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The Dirt Nitro Challenge In typical Nitro Challenge fashion, the rain came again. This time, however, it came before the event and only cancelled the first round of practice. From that point on it was one of the most competitive races ever. Joey from the Dirt built one of the most challenging, exciting and demanding tracks of all time. This was a true test of man and machine! In the Pro Gas Truck category, it was the Jared Tebo show during qualifying as he took the TQ for all three rounds. Tebo's OS .12TZ powered, O'Donnell fueled GT2 looked unbeatable. In the main event, however, Tebo's teammate Ryan Maifield drove his OS .12TZ powered, O'Donnell fueled GT2 past Tebo in the opening laps and proceeded to pull away. Now, it was the Maifield show front and center! In the end, Maifield held off a hard-charging Tebo to take the A main win. To make it even more rewarding, both drivers were using the Futaba 3PKS radio system. The 1/8 buggy class is so stacked, just to make the A main was an incredible accomplishment. This year was especially exciting considering all the new manufacturers involved. The A main this year had a total of seven different manufacturers...and that did not include Kyosho! After a year of testing and developing, O'Donnell Racing and Jared Tebo were ready to debut the new O'Donnell buggy prototype. The excitement and feedback on the buggy was excellent. During qualifying, Tebo struggled and ended up in the B main...which was exactly what he needed. The extra track time and win in the B main gave Tebo more confidence and Steve O'Donnell the insight to make some set-up changes. By starting fourteenth in the A main, Tebo had his work cut out for him, but he wasted no time and worked his way to the front. Tebo's O'Donnell fueled OS .21 V-Spec pulled him right to the rear bumper of the leader. At one point Tebo was in command of the race, but eventual winner Mike Truhe had that little bit extra and was on his game. In the end, it was an incredible showing for Tebo and the new O'Donnell buggy on a track that was so demanding that only eight out of fifteen buggies finished the race. In this case, finishing second felt just as good as a win! |
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World Domination...Checkpoint Style!
O'Donnell Racing O'Donnell Racing continues to shock and impress the world. As if it wasn't enough to have IFMAR World Champion Atsushi Hara join the team, Team Checkpoint has repeated the feat by adding another IFMAR World Champion...one of racing's hottest stars, Marc Rheinard! Rheinard has signed a multi-year contract to run Team Checkpoint's Modified Motors and Signature Series Batteries exclusively. He will also step up his nitro program — exclusively running the unbeatable combination of O'Donnell Race Blend Fuel and World Championship-winning O'Donnell Glow Plugs. Rheinard has earned a worldwide reputation for success by winning just about every major contest: the IFMAR World Championship; LRP Masters; Reedy Race of Champions; TITC; DHI Cup; and on, and on. Every time Rheinard stands behind the wheel, you know you are about to witness something amazing. With the combination of Team Checkpoint horsepower and Signature Series voltage, Rheinard will be setting TQs and winning championships the instant he hits the track. Team Checkpoint and O'Donnell Racing are extremely pleased and honored to welcome Marc Rheinard to our team. We look forward to sharing countless championships together! |
Clean Sweep!RC Pro Series National Finals Pro 1/8 Buggy Tebo showed up at the RC Pro Series Finals as a late entry and didn't even have a buggy to run. Borrowing an O'Donnell teammate's back-up car, Tebo went out and laid down a blistering TQ run against the best drivers in the country! Tebo had an epic battle with Adam Drake in the grueling 60-minute A main, but the Drake could not keep the pace. Tebo's last laps were just as fast as the first and checked out on the entire field. Pro 1/8 Truggy James dominated the A main like he did the whole season. When the final horn sounded, Taylor James walked away with the win and the 2006 Pro Arena Truck National Championship! Great job and way to bring home another national title for O'Donnell Racing Fuel! Pro 1/10 Gas Truck After winning the ROAR and RC Pro Series Finals in the same year, do we really need to say more! Congratulations to all the Team O'Donnell drivers and their awesome finishes! |
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Have Wheels... Will Win!
Reedy Truck Race of Champions
October 29, 2006
Saugus, CA
Team O'Donnell's Ryan Maifield is quickly establishing himself as one of the elite all around off-road drivers in the world. He's earned podiums at the IFMAR electric off-road worlds, a ROAR 1/8 Buggy National title, and now a convincing TQ and win at the Reedy Truck Race of Champions in the 1/10th Gas Truck class!
When the horn sounded at the start, it was all Maifield. Once he grabbed the holeshot, he quickly pulled out a huge lead and never gave it up. Team O'Donnell's Jared Tebo kept the pressure on for the full 45 minutes, but just didn't have the moves to get by.
With Maifield and Tebo heading up the charge for O'Donnell Racing Fuels, they are the ultimate one-two punch in gas trucks!
Three Peat! Three Peat! Three Peat!
ROAR Gas Truck Nationals
September 9, 2006
Boulder City, NV
Like a machine, this kid just keeps winning. Team O'Donnell's Jared Tebo rolled into this year's ROAR Truck Nationals as the two-time defending champ of the 1/10th gas truck class. After he qualified in the 4th position, everyone discounted Jared for the win — but all that did was motivate the young star even more.
