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track
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| The 2006 US Snowbird Nationals was once again the largest RC racing event of the year with almost 800 entries and 24 hours of non-stop racing in several categories. As in previous years, the Snowbird Nationals is considered one of the toughest races due the very limited practice and non-stop racing. |
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TEAM XRAY
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| As in previous years, Team XRAY prepared well for this race, sending the all-star US and European teams to compete. Paul Lemieux, Mike Dumas, Mike Blackstock, Jared Scott, Peter Robinson, Alex Lopez, Quincy Hughes represented the XRAY USA team, sponsored by RC America and Jaco, with team manager Ralph Burch. From Europe, the all-star team featured Jilles Groskamp, Victor Wilck, Joel Myrberg, Andreas Myrberg, with Martin and Juraj Hudy for factory support. |
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Paul Lemieux
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| There were big expectations for Team XRAY, considering that XRAY had already won in the past two years, so to win for the 3rd year in a row would be a phenomenal and colossal achievement. |
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drivers stand
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| All other teams sent their best drivers to compete for the crown of this prestigious race. Teams including Team Losi, Associated, Schumacher and Corally sent their best drivers along with huge amount of private racers driving with all the different, sometimes even exotic racing cars, so we could expect some tough and thrilling racing. |
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Jilles Groskamp XRAY T2
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| Team XRAY was running the new 2006 T2 with still quite limited experiences and knowledge with the new platform, considering the T2 to be few weeks "old" car, so there were some initial challenges how to prepare and set up the cars for such a large event with different racing conditions and especially with the super-high grip. |
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Peter Robinson & Alex Lopez
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| Juraj and Martin Hudy were in the pits to help fine tune and tweak the team cars and with the excellent team work of the whole team the T2 was flying from the first practice rounds, dominating the race field, and amazing the audience. With the super-high grip it was absolutely necessary to have as stiff car the unique Multi-Flex Technology™ of the T2 was set to the stiffest positions and additionally the brand new aluminum suspension parts were used. |
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Paul Lemieux - double winner
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| In the end Team XRAY silenced the critics by achieving the unthinkable by winning the hottest class for the 3rd year in a row making it 2004-2005-2006 US Snowbird Nationals winner. |
| XRAY Quick statistics: |
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⢠XRAY achieved 3x TQ position
⢠XRAY achieved 4x WINS
⢠XRAY achieved 11x podium finish
⢠XRAY swept the Modified Touring category with final positions 1-2-3-4-10
⢠XRAY swept the Sportsman Touring category with final positions 1-2-4-5-6-7-9
⢠XRAY swept the 19T expert category with final positions 1-2-3-4-5-9-10
⢠XRAY won also the oval 19T racing category
⢠XRAY won 3rd time in a row and is 2004-2005-2006 US Snowbirds Nationals winner |
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Podium modified
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Modified Touring A Main
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1. Paul Lemieux - XRAY T2
2. Mike Dumas - XRAY T2
3. Mike Blackstock - XRAY T2
4. Ralph Burch - XRAY T2
5. Teemu Leino
6. Matt Francis
7. Billy Easton
8. Todd Hodge
9. Chris Tossolini
10. Victor Wilck - XRAY T2 |
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Podium Sportsman
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Sportsman Touring
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1. Brandon Melton - XRAY
2. Larry Fairtrace - XRAY
3. Mark Smyrka
4. Eric Anderson - XRAY
5. Jari Taskilla - XRAY
6. Chris Mazzola - XRAY
7. Donny Shcaff - XRAY
8. Jarrod Langlois
9. Keith Koway - XRAY
10. TJ Bradley |
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Podium 19T Expert
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19T Expert
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1. Paul Lemiuex - XRAY T2
2. Mike Blackstock - XRAY T2
3. Mike Dumas - XRAY T2
4. Jilles Groskamp - XRAY T2
5. Joel Myrberg - XRAY T2
6. Jeff Cuffs
7. Barry Baker
8. Teemu Leino
9. Victor Wilck - XRAY T2
10. Jared Scott - XRAY T2 |
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Peter Robinson XRAY T2
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Stock
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1. Jeff Dayger
2. TJ Bradley
3. Peter Robinson - XRAY T2
4. Eric Anderson - XRAY T2
5. Quincy Hughes - XRAY T2
6. Chris Mazzola - XRAY T2
7. Alex Lopez - XRAY T2
8. Ron Atomic
9. Jarrod Langlois
10. Jeff Cuffs |
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Mike Dumas XRAY T2
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6-cell Touring 19T Oval
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1. Eugene Ryder - XRAY
2. Dan Dolbert - XRAY
3. Mike Haney
4. Kenny Snodgrass - XRAY
5. Scott Meeks
6. Russell Smith
7. Tony Moffre
8. Chuck Kleinhagen - XRAY
9. Butch Beebe
10. Philip Harwood |
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track
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Race reports and set-up sheets will be posted within this week. Stay tuned !
More photos: |
| Race report by Paul Lemieux |
Paul Lemieux XRAY T2
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| The week in general was good and consistent, thanks to the T2 chassis and an improved track layout that did not seem to change with the weather or heat. I feel like the whole team did a great job working with eachother and trying to understand why people on the team do things a little differently. At the start of the week my car was not very good at all, but after a day of practice and a lot of chassis tuning my car got much better. The car was very twitchy on the newly laid ozite carpet and simply there was not enough traction in it yet for my car to run well using the set-up from the Novak race. |
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Ralph Burch
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| After making the changes the remainder of practice and the first two qualifiers my car was great. but for some reason in the last qualifier the best I could do in my heat was fourth so I was a little worried about starting on the pole with a set-up on my car that was no longer an a-main winning set up. So I stayed up Saturday night and rebuilt my car with a whole new set-up on it. I changed shock pistons in the front, front roll center, tire size, front camber link, camber, ackerman, and front and rear droop. |
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Mike Blackstock
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| There was one hour of practice in the mourning which went well so I made a couple of small toe and camber adjustments and ran it there for both 19 t and mod mains. the rest of the team ran great all weekend also, Mike Blackstockâ™s car was awesome and may have TQâ™d the last round if not for his body getting bent in the front end and dragging on the track. |
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Mike Dumas
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| Mike Dumas drove a great main and at times was able to catch me but I think it took him a touch to much time to get threw the start. Victor Wilck did a great job as the results show, and of course Jilles just having the worst luck all weekend. All in all Mike Boylan and the whole track and tech crew did an awesome job with everything making this race what it was and that was great. |
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Victor Wilck
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Andreas Myrberg
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Joel Myrberg
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