Derek Stephansen recaps the Showdown:
“This past weekend it was it time for the Motown Showdown at Modesto RC Raceway. This event is pretty unique as it isn’t your standard 2 day race, but instead a one day race that consist of 3 ifmar style qualifying rounds and 8 min single a-mains. It would also bring in about 100 entries and close racing all day long. On Friday I would attend practice that would start off with a really loose track as the track began to break in throughout the day with sweeping and watering every 30 minutes to an hour. I would focus on the three classes I would run which was Mod SCT, Mod 2wd Buggy, and 4wd Mod. By the end of the day all my cars were feeling pretty good.
Come Saturday morning the track would open at 7am and I would utilize the practice to make some adjustments on my 2wd mod car as the track is always rather different for the bigger events than club race that I usually attend routinely since the track is only 5 minutes from my house. Come qualifying I would get off to a good start by Tqing all 3 rounds of qualifying with my Tekin powered B5m, 22SCT 2.0 and 22-4. Needless to say my Tekin powered cars were handling the warm temperatures well and were ready for the long 8 minute electric mains that were to come that evening.
The first main of the evening would be Modified SCT and I would be starting up front with my RSX/ Gen 7.5 equipped 22SCT 2.0. I would be able to get a good start and begin to gap the field on the first lap. Being a more technical layout then past layouts the Tekin combination provided a smooth powerband that would allow me to push my 22SCT 2.0 to win number one of the day by over a lap on the field by the end of the eight minute a main.
The second main of the night would be 4wd mod buggy with me once again starting on the one spot going into tear drop off the straight way. Being a track that is normally hard to control tire spin on, my Tekin RSX/ Gen 2 6.5 combination would transfer power to the wheels of my 22-4 on the start that would allow me to gap the field. Unfortunately on lap two I would tap the curbing coming through the switch backs making me have to be turn marshalled. This would allow Reno based racer Rick Jenkins to get close, but I would put my head down and go back to work. At the end of the 8 min main I would have lapped all the way through second giving me my second win of the day and second win for the RSX and Gen2 motor line. The best part would be my speedo would only come off at 3 lights for temp with no fan while others were running fans.
The final main of the night would be 2wd modified and would most likely be the hardest main of the night with Codey Hughey starting right behind me in the two. Having not had the side bite I was looking for throughout qualifying I made a change on my rear anti-squat that really helped. At the start me and Codey would get clean start and be able to stretch. Throughout the run I would slowly stretch over the 8 minutes lapping the whole field once again to give me win number 3 of the day and a sweep at the Motown Showdown with Tekin electronics and motors!
Overall it was another great race and I am already looking forward to next years. Time to get ready to head to NCRL round #3 at Norcal Hobbies next weekend.” Derek Stephansen