It is now November and as the 1/8th Off Road racing season comes to an end for the pro drivers, we look into the last race on their schedule which is the Alabama Manufacturers Shootout or AMS as it is called by many. 

As I look back on 2021 I can't help but think we have all the ingredients required for an actual series to crown a champion but in my opinion it is completely being ignored. I ask why that is, but we will touch on that topic later on. First let’s take a look at this past year of racing.

Southern Indoor Championships

For most racers the season starts at the Southern Indoor Championships held by RaceTime  Entertainment. To our surprise this race was well attended by the pro drivers with Ryan Maifield starting the year off with a win followed by Spencer Rivkin (2nd) and Tyler Jones (3rd). This race still lacked a few big names but SIC was still a great event and Ryan Maifield showed the world that this was going to be his year.

SIC is kinda like the Padova Indoor Championships is for the Euro racers. It is a race for racers to shake off the cobwebs of Christmas and New Year holidays and get back to racing. One could say the SIC can be considered a warm up race for what is considered one of the oldest and most prestigious races in our sport, which is the DNC. Nonetheless it was some great racing and got us excited for the rest of the year.  

The Dirt Nitro Challenge

3 big things that happened in February:

1 - The Super Bowl

2 - The Daytona  500 

3 - The Dirt Nitro Challenge  

For most RC Racers, DNC is the official start of the year for the Pros. It is our Daytona 500 or the Superbowl for us. This race attracts racers from around the world and any other year this race has a strong contingent of Europe's top racers. The DNC and the IFMAR World Championships are the two races we have where we truly get to see the best of the best duke it out. Unfortunately due to Covid-19 the Euro racers were unable to attend but that didn't mean the prestige of the DNC was not there. Now it was time for younger racers who were hungry to show the world what they are made of. 

The DNC did not disappoint, being held at a permanent track for the first time in a few years. Held at the iconic Thunder Alley, the DNC drew a jaw dropping 700 entries as people from all over North America  made the pilgrimage to what can be considered the Mecca of RC Racing……. Southern California!

The track for the DNC was epic with Thunder Alley’s natural elevation, Joey and the dirt crew knocked it out of the park and the RC world was just happy to see Racing again on this level. After a crappy Covid-19 ruined 2020, RC racing was alive and well and the world watched, as these grizzled veterans and young hungry up and coming RC superstars prepared to battle in the arena like gladiators of Ancient Rome. 

The clear favorite going into this race was the veteran Ryan Maifeild. He proved the predictions right taking the sweep and showing the world he is the #1 in 1/8th Off Road. We also saw  great performances from The Peoples Champ Cole Ogden (2nd) and Tanner Denney (3rd). The biggest surprise for everyone was Ty Tessman not being in the A final. The 2014 World Champion had switched up his engine & Tire program for 2021 and after the DNC everyone wondered what the future had in store for the Tessmans.  

Psycho Nitro Blast

Next up was the Psycho Nitro Blast The East Coast's biggest race, arguably the biggest race in the world boasting over 800 entries this year. Everything is big at the PNB including an epic long car jump won by Joe Bornhorst and the Tekno RC team. Bobby Moore and the TrackMasters Crew built the biggest track we have seen at PNB and the Joker Lane would prove to be a fun addition to the racing. The 24 hour practice and lack of sleep is a normal thing at the PNB. You have fun but this race is a challenge from day 1.

Any doubts about the Tessman’s engine and tire game were doused at the PNB with Ty Tessman taking the pro nitro buggy win by 4.3 seconds over the 2019 winner Tekno RC’s Tyler Jones and the G.O.A.T Ryan Cavalieri in 3rd. The DNC winner Ryan Maifield was unable to attend with the birth of his second child imminent; he would have to sit out the PNB and watch as his rivals competed in his absence. 2 big races and 2 different winners. What would Silver State as the next race on the schedule have in store for the RC world?  

Silver State

They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas and for 2021 Las Vegas would not disappoint the RC Racing World. 336 racers totaling 814 entries all together would descend on the South Point Hotel to attend the Silver State 2021 event. 

This is the perfect race for a RC Racer. You can even pit in your room if you are staying at the hotel! The 2 things that you are guaranteed at the Silverstate is that 1 - It is going to get rough and 2 - It is gonna be dusty.

