2008 No Limit R/C monster truck world finals event summary.
Look for event coverage in RC Car action, RC Driver and Xtreme RC Car magazines.
Simply too much to list, but here are the highlights.
Overall top sponsor- HPI Racing
Primary sponsors- Losi, Debbie’s R/C world, SMC, RC Car action, Pro-Line, Kymco ATV’s, Traxxas, Buku pipes, Parma, Sidewinder fuel, RC Driver.
The most anticipated R/C Monster Truck event of the year returned to Diggers Dungeon in Poplar Branch, North Carolina as No Limit R/C held the 3rd annual R/C Monster Truck World Finals May 23-25.
This event saw 321 trucks battle it out for the biggest prize giveaway in R/C history ($25,000+)!!! The No Limit R/C Team and the Diggers Dungeon Crew assembled a one of a kind racing and freestyle obstacle course which included the use of HPI Racing crushed cars, Christmas tree timing system, 9 monster truck terra tires and a real, full scale, fiberglass Grave Digger body. Just like the Monster Jam World Finals, qualifying for this grand event was held all day on Friday. Each racer drove the course once in each lane, and the faster of the two elapsed times was used as their official qualifying time.
Friday- Racing qualifying Top qualifiers:
Novice Class: Colby Waddell HPI E-Savage 19.20 seconds
4x4 Small Block Class: Bari Musawwir HPI Savage X 15.84 seconds
4x4 Brushed Electric Class: John Schultz HPI E-Savage 16.86 seconds
4x4 Brushless Electric Class: Dan Wyatt Tweaked Racing 16.20 seconds
4x4 Pro Mod Electric Class: Bari Musawwir Tweaked Racing 17.52 seconds
4x4 Big Block Class: Michael Crawford HPI Savage Xss 15.31 seconds
Saturday- Racing eliminations.
Top five from each class- more detailed results will be posted on
www.nolimitrc.com soon.
Novice: Champion-Colby Waddell , 2nd-Gabe Gravini, 3rd-Michael Mammano 4th-Kip Nininger 5th-Caleb Johnston
Brushed electric: Champion- Paul Ovares, 2nd- John Schultz, 3rd-Bari Musawwir, 4th Gary McSweeney, 5th- Michael McKinney
Brushless electric- Champion- David Pack, 2nd- Dan Wyatt, 3rd-Doug Moll, 4th- Henry Cross, 5th-Ryan Anderson
Pro Modified electric- Champion- Dan Wyatt, 2nd-Bari Musawwir, 3rd- Kevin Hetmanski, 4th-Robbie Bunting, 5th Chad Buckland
Small Block- Champion John Schultz, 2nd Michael Crawford, 3rdChas Beaman, 4th JJ Delumyea 5th Michael Kramer
Big Block- Champion Travis Dupree, 2nd Michael Crawford, 3rd Patrick Rossiter, 4th John Schultz, 5th Carl Denker
Saturday morning saw a few rain showers which made the track nice and damp for the first of several elimination races, but as the sun came out, the track dried out to provide a somewhat slick, but even, playing field for all competitors. In-between each round of racing, fans and fellow racers got to participate in several raffles, prize giveaways and Monster truck Trivia with Joey Gargaro from No Limit R/C of Virginia, John Schultz of HPI Racing, and Team Grave Diggers’ own Dennis Anderson. Racing action saw each competitor face off in a single elimination bracket until a champion was crowned. After each of the 6 racing classes were completed, the top 3 winners headed on over to the one of a kind terra tire podium which featured 3 terra tires that were cut in half to make an awesome photo op for the top 3 finishers.
Sunday Morning kicked off with the Parma show and shine contest. Participants placed their super tricked out trucks on the track to be judged in 7 different categories. The No Limit RC President, Justin Haugland and Director of Operations, Bari Musawwir joined together to take on the daunting task of choosing 7 winners from the 330 trucks on display.
