Team Associated Wins Four Classes at the Top Gun Shootout

Located just across the street from Miramar Air Base and with the sounds of F-16s echoing throughout the building, SD/RC Raceway hosted the 1st Annual Top Gun Shootout. After a little over a year in business, the San Diego-based indoor off-road facility has gone from a small club race track to the largest in Southern California. With a topsoil-based surface and a track build assisted by Huntington Beach's OC/RC Raceway, racers were treated to their first "big race" in San Diego in years.

In attendance for Team Associated was 4x World Champion Ryan Cavalieri, 2x World Champion Brian Kinwald, Team Manager Brent Thielke, and Team Drivers Chris Jaroz, Nolan Anderson, and Kurt Wenger. With practice and club racing on Friday, the team dialed in their vehicles in preparation for the two-day event that consisted of three rounds of rocket-round qualifying and triple "A" mains for all classes.

In qualifying, it was Ryan Cavalieri who took the top qualifying positions in 2WD Modified, 4WD Modified, and 2WD Modified Short Course. The rest of the team also made it to the A Main with Kinwald representing in the 4WD Short Course class and Chris Jarosz and Brent Thielke in the 1:8 eBuggy class.

After the dust settled it was Ryan Cavalieri taking the victories in the 2WD Modified Truck with his Factory Team T4.1, 2WD Modified Short Course with his Factory Team SC10, and 4WD Modified Buggy with his Factory Team B44.1. In the 1:8 eBuggy class it was the LRP/Reedy-powered Factory Team RC8.2e buggy of Chris Jarosz that stood on the top step.

Special thanks goes out to the whole SDRC crew, Scott for putting together a great event, and of course, Hooters for the sponsorship and trophy girls.