Due to covid regulations the Canadian Ty Tessman would miss the Silver State race and there was talk of him possibly missing the ROAR Nationals in June as well.

True to form, the Silver State track got rough and would test drivers skills, picking of lines and of course their equipment. Seth “Freaking” Van Dalen would TQ the rough track followed by his team mate veteran Jared Tebo. Ryan Maifeld would return to racing and there were whispers online if Maifield had lost a step by qualifying in 7th of the Pro Nitro Buggy main.

The grid was set for the 45 min A final with Seth taking an early lead but the lead would not last. Ryan Maifield would take the lead on the 24th lap and would go on to dominate until the end of the race winning with a 16 sec gap over the young Minnesota Native Seth Van Dalen. Spencer Rivkin would secure 3rd on a very tough Silver State track.

R.O.A.R 1/8th Off Road Fuel Nationals at LCRC Raceway

The ROAR Nationals is the one race in the USA that races like the IFMAR Worlds where there is just one class and you finish where you finish. This year's Nats would be held at the LCRC RC Raceway located in Farmland USA Pennsylvania. The ROAR Nats in my opinion is the creme dela creme. It is the top echelon of racing in the USA and it's a qualifier for the IFMAR Worlds. The LCRC crew did a hell of a job and should be proud as they own one of the best RC facilities in the world, period.

This was the first Nationals since 2019 due to covid and being in the North East this race sold out in record time once entries were open. We call this the Dream Shatterer Race with no classes. This is where racers come to see where they stand against the rest of the nation. Some racers will leave elated while others leave the Nationals contemplating life itself, this is the ROAR Nationals.

This race would prove to be the most dramatic race of them all. After 3 long days of qualifying Sunday would be the hottest day of the week and this would  throw many engine tuners for a loop. As the semi finals came to a finish 3 racers would find themselves on the cusp of being disqualified for being over the fuel limit. After a tense standoff in the 98 degree weather ROAR would have to disqualify Ty Tessman and Cole Ogden from the 2021 Nationals for being over the fuel limit. Ryan Maifield, one of the 3 drivers called for re-check, eventually was able to pass and go on to run the 60 Minute final.

Both Cole Ogden and Ty Tessman won their Semis and in all honesty were probably the 2 drivers that could have challenged Maifield for the win. Rumors circulated as claims of foul play were tossed around and that ROAR themselves were responsible for inflating hot tanks while testing them. Nothing would change the fact that Ty and Cole, both Hot Race Tire teammates, would not be allowed to race the final of the 2021 ROAR Nats.

Ryan Maifield would go on to dominate and win the ROAR Nationals fairly easily. At one point we thought the young Aydin Horne would mount a challenge against the veteran but alas it was not to be. Ryan Maifield would win the ROAR National Title for a Second time in his illustrious career and also be the first NNRC Cup Champion.  

Wicked Weekend

Wicked Weekend was next, but without the likes of Ryan Maifield, Ryan Cavalieri, Ty Tessman and other fast racers that were preparing for the 10th Electric ROAR Nationals the week after. This race, while lacking many superstars, still had lots of young talent that were looking to impress sponsors. Cole Ogden would take a confidence boosting win with the Tekno duo of Jared Tebo (2nd) and Tyler Jones (3rd) rounding off the podium.

Southern Nationals

All eyes focused on Monroe Louisiana for the Southern Nationals, this would be the penultimate meeting where we would see most of these drivers race each other. The only racer missing was Ty Tessman as he headed back to Canada after the 10th Nationals. 

Once again Ryan Maifield was the favorite going into this race but with TLR’s Dakotah Phend setting TQ the race was on. Would this be the race the Great Prophecy would be fulfilled and Dakotah Phend would win a Nitro Buggy Race? At the start of the A Final it looked to be another runaway win for Maifield but a mistake by Ryan Maifield on the 28th lap would lead to him losing his first nitro buggy main of the year. Dakotah Phend took the lead and did not look back as he went on to win his first Nitro buggy race of the year. There was a chink in the impenetrable armor of Ryan Maifield. He showed that he was human and yes he can make mistakes. When the dust settled on the Southern Nationals Dakotah Phend left with the win followed by Spencer Rivkin (2nd) and Ryan Cavalieri (3rd) both scoring solid results. Ryan Mafield would finish in 4th but the damage had been done there would be no perfect season for the National Champion.  

