Eight Victories for Team Associated at the JConcepts Clash

For the sixth year in a row, JConcepts has put on The Clash, Florida’s premier event. Having been hosted at multiple venues across the “Sunshine State” in the past, the 2011 location next moved to the southern tip of the state to Coral Springs, near the tourist destinations of Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Team Associated was well represented with lots of Florida locals including JR Mitch, Paul Wynn, Jason Ruona, Zack Genova, Daimon Borkowicz, Dave Duncan, Walter Cruz, John Piant, and Tim Kowal. Joining the mass contingent of Florida talent from other parts of the country were Tanner Denney, Renato Tradardi Jr and Sr, Mike Wilder and superstars Brian Kinwald and Ryan Maifield.
In what has become Clash fashion, the race wasn’t without some visits from Mother Nature. After sunshine for the first few days, she decided to open up on Saturday, turning the race track into a lake. Fast-acting work from the staff got the track back in to a useable condition and the event continued. Once all the mud had been cleaned off and shoes dried, it was Team Associated on top of a majority of the classes including 2WD Stock and Truck Stock with Zack Genova, 1:8 Sportsman Truggy with Walter Cruz, Pro2 with Ryan Maifield, 2WD Modified with Jason Ruona, and Truck Modified with Brian Kinwald.
As Sunday rolled around, the racing action began to heat up and the track continued to dry. First up was Zack Genova with his Factory Team B4.1 and T4.1. Starting on pole the young Floridian checked out from the field and delivered the first two championships for Team Associated at the Clash. Next up was the 17.5T 2WD SCT category where Daimon Borkowicz fought his way from third on the grid to the top step of the podium with his Factory Team SC10. With three titles already in the bag, the attention turned to the modified classes. Ryan Maifield and JR Mitch were the stars of the 2WD and Pro2 classes with their Factory Team B4.1s and SC10s. Battling throughout the extended final, Maifield got the better of Mitch in both classes, but not without a fight and setting the stage for the final showdown yet to come in 1:8 Expert Nitro Buggy. Sandwiched in-between the Maifield victories was a wire-to-wire win for the “Dirtinator” Brian Kinwald in the Modified Truck with his Factory Team T4.1, and then before the finale Walter Cruz took home the victory with his RC8T in the 1:8 Sportsman Truggy class.
The grand finale race of the event was the 1:8 Expert Nitro Buggy class where Team Associated had the majority with four RC8.2s in the 12-car final. Just after the tone sounded, Maifield pushed the pace and found himself with a two-second cushion and the lead over Reedy/LRP team mate JR Mitch after just three laps. Never relinquishing their positions, Maifield and Mitch lead a top four sweep for Team Associated and the RC8.2, with Chad Phillips working his way in to third with just four laps left in the 30-minute final and Tanner Denney following suit to secure fourth overall.
With eight total victories at the 2011 JConcepts Clash, Team Associated vehicles were well and above the class of the field. Thanks to the JConcepts organisation staff, the Team Associated customers that participated in this great event and congratulations to the all the champions that earned their well-fought titles.

Source: Team Associated