Pro Buggy A-Main
As the tone sounded, one would have thought that the race was a 5-lap sprint. The intensity filling the air was electric. With the fast and jump filled Nitro Pit layout, watching the top pros from around the world battle wheel to wheel was like watching a heavyweight fight. Everyone wanted to get to the front right away and aggression was at an all time high.
- Pro Buggy Start ->
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKvVvW_gkQIThe early leader Adam Drake pulled away from the field establishing a 5 second lead over Ryan Maifield shortly after the first pit stop. As the drivers approached the second pit stop Maifield ran our to gas 10 seconds from his pit stop. His first pit stop went 7:40 and before the second ran out at exactly 7:00. Strange, but he was able to rejoin the field in 12th, 2 laps down from the leader.
Working his way through the field, defending champion Mike Truhe battled with Jared Tebo while Ryan Cavalieri kept pace and worked his way in to 4th. Starting around lap 27, approximately 20 minutes in to the main, the pace of the chasing group of Truhe, Tebo and Cavalieri were setting a blistering pace trying to run down Drake. The sheer speed of these four drivers brought them all within 5 seconds of each other for the next 15 minutes. The crowd was cheering on their favorite driver/manufacture every lap as they passed the fence line with anything from clapping to towels to flags.
With approximately 10 minutes left in the main, Truhe worked his way in to the lead and Cavalieri in to second. The stage was set for a classic Cavalieri come back as on lap 68 of 74 he set the fastest single lap of the main and event with a 35.3. Watching him attack the front straight a way section was like watching another “RC”, Ricky Carmichael attack a motocross track.
With less than one minute left on the clock, Cavalieri was right on the tail of Truhe. A wide line by Truhe off the step down left the door open for Cavalieri to take advantage. Called controversial at the time, Cavalieri and Truhe hit and Cavalieri came out ahead with Truhe 2-3 seconds behind. Almost 2 laps remained in the 45-minute event with Truhe trying to recover and catch back up to Cavalieri who was just keeping the car wheels down.
Truhe got close on the last lap after a bit of a bobble on the back table top by Cavalieri and the two raced to the line to determine The Dirt Nitro Challenge Champion. As video and RC Scoring Pro show, Cavalieri came across the line to claim the first major International win for the RC8 four tenths of a second ahead of the hard charging Mike Truhe.
Obviously all the talk right after the main was about the pass that Cavalieri put on Truhe with 2 laps left. Was it a “hack”? Should Cavalieri have given him room? Should Truhe have checked-up since he was out of the line? Or was it just racing? Judging by the video and my vantage point, Truhe blew the line and Cavalieri was in the line. Truhe tried to get back in to the racing line and Cavalier was there. Admittingly, I was on the other side of the track and obviously routing for the Associated win. Check out the video and judge for yourself.
- Pro Buggy Finish ->
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tKdnmou0Rc
Full 5 Day event coverage here 
