Iron Truck Challenge Heats Up at eXtreme Hobby Zone

The original R/C monster truck racing company that bridges the gap between Monster Trucks and their R/C counterparts, R/C Monster Motorsports, Inc. was back at eXtreme Hobby Zone for the Iron Truck Challenge Series. Drivers were prepared for a day of eXtreme competition which started with a modified Chicago style race course. Utilizing our first of two RaceAmerica timing systems gives R/C Monster Motorsports the “edge” when designing large custom side by side tracks. This week, our track design incorporated two long center lanes within the outside “Chicago Style” oval. Drivers staged their trucks on opposite sides of the inside diameter of the oval facing each other. Once the light turned green the R/C Monster trucks jumped over a small diamond plate hill. After the drivers re-gained control it was time to mash the throttle in order to clear the large clay jump center track. Drivers positioned their trucks for the landing just before entering the oval. Once in the oval it was a high speed 1 ¼ lap around the track over two sets of Parma Chevy Caprice crushed cars (one on each side of the oval) to the finish line.

In Small Block Side-by-Side racing the Polk County Mad Man Tommy Feichtel was on a mission. Feichtel Top Qualified and took first place driving his R/C Monster Motorsports Machine Traxxas T-Maxx with a time of 24.77 seconds to Yvonne Feichtel’s 37.60 second run in the finals. Big Block Side-by-Side racing featured newcomer Andrew “Drew” Baker driving his Sling Shot Savage. Andrew claimed first place with a time of 18.39 seconds over Tommy Feichtel’s eXtreme Hobby Zone sponsored truck with a time of 20.01 seconds. Feichtel earned the Top Qualifier spot and track record for the day with a time of 17.57 seconds.

Buggy / Truggy Side-by-Side racing, showcased the Koepke family. It was Austin Koepke and his father Rip in the finals. Austin showed dad how it’s done with a time of 20.44 seconds to Rip’s time of 44.97 seconds.

Sand Drag racing was quite challenging to the eXtreme racers. The dry powdery sand condition experienced this weekend gave the drivers some more work to do in order to figure out how to put to power to the ground and get the truck to the other end of the pit in the quickest time.

In Small Block Sand Drags Tyler Koepke figured out the right combination to claim the first place spot driving Bankrupt with a time of 1.233 seconds against Yvonne Feichtel driving Pretty in Pink with a time of 1.487 seconds.

Big Block Sand Drags Craig Lowe took the first place spot driving No Name with a time of 1.309 seconds to Gene Foust’s 1.508 seconds driving Team Magic 2 topped with the Showtime Elvis body. 2wd Sand Drags Austin Koepke took the first place win with a time of 1.208 seconds driving Pinkey over Tyler Koepke’s time of 1.407 seconds driving Bankrupt.

eXtreme excitement was in place for the Truck Pulls at eXtreme Hobby Zone. Excitement started right away as Rip Koepke driving his Puller Truck and Eddie Inman driving his Bubba Truck tied for first with a distance of 23’ @ 25lbs. Koepke and Inman would come back for a tie breaking pull. Inman would claim the first place spot with a Full Pull @ 25lbs. to Koepke’s pull of 23’5” @ 25lbs.

In Big Block Truck Pulls the “Power Puff” Yvonne Feichtel showed the boys how it’s done for the second week in a row by taking the first place spot with a distance of 27’ 7” @ 35lbs. Tommy Feichtel will be doing the dishes for the second week in a row coming in second with a distance of 26’ @ 35lbs.

Freestyle was a fitting event to end a great racing day. Only two drivers were brave enough to enter the “Last Truck Standing” Freestyle event. Last week’s Freestyle winner Andrew Baker from St. Petersburg, Florida made the drive to eXtreme Hobby Zone located in Winter Haven. Andrew would face off against Josh Northrup, last months freestyle runner up at eXtreme Hobby Zone. Fast paced music and high intensity freestyle stunts excited spectators. After the dust cleared Josh Northrup would be declared freestyle champion! Northrup pushed his Associated Monster GT to the limits. Nothrup put on an impressive encore run for his fans hitting big air ramps in reverse and sailing his Monster GT 10’+ in the air. Congratulations Josh!

Thanks to all of the R/C Monster Motorsports racers, sponsors, and venues. See you at Ronnie Setser’s S.S Raceway November 24th, 2007 for the Turkey Belly Buster Bash!

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