Show and Shine winners
-Best Scale Representation of a Full size monster truck: Dave Pack Custom replica Grave Digger
- King of Bling/ chrome galore: Brian Forehand HPI Baja Hopalong
- Best paint and graphics: Doug Moll Custom airbrushed Clod Buster
- Best appearing chassis/design Kevin Holmlund ¼ scale Grave Digger
- Best of Show: Daniel Ball Stone Crusher custom replica
- Presidents Award: Wesley Wetzel Gladiator Mohawk theme HPI Wheely King
- Shelf queen Dan Wyatt custom Monster Energy HPI Savage X
For the first time since its inception, No Limit RC brought truck pulling to the World Finals as a competition. Three different classes of trucks would muscle their way down the 4’ x 30’ dirt pulling track to crown a champion. The NR/CTPA pulling competition saw Nathan Kincy take home the Small block Pulling title. Charles R Poulter III took home the win in the Sportsman Big Block Class in dramatic fashion and Jimmy Zirk walked away with the Pro Big Block Title making it look way too easy.
The R/C Car Action Magazine Freestyle Competition was next up. Participants had 90 seconds to do whatever they could in spectacular fashion to wow the Panel of Judges, made up of full size monster truck drivers and crew. The freestyle course was truly one of a kind featuring a Terra Tire Triple Jump and a Grave Digger fiberglass body which had a huge ramp mounted inside the cab leading straight out the windshield, a murky pond and a ton of other custom made jumps. 163 trucks competed in the Freestyle Competition but no one could match the run laid down by Michael McKinney. Michael received a score of 29 to take home the 2008 Freestyle World Championship. Michael received a tricked out Savage X courtesy of RC Car Action Magazine and a 6 foot 4 inch tall trophy. Next year I’m sure Michael will have a grave digger body atop his truck because Dennis Anderson also puts out a $500 bounty if you win freestyle with a grave Digger Body on your Rig. Nonetheless, congrats to Michael on your well deserved win!
The Buku Power Long Jump was a chance of a lifetime to not only win a one of a kind custom Savage X prepared by our good friends over at the HPI Savage forum, but also to launch your truck over the top of the most famous Monster Truck in the world. That’s right! Participants were treated with the extra added effect of having Grave Digger 20 parked behind the long jump ramp so they could sky their vehicles over the black and green wrecking machine. 112 trucks took to the long jump ramp but no one could match Eddie Tipton’s Savage X leaping 38’3”. Eddie walked away with the custom Savage X sporting the new HPI 5.9 engine and Buku pipe!
The R/C Driver Steel Cage match proved to be the ultimate endurance test for any driver willing to sacrifice their R/C pride and joy in an all out, every truck for itself, crash and bash throw down. Drivers were on attack mode as 32 trucks took to the track looking to disable their opponents by any means necessary. After several minutes of abuse John Shultz and his Savage XL would come out the winner as the last truck standing. Despite losing 1 tire and wheel earlier in the competition, John’s XL would not quit. The 5.9 engine kept going and going and going. John received a custom built Savage courtesy of R/C Driver magazine which he graciously handed down to the second place finisher, David McAlister of Virginia Beach, VA. David was ecstatic; he said he would not let the truck out of his sight for weeks!!
This event was a huge success! This was the biggest and best World Finals at the Dungeon to date. The No Limit Team did an outstanding job. A big thanks goes out to Craig and Tara for recording all the times, No Limit RC of Virginia, No Limit RC of Florida, Joey Gargaro, Tom Hagen, Allen Quatro, Justin Heard, Chris Dixon, John Helton, Eric Garneau, Tom Dixon, Zeek Heard, Melissa Haugland, Bari Musawwir, and Justin Haugland.
Thank you to John Schultz and Heather Compton from HPI Racing for their awesome support all week long. Thanks to Dolan, Andy, Patrick and Travis who represented Losi. To Bryan and Scott from SMC for supplying all our battery needs. To Steve Slayden and Casey from Traxxas who supported the Traxxas racers in attendance. Finally, thank you to Dennis Anderson and the Diggers Dungeon Crew for providing the best Venue in the world. We look forward to the 4th annual No Limit R/C Diggers Dungeon World Finals.
We don’t know how No Limit RC will top this one, but we’re sure they will find a way.
Photos: Thanks to Tom Hagen for these awesome shots.
Friday - Qualifying:
http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories...lq7f0d9wrzsbg6
Saturday - Racing:
http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories...4apz291c0ojqgv
Sunday - Freestyle/Long Jump/Pulling
http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories...feaygck2muz6v1
Special thanks to Eric Garneau for photos which will be on the No Limit RC website.
Additional phots here:
http://www.hpisavageforum.com/forums...ead.php?t=6485
And here:
http://www.rcmonstertruckforum.com/i...gallery;cat=24