Looking to kick off 2006 offroad gas season in style, Team Associated, along with all the other top manufacturers, descended upon Hemet, Calif. to the Dirt Race Park. Known for his challenging, flowing layouts, Joey Christiansen designed a track that not only held up to the unpredictable weather, but also to a record five hundred entries among Gas Truck, Truggy and 1:8 Scale.

In the Pro Gas Truck category, Jared Tebo left off right where he finished 2005. Jared took his Factory Team GT to the nimber one qualifying spot by TQ'ing the first and second rounds of qualifying, while his teammates Ryan Cavalieri and Ryan Maifield secured second and third on the grid.

After a clean first corner, Jared bobbled through the rhythm section, which allowed fellow GT drivers, Marty Korn and Ryan Maifield to sneak through and battle for the lead on the first lap. As the first few minutes expired, Korn continued to lead while his GT teammate Taylor James found his way in to second with Maifield in tow. A mis-timed jump through the rhythm section broke James' truck while popping a ballcup off Maifield's GT. This incident allowed Korn to stretch his lead and Ryan Cavalieri to inherit the second place position.

As the first pit stops approached, Cavalieri worked his way to the lead while Tebo continued to battle through the pack. Korn had a few untimely crashes, which allowed the ever-present Adam Drake to vault in to the third position. For the next 30+ minutes there was a virtual "chess match" between the top three competitors. Cavalieri was content leading while maintaining a steady pace, Tebo was in position to take time off Cavalieri’s lead, while Drake was close enough to strike if disaster struck the top two.

In the end, Cavalieri held on to the lead and almost lapped the field, while Tebo was never able to fully recover from his first lap mishap. Congratulations to all those who made the A Main - and you know the phrase … "You still can't beat a GT!"