Back home from this years’ Dirt Nitro Challenge!
Report from
Dirt Nitro Challenge 2024
Back home from this years’ Dirt Nitro Challenge! It’s pretty cool that this is the 25th annual as it’s one of the biggest 1/8 races each year. I really enjoyed driving around on this layout, it was extremely fast-paced and flowing. Joey decided to move the dates this year and it paid off, the weather was better than in years’ past!
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As always at this event, practice was crucial with only 2 timed sessions with both being scored as seeding results also. It was controlled chaos balancing all 4 classes but we made it work. A few changes to the setup and they were feeling good. I bounced around on tire setup throughout the week. Jason and Paul were in the house for JConcepts for us racers! I tried the new Falcon and Dirt Bite tires but for the main events I settled on ‘old faithful’, the Reflex in green compound!
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As we got qualifying going, the track condition started to show itself. In Nitro Truck, I fought hard to find a comfortable setup for most of the day but we got it under control to start 14th in the main event. As for the E-Buggy effort, my buggy felt okay to drive and would start the main event from 9th. Not having much luck in Nitro Truck, the same feeling bled into the E-Truck but we made some crucial changes and I would start 12th in the main event. I learned from my E-Buggy and made a few changes throughout Nitro Buggy qualifying that made my #RC8B4.1 feel really good to drive resulting in a 2nd place start in the main event.
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As the mains got underway, I applied what I learned in Nitro Buggy to the E-Buggy main event and with a late race charge, I took home 2nd overall! The buggy felt really good and predictable on the challenging surface, not to mention how #smooth my HobbyWing/ProTek power felt all week. Truly the best electronics I’ve used in my time.
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In the Nitro Truck main, I had really good pace in the top 10 and was in the hunt. Unfortunately with a miscue in my pit strategy, I saw my chances of a podium fade finishing outside of the top 10. Regardless, we made some good changes to the #RC8T4 and I was pumped on that at least. In the E-Truck main, it was chaotic but I made some moves towards the front but ended up back finishing up in 11th.
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In the Nitro Buggy main, I started off pacing Elliott but would slowly fall back and end up in a battle for 4th with Joe late in the race to finish up 4th. My #REDSRacing power combined with #vpracingfuels felt great out there and I can’t be any happier with this combo! #italianhorsepower 🔥
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Not the results I’ve been wanting but this was my best finish in the Nitro Buggy class at this event so there’s some positive to take from it. This just makes me hungrier for that top spot for next year! Huge thanks to Barry for the pit help and mechanic skills for the week! It was good times as always with the #crew and I’m looking forward to the next one. Thanks to my parents and my sponsors for their support in doing what I love.
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Team Associated
Hobbywing Technology
JConcepts Inc
REDS RACING
AMain Hobbies
ProTek RC
Futaba USA
Savox USA
VP Racing Fuels
StickitONE
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As always at this event, practice was crucial with only 2 timed sessions with both being scored as seeding results also. It was controlled chaos balancing all 4 classes but we made it work. A few changes to the setup and they were feeling good. I bounced around on tire setup throughout the week. Jason and Paul were in the house for JConcepts for us racers! I tried the new Falcon and Dirt Bite tires but for the main events I settled on ‘old faithful’, the Reflex in green compound!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
As we got qualifying going, the track condition started to show itself. In Nitro Truck, I fought hard to find a comfortable setup for most of the day but we got it under control to start 14th in the main event. As for the E-Buggy effort, my buggy felt okay to drive and would start the main event from 9th. Not having much luck in Nitro Truck, the same feeling bled into the E-Truck but we made some crucial changes and I would start 12th in the main event. I learned from my E-Buggy and made a few changes throughout Nitro Buggy qualifying that made my #RC8B4.1 feel really good to drive resulting in a 2nd place start in the main event.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
As the mains got underway, I applied what I learned in Nitro Buggy to the E-Buggy main event and with a late race charge, I took home 2nd overall! The buggy felt really good and predictable on the challenging surface, not to mention how #smooth my HobbyWing/ProTek power felt all week. Truly the best electronics I’ve used in my time.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
In the Nitro Truck main, I had really good pace in the top 10 and was in the hunt. Unfortunately with a miscue in my pit strategy, I saw my chances of a podium fade finishing outside of the top 10. Regardless, we made some good changes to the #RC8T4 and I was pumped on that at least. In the E-Truck main, it was chaotic but I made some moves towards the front but ended up back finishing up in 11th.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
In the Nitro Buggy main, I started off pacing Elliott but would slowly fall back and end up in a battle for 4th with Joe late in the race to finish up 4th. My #REDSRacing power combined with #vpracingfuels felt great out there and I can’t be any happier with this combo! #italianhorsepower 🔥
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Not the results I’ve been wanting but this was my best finish in the Nitro Buggy class at this event so there’s some positive to take from it. This just makes me hungrier for that top spot for next year! Huge thanks to Barry for the pit help and mechanic skills for the week! It was good times as always with the #crew and I’m looking forward to the next one. Thanks to my parents and my sponsors for their support in doing what I love.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Team Associated
Hobbywing Technology
JConcepts Inc
REDS RACING
AMain Hobbies
ProTek RC
Futaba USA
Savox USA
VP Racing Fuels
StickitONE