would finish in a 36th, while I'm sure he learned a lot to help him at the race next week. I believe this is a pivotal point in the young Ozzies career while a win seems far off I believe McBride can still make the A final and of he gets a good momentum can be one of the guys to come up and snatch it away from everyone and do it for the Australia and the Thylacine!

Kyle will need a good Worlds if he wants to continue to be a pro racer and stay relevant internationally I believe, maybe this is the motivation needed for Kyle to succeed and reach the glory that has escaped him for many years.

SWORKz is growing there is no doubt a Worlds win would solidify their position as a PowerHouse in the RC Industry will this be the year they can do that after painstakingly rebuilding for the last 6 years.

IMHO Juan Carlos Canas is their best bet but never count out Elliot Boots,McBride or Joe Bornhorst!