Author: Randy Pike

March 15th 2014 Knoxville Tennessee hosted the Tennessee State Championship race with over 150 entries total.

Tekin driver Mark Moon would adjust to the hard packed clay track setting an early Tq run down in round one in 2wd Mod SCT that would hold strong all day. Moon would go onto win the A in 2wd Mod SCT lapping the field. Mark chose a Tekin RSX esc and Redline Gen2 7.5 motor, programmed with the new Hotwire 2.0.

In 2wd buggy Tekin powered Mark Moon would start 3rd on the grid. The 10 min A-main was a endurance race on the large 1/8 scale layout. Moon pushed hard and fell short by a half a second for the win. Under the hood of the winners car John Blankenship, a Tekin RS Pro and a 7.5 Tekin Gen 2 motor! Mark chose a Tekin 7.5 and Tekin Rsx esc’s programed with the new Hotwire 2.0.

The RC Pit March Madness race was filled with 139 entries. The largest class being 1/8 E Buggy with 3 full heats.

Tekin powered John Michael Tq’d the Pro Buggy class, qualified 2nd in the E-buggy class and 2nd in the 2wd 1/10 Buggy class.

Tekin factory driver Griffin Hanna would go onto to Tq the 1/10 buggy class and take the win with John Michael in tow in 2nd place.

Both drivers chose the Tekin RS Gen2 esc and Redline motors, programmed with the Tekin Hotwire 2.0

In E-buggy Tq Griffin Hanna would lead for the first 4 minutes of the race. A mistake from Hanna would give John Michael the lead which he would stretch out over the next 6 minutes to take the win. Griffin Hanna was able to finish 2nd.

Both drivers were equipped with the Tekin Rx8 Gen2 esc and T8 Gen2 motors, programmed with the Tekin Hotwire 2.0.

The Meakin Masters is a local event held annually in Queensland Australia. Kyle McBride was going for his 6th straight title in a row!  This would be his first big race with his new Tekin Rx8 Gen2 T8 Gen2 powered 1/8 Kyosho EP buggy.

Kyle recaps the weekend:

“My Tekin Gear was running faultlessly in my EP car, very impressed with the quality of the speed controllers and engines that Tekin make and I’m very happy to be a part of the team! I look forward to running my EP car further in states! I would like to of course firstly thank my sponsors for their continuous support—Kyosho, Proline, Novarossi, Amain Hobbies, Protek RC, KO PROPO, Tekin, Bitty Design, Trackside RC, Dialed Inc and also my pitman and father Scott McBride for all his help! “

Jacob Haas kicked off the 2013-2014 Winter Series held at Delta RC with two back to back wins in 2wd modified buggy. As the series continued Haas had a couple 2nds and a couple 3rds. Never finishing lower than 3rd. Coming into the finals just 5 points behind for the overall championship Haas knew he had to get the TQ and win to get the overall championship in the class. Jacob would take the TQ and win to get the overall championships in both 2wd modified buggy and 1/8 E-buggy.

“My trusty Rx8 and the 2050 kv motor in my TLR 8 3.0e buggy along with my Tekin Gen2 8.5 RS Gen2 powered TLR 22 2.0 gave consistent results all season. I would like to thank Tekin for supporting me with all of their great products.”

The 2014 Cabin Fever RC Supercross took place this past weekend in Lewiston, Idaho to kick off the 2014 season for many northwest racers. Below freezing temperatures did not keep racers away from bringing in 170 entries.

In 1/8th ebuggy Nick Buechler would end up starting 3rd on the grid behind Tekin teammates Jayson Tjepkema and Jeremy Potter for Sunday after two tough qualifiers and one TQ run. Nick got off to a rough start in A1 but was able to come back to take the lead with a few minutes left and take the win. A2 was a battle for the lead almost the whole race until Nick was again able to take the lead with about a minute left and take the overall win with Tjepkema 2nd and Potter 3rd for a Tekin podium sweep. All 3 drivers chose the Tekin Rx8 Gen2 and T8 Gen2 motor line. Ty Campbell would take 4th just missing the podium spot. Nearly the entire A-main was running Tekin.