This year's race was held at Boulder Raceway, just outside of Las Vegas, and was extremely demanding. Not only were the drivers pushed to their limits of concentration, but the trucks were also pushed beyond their limits for a grueling 45-minute main event. When the smoke cleared, once again Team O'Donnell's Jared Tebo stood on the top spot of the podium, making it three national titles in a row!
This just adds to the list of national titles for O'Donnell Racing Fuel...the most of all fuel manufacturers combined!
The Winning Never Ends!
ROAR 1/8 Scale Buggy Nationals
July 19-23
Charlotte, NC
This year marked the first year that ROAR placed the buggies and trucks into separate events. Drivers got to concentrate on one class, and it showed. The competition was out of this world. After Mother Nature interrupted the show Sunday morning, the track was in excellent shape for the A main and fifteen different drivers battled it out for the National title. This year also marked the most diverse field ever in ROAR history -- with a total of seven different buggy manufacturers, seven different engine manufacturers, and six different racing fuels represented in the A main. 
From the sound of the tone, it was an incredible battle as the lead swapped back and forth throughout the entire race. Once O'Donnell's young gun, Ryan Maifield, took over, it was his race to win...and that's what he did. Ryan took his O.S. Racing powered TTR, fueled by O'Donnell 30% Race Blend Fuel, to the top of the podium with almost a full lap on the field! O'Donnell teammate Taylor James put his O.S. powered, O'Donnell fueled buggy on the podium as well in the second spot. To prove you need the best fuel to have a shot at the win, O'Donnell Racing Fuel had four drivers in the A main, the most of any other fuel company. Congratulations to Ryan for his awesome National Championship run! Also, to the other O'Donnell team drivers for just making the A main. It was a very impressive run for O.S. Racing Engines as they took the top three spots and had six engines in the A main, the most of any engine manufacturer. Futaba made a strong showing as well with five 3PK Supers in the A main...including the top three spots!
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JQ Takes the National Title
Once again proving that O'Donnell Racing Fuel rules the World, Joseph Quagraine secured the overall Finnish National Championship by TQing and winning the 3rd race of the 4 race series.
Joseph ran O'Donnell 30% Race Blend Fuel in all four rounds and never once had to worry about power, fuel mileage or reliability! Congratulations and job well done JQ!
V is for Victory and Vessell!
RC Pro Series On-Road
June 9-11
Dekalb, IL
1/10th Expert Nitro Sedan
Hobbico's own Rick Vessell let everyone know who was the man in the third and final round of qualifying by laying down a blistering pace and taking the TQ spot in the Expert Division. Rick was running the brand new O.S. Racing .12TZ Speed Tuned engine powered by O'Donnell 30% Race Blend Fuel. For traction, he used high performance GRP Tires.
In the main event Rick ran a brilliant race and with excellent fuel economy and tire life. He walked away from the field completing the tri-fecta: TQ, most laps led and the win!
Not to be overlooked, Hobbico Team Manager, Scott Cramer, qualified 5th in the A main with his O.S. Racing .12TZ EB Mod powered by O'Donnell 30% Race Blend Fuel and using GRP Tires as well. In the main event, Scott used consistency and a strategic plan to finish a strong second place behind his teammate.
Both teammates were also using Futaba's new 3PK Super to stay dialed to their cars.
1/8th Expert Nitro
Rick Vessell once again found his groove in the third and final round of qualifying to put his O.S. Racing .21VZR, powered by O'Donnell 30% Race Blend Fuel, to third on the grid for the A main. In the main event Rick went a full lap down at the start of the race, but laid the hammer down and put on a driving clinic. First it was the lap back, then another position, and another. With his excellent driving and lightning-fast pit stops, Rick found himself in second place in the closing laps.
Overall it was a great weekend for the Hobbico Team, bringing home some well-deserved hardware!
O'Donnell — Hara, The Ultimate Combo! O'Donnell Racing The O' Team keeps getting stronger! Former IFMAR World Champion Atsushi Hara has agreed to a multi year contract — to exclusively run Team Checkpoint Modified Motors and O'Donnell Racing Fuel at races world wide. Hara's prowess in racing electric on-road is un-rivaled. Atsushi has won many major races across the globe including an IFMAR World Championship, multi time winner at the prestigious JMRC Championships in Japan and multiple ROAR National Championships. Hara's success is not only limited to electric racing. He has had strong performances in nitro on-road and off-road racing, where he will now be using O'Donnell Racing Fuel and accessories to power his rides. Regardless of the racing discipline, Hara is always a threat for the top spot and can be found charging hard for the win. With the combination of Team Checkpoint horsepower, and his race winning skills — look for Atsushi to be up front laying down fast laps and contending for the win at this summers IFMAR World Championships , the IIC in Las Vegas and various other international events. Here at Team Checkpoint and O'Donnell Racing, we are extremely pleased to welcome Atsushi to our team, and look forward to sharing many successes in the future. For more info on O'Donnell Racing products and Team Checkpoint motors, check out their websites at www.odonnellracing.com and www.teamcheckpoint.com. |