Team Tekin Driver Ben Burtle wins at 2010 Hobby Haven Shootout

This annual race takes place over 2 days and this year’s event had a record 214 entries. Sunday was reserved for all nitro classes, 1/8th Electric Buggy, and an Open 4WD Short Course Truck class which was a new class offered for this year’s race.


Team Tekin driver Ben Burtle landed the TQ spot in 1/8th Electric Buggy after setting the fastest times in all 3 qualifying rounds. Ben also competed in the new Open 4WD Short Course Truck class and was able TQ round 2 and qualify 2nd overall the A Main.


Originally, both of these classes were set to run 10 minute AAA mains to decide the overall winner. But the weather wasn’t cooperating that day with scattered thunderstorms in the area, so the race directors decided upon a single 10 minute A main for each class to crown the 2010 champion.


In the 1/8th Electric Buggy A Main Ben got off to a rough start and 2nd overall qualifier David “Fasty” Fast was out in front with the early lead. But after Dave got tied up with lap traffic Ben was able to take the lead for good and lap the entire field by crossing the line before time had expired. David “Fasty” Fast ended up second and Dave Darrow finished 3rd. All 3 were running Tekin RX8 systems.


1. Ben Burtle (TQ) Tekin RX8 system with a 1400kv T8


2. David Fast Tekin RX8 system


3. Dave Darrow Tekin RX8 system


A Main video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xn9dRR_Kww


In the Open 4WD Short Course Truck class Ben was able to get around top qualifier Mike Sanders early on in the race and fought off charges from Mike Kares and others to take the win.


1. Ben Burtle Tekin RSPro with a 6.5 Redline motor and Tekin high torque 13mm rotor


2. Alex Eklund


3. Mike Sanders (TQ)


A Main video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDmni95X7qE