In 4wd mod buggy Nick put down two good runs on Saturday and took the TQ spot after two rounds of qualifying. Sunday would also go in Nick’s favor as he was able to take the win in A1 and A2 to take the overall win using a Tekin RSX Esc and Redline Gen2 6.5 motor.

In 2wd mod buggy the first qualifier TQ was set by Nick. After a close back and fourth run by both drivers in the third qualifier, TQ would go to Nick. A1 and A2 consisted of some tight racing and multiple lead changes but Nick came out with the win in both to take the overall. Nick chose the Tekin RS Gen2 and 8.5 Gen2 Redline motor.

Ty Campbell would lay it down in the 4wd Sc. Ty’s TLR/Mip Rx8 Gen2 Pro 4 HD 4300kv truck would go onto take the overall Tq for the event and pull out the win over a stacked field of competition.

Mikes RC World in Bellingham Washington hosted their annual Snows Series. An eleven races series with three throw outs the total entry count for this series was 1,644 entries. This is the biggest winter race series in the northwest.

Jayson Tjepkema wrapped up the 1/10 4wd Open Buggy by race nine. “My Tekin RSX esc and 6.5 Gen2 motor combo worked flawless. Car ran very smooth with plenty of power to spare to clear the toughest jump section and for passing. This is my favorite indoor class and has some very tough competition and all around great guys.”

Jayson Tjepkema also ran in the 1/10 Mod Truck class. “I Couldn’t be happier with my Tekin electronics. I used the Tekin RSX esc and Tekin 7.5 gen2 motor combo. That combo made the truck very controllable and still plenty of power to clear their biggest jumps. I did get a late start on the series with this class but still managed to take a respectable 3rd. This was also my first time running Mod Truck.

The weekend of February 13th the New Zealand Onroad Nationals was held in Whangarei. A brand new venue, surface and track for everyone. It was an underground building with a spray on tar coating.  3 qualifiers kicked off on Saturday followed by triple A’s on Sunday was the schedule. There were drivers from all over the country in 12th and some tough competition.

Shi Storey would qualify 4th in F1 and 11th in Stock Touring. Colin Storey would Tq in the Pro10 and 2nd in Pro12.

Colin would go onto win the Pro 10 class with his Tekin RS Gen2 13.5 Redline Gen2 powered Xray X10. Shi would join his father on the podium in 3rd also running a Tekin RS Gen2 esc.

Shi would take 3rd overall in Stock Touring(21.5) running  Tekin RS Gen2.

Pro 12 was up last and would be yet another win for Colin Storey taking the win in the triple A format. Colin chose a Tekin RS Pro and Tekin Redline Gen2 5.5 in his Xray X12 car.

This past weekend was the 2014 Outback Shootout held at the Outback Raceway better known as A-Main Hobbies. The indoor facility has some of the best dirt on the west coast and played host to a record 281 entries over the weekend. If you ever get the chance to check out this facility or Silver Dollar Raceway which is their outdoor track, do yourself a favor and make the trip!

Pro 2 Mod SC class was dominated by Tekin power. Young and recently signed Drew Lorenzo took the overall Tq honors! We say young because this kid is 11 years old and is really someone to look to in the future. His attitude is nothing more than pure fun 100% of the time! Tekin teammate Jason “Mo” Moberly would take Q2 with Tekin powered Kyle Layton Q3, Terry Wickum Q4,  and Tekin team manager Randy Pike Q5. From the tone Lorenzo would lead is out but make a bobble under the timing and scoring tower letting a few of drivers by.  A few more small mistakes by the top 3 as time went on would allow Randy Pike to take P2 and begin chasing down teammate Jason Mobelry. With less than 45 seconds to go a few back markers would slow Moblery’s pace allowing Pike to close in on the last few corners for a go but Moberly would have none of it holding off Pike for the win. Tekin would dominate the podium and top 5 spots! Watch the main here!