The US Open

The US Open at Sun City RC Raceway was next, while not considered a big race in comparison to these other high entry races. This race attracts a fair number of the fast guys. Tessman, Tebo, Maifield, Ogden, Rivkin, Heckert, Pavidis, Harris and a few other fast up and coming racers made the trip to El Paso. 

The SCRC track would prove to be the equalizer, a difficult layout made more difficult by the wind, dust and holes that would develop. At the sound of the tone Xray’s Ty Tessman would dominate this race from start to finish. Spencer Rivkin would take the lead briefly as Ty suffered a flameout. Ty quickly retained the lead and won in a dominating fashion. Rivkin and Jared Tebo would battle it out and switch positions until the end with the Tekno RC driver taking a hard fought 2nd place finish and Rivkin once again making it onto the podium in 3rd.

Ryan Maifield would suffer his first DNF of the year in nitro buggy. At the beginning of the season it looked like nobody could beat him but now he had lost 2 races in a row. Had the tide turned for the #1 1/8th racer in America?

It has been an epic 2021 of racing for the Americans. We have had different winners, many different types of tracks, drama, storylines you name it! We have seen many young racers step up and take the challenge to these veterans and as Jared Tebpo says the pace out there is just at a level we have never seen before. It has been a very exciting year for the off road racing scene, and it should result in an even better 2022.  

The Alabama Manufacturers Shootout 12

With that said we now take a look at the AMS 12 being held this weekend in Cullman, Alabama. This is a race I am very familiar with as it was the last big race I raced back in 2018 and I loved it. This will be the final time we see all these pro drivers get together and battle it out this year. Yes, there are other races coming up but if this was a proper race series this would be the last race of that series. This race for some is the last chance to get a big win, or to impress current or new sponsors. 

For pro racers this race is more than just money on the line as it will give the bragging rights going into 2022.  Will we see Tessman tie up the year with Maifield and make it 3 wins a piece? Can Maifield put the cherry on top of what has been a great season or will the last two races haunt him? Will we see Spencer Rivkin or Jared Tebo finally step on the top step in nitro buggy after making the podium many times this year? Will we see one of these young lions like Tyler Jones, Seth Van Dalen, Jared Wiggins, Spencer Heckert or Mason Fuller put a final stamp on 2021 showing they are the best young guy going into 2022? There is so much at stake at this race for these top drivers a good showing at this race can be the difference of making a paycheck or not next year. There are lots of questions going into the last big race of the year and we will get some answers to who is the best driver of 2021.

Not only is the AMS 12 the last race of a great season, it is also the first big race to try a completely different format and also cap the race. The goal is to give racers a better, more comfortable race experience along with some new ideas for qualifying and quality track time for racers. The race has also been capped which is another change as most races are about getting as many entries in as possible. It's quite simple, cap the race, raise the price of entry and you can plan a much better and more enjoyable race made for the racers. In the end it is more value for people's money. We salute Dave Leikum and the RaceTime Entertainment crew for taking a chance on something new and not sticking to the old. We should also get great coverage from Live RC as well, which is great for us that can not attend. 

The Alabama Manufacturers Shootout 12 is not just another race. It is just as important as the DNC. This race will determine where some racers go next year sponsor wise, this race is important money wise for the pro guys. This race is all about confidence and bragging rights going into 2022. Don't be fooled by these guys' calm demeanour, they all want to win and beat each other. This will be their last chance to do that this year. Most of all the thing that makes AMS 12 important is that the format and capped entry shows there is a shift in the way people are thinking about how racing and things can be done differently.

AMS starts Thursday. Who will leave on Sunday as the man to beat and who’s dreams will be shattered? Tune in this week for the coverage The No Name RC Podcast crew will be doing. Recaps and live shows looking at the racing and enjoying the sport we all love: RC Racing. Let’s enjoy the pro guys racing, our friends and family in attendance and support everything the AMS represents this year. It is much more than just a race, it is a step in the direction of change and my friends, that’s why you should get excited as well.

One Love,

Lefty