For the thirty-second time, Team Associated has won an IFMAR World Championship! This time in the 4WD Buggy Class at the hands of 2-time reigning 1:8 Nitro World Champion, Davide Ongaro, using his RC10B74.2D.
Hosted by the premier indoor dirt track in the U.S, Hobby Action R/C Raceway, the 1:10 IFMAR World Championship returned to the schedule after a four-year pause due to the global pandemic. With just over a year to prepare for the event, the Hobby Action crew pulled out all the stops to create an epic event worthy of crowning a World Champion. With a layout that was specifically designed for 4WD modified buggies that included multiple triple jumps, a whoops section, an on-off tabletop, and tight 180s, the racing was sure to be intense.
Using the best three out of five qualifying rounds, the Italian star left no question who would dominate qualifying and line up in the pole position. With TQ runs in the first three rounds, Ongaro looked poised to win his third IFMAR World Championship. In the first of the triple A-mains, Ongaro controlled the pace and led tone to tone, leaving him only one more main to win to be crowned champion.
In A2, things didn't go as smoothly, as a mistake early on shuffled him back to second and eventually to fourth. However, the A2 win did go to 2-time World Champion and teammate Spencer Rivkin, which set up a winner-take-all scenario with an outside chance of a third driver stealing the victory.
As the tone sounded for A3, Ongaro got a good start but would get collected by the second qualifier less than a minute into the main event; however, he still maintained his lead. Methodically working his way from fifth on the grid and up into third right behind the leaders, Rivkin was poised to capitalize on a mistake by second place that put him right behind Ongaro to set the stage for one of the most intense races in history. With just under two minutes to determine the World Champion, Rivkin pushed the pace to the max while Ongaro held his composure out front. Setting the fastest lap of the event and the only 17-second lap of the entire event, Rivkin just barely missed out on a final lap duel that allowed Ongaro to breathe a huge sigh of relief and claim his first 1:10 and third overall IFMAR World Championship.
As with any title, the glory may go to the one who wins. But without a huge support team of engineers, racers, and friends to help along the way it is next to impossible to achieve success. Team Associated is proud to have placed five drivers out of the 10 positions into the A final, more than any other racing manufacturer did: Davide Ongaro - 1st, Spencer Rivkin - 2nd, Aydin Horne - 7th, Dustin Evans - 8th and Marcus Kaerup - 10th. With participants, family, and supporters from around the world on hand to represent Team Associated, the #WeAreAE spirit rose to the top to claim World Championship #32!