Moberly and Pike chose the Tekin Rsx esc with Kerndt using a Tekin RS Gen2. Moberly ran the Pro 2 5100kv, Pike chose a Redline Gen2 13.5, and Kerndty a Redline Gen2 8.5 motor.

Tekin factory driver Justin Moon would battle it out in the 2wd Mod buggy class from his Q5 position to attempt to defend his 2013 Outback Shootout title. It would be tough and he’d have a chance but Eric Albano(AE) would simply be too far gone with Moon running out of time. Justin would take a well earned 2nd place running his Tekin RSX Redline Gen2 7.5 powered Serpent buggy to a P2 podium spot.

The Pro 4 4wd Sc class was also full of Tekin Rx8 esc’s and Pro 4 motors. Tekin’s own Austin Blair would take the overall Tq followed by Tekin powered Lou Figueria in Q2. From the tone the two would be no further away than about 20 feet on any given lap. Finally a few bobbles from Figueria would give Blair some breathing room allowing him to take the win, with Figueria 2nd. Both drivers chose the Tekin Rx8 Gen2 esc and Pro4HD 4300kv motor.

This year the Shootout hosted a 1/8 E-buggy Lite class. Tekin would take the win here as well with the same characters from the 4wd SC class!  Austin Blair would be your overall Tq with Figueria 2nd. The two would again battle it out for the win with the results being the same in the end. Drew Lorenzo would take 3rd.

For the last few years the Motorama Electric Championships has been the biggest race for racers on the East Coast and this year was no different as it maybe the biggest race in the world with close to 800 entries on the weekend split between the 1/10 and 1/8 tracks that Motorama offers. With two of the best announcers in the business and plenty of other activities to partake in over the course of Motorama, its easy to see why drivers from all over the country and even world came this year to partake.

On the 1/8 / 4×4 SC track Tekin Factory Drivers would show their dominance over the course of the event.

Expert E-Truggy- Tekin’s Joe Bornhorst would grab the TQ spot over Ryan Lutz in Q1 but Ryan would come back to take Q2 and Q3. Fellow Tekin Teammates Max Flurer and Mark Unrath would also join Ryan and Joe in the A-Main. In the 10 minute final Lutz would drive a smooth and consistent race to take the win with Bornhorst in 2nd. Lutz and Bornhorst both chose the RX8 Gen 2 ESC and Gen 2 T8 2000 motors.

Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0HaM2l35oM#t=69

Expert 4×4 SC- Ryan Lutz once again proved to be the man to beat in 4X4 SC as he would take all three qualifiers by storm. Hot on his heels was the always fast Tekin Driver Matt Olson and newly signed driver Dylan Gerard starting 2nd and 3rd . In the Final Lutz would once again lead from start to finish for the win. Olson would come back from a rough start to take a well deserved 2nd place. Lutz, Olson and Gerard all chose to ran RX8 Gen 2 ESC’s with Tekin Pro 4 motors.

Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-KzP5Y6G-E

Expert E-Buggy. The premier class of the weekend would cap off a great weekend of racing. Ryan Lutz would do as he had done all weekend long and put his Tekin Powered Durango on pole. Tekin Drivers Joe Bornhorst, Max Flurer, Dylan Gerard and John Mcginty Jr. along with 1/10 World Champion Steven Hartson all were looking to stop Lutz from a perfect weekend. At the start of the tone Ryan would do as he had done all weekend long and pull away from the rest of the field with fast, consistent laps to complete the trifecta of wins. Behind him however was shaping up for the final podium spots. At the end of the 10 minute final Max Flurer would come from 6th on the grid to claim 2nd ahead of Hartson. Every Tekin Driver chose the RX8 Gen 2 ESC and Gen 2 T8 1900 motor.

Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JHCk7Q_wMc