Maifield Wins 2WD & Truck Modified With B4/T4 and Reedy LiPo. Cavalieri Wins 4WD Modified with B44.

Sunday, Jun 29, 2008 at 12:00am UTC

The Hot Rod Hobbies Shootout has quickly become one of the most prestigious electric off-road racing events in the U.S. Hosted by Jimmy Babcock's Hot Rod Hobbies in Saugus, California, the event draws top U.S. and international drivers and racing teams for a week of intense competition.

This year's race served as an unofficial warm-up for the upcoming ROAR 1/10 Electric Offroad Championships also held at Hot Rod Hobbies in August. With a dry, blue-groove-type surface, racers were challenged by the fast, yet technical layout. Throughout practice, the triple jump along the back side of the track proved to be the most difficult jump on the track and had the potential to shape the outcome of the event.

As qualifying started, Team Associated drivers Ryan Cavalieri and Ryan Maifield propelled themselves to the top of the standings in the three modified classes. Joining them at the top of the standings was another Associated driver, Jared Tebo. With a TQ in each of the three classes these three drivers were poised to battle it out for the overall victories in the prestigious modified classes.

As anticipated, the Associated trio of Maifield, Cavalieri and Tebo battled it out for the top spots in the modified classes as the main events began. Maifield took advantage of his TQ position in the modified truck class and won the first and second main events, leaving A3 to decide the remainder of the podium. Maifield chose to use the new Reedy Li-Po 5000 Pro to power his Factory Team T4 to victory.

In 2WD, TQ Cavalieri piloted his B4 to the top spot in A1; however, in A2 he was challenged heavily by the Reedy Li-Po-powered B4 of Maifield who eventually took the win in A2. This set the stage for a classic Ryan vs. Ryan battle in A3 with Tebo having an outside chance at the victory. At the tone, the three competitors dropped the field and set a blistering pace not wanting anything to do with the other seven A-main finalists. With only a few laps remaining, a small bobble by Cavalieri over the triple jump gave Maifield the opportunity to slip by and take the overall victory.

Not to be left out in the TQ party, reigning 4WD World Champion Jared Tebo started from the pole with his Factory Team B44. A rough start to A1 found Tebo shuffled to the middle of the pack from which he could never recover. B44 teammate Cavalieri found himself in the lead and never looked back, taking the A1 victory. For A2, again the Associated trio of Tebo, Cavalieri and Maifield found their way to the front and battled it out for the A2 victory. These three drivers were setting a blistering pace and with less than two laps left in the race Tebo had to retire. With Cavalieri out in front by a few seconds over Maifield, Pudge was able to back down the pace a bit and take the overall victory.

Also taking victories for Team Associated were Team Manger Brent Thielke in the Expert Gas Truck Class utilizing a rented GT2 from Louis Cavalieri, Charlie Perez in the Super Stock Buggy Class, Murfdogg in Sportsman Gas Truck, and Bill Koch in 40+ Truck.

Congratulations to all the 2008 Hot Rod Hobbies Offroad Shootout champions! With victories in well over half the classes, Team Associated again proves that it is truly Champion By Design.