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Published on Thursday, 08 November 2012 21:35

Written by BSI Editor

5th North Region Championship, Antofagasta RC, Chile


By: Juan Castro
No doubt the 5th Championship Antofagasta RC, was a complete success!. The development of this event took place in a pleasant atmosphere of friendly competition, good humor and family at the Club Track, with the participation of over 43 cars and 33 Chilean RC pilots from Antofagasta (locals), Calama, Copiapó, Iquique and Santiago , some of them with extensive experience racing at National and South American level, a fact that contributed to the increase the competitiveness of each of the participants, which led to a better show for the public who approached to watch with this sport / hobby. Each of the categories (Buggy, Truggy, Monster Truck & Electrics) showed the best they had, pushing the skills of their pilots to the limit in multiple jumps & curves and achieving extraordinary speeds on the straights of the off-road track from Antofagasta RC Club.

Day 1 (Open Practice and Qualify)
The first day started very early in the morning with the final arrangements of the track to start the free practice portion of the event, these was very important to every driver, especially those from other cities, so they could set their vehicles at perfect point, by now any one could have seen how difficult and completive would this Championship be. Then began the ever controversial "Qualifications" to determine the "TQ" (top qualifier) based on race at 10 minutes. It began with the "Bad Boys" of the races, the "Monster Trucks" where we saw the skills of its pilots to control these, high center of gravity machines, here the "TQ" was for Stefan Simunovic (Antofagsta) with his HPI Savage. Electric came later where, "TQ" was for Juan Castro (Antofagasta) with his LOSI; then was the turn for Truggy, "TQ" Pato Concha (Santiago) with his AGAMA Racing, finishing the Qualification rounds with two heats for Buggy, it is important to say that this category was one that had more entries with a total of 18 vehicles, so the organization had to divide into two qualifying heats of 9 buggys, getting in Group 1 as "TQ" Marcelo Echevarría (Santiago) with his AGAMA Racing and Group 2 had "TQ" Luis Cellino (Santiago) with his MUGEN, by now every one could anticipate that the battle for getting to the Garnd Final in Buggy class would be bloody, since only the best 10 pilots would be racing in it.

Day 2 (RACE DAY!)
The second day began with a rarefied atmosphere of calm and tension, which would lead to some of the best races we've seen in the Club. It all started with the "Monster Truck", where after two rounds earlier, the final (15 minutes) showed that the "friendship" between Stefan Simunovic and Ignacio Zavala is strictly off the track, the two pilots in the initial laps, gave each other some pretty nasty “punches” (usual only in this category) , but as only one can emerge victorious, after a short battle, Stefan was crowned champion, with his solid HPI, followed by Ignacio (who does not give any truce) and in 3th place our friend from Iquique, Carlos Castillo.Then the Electric Class, with its traditional silence and agility after two rounds in which our local driver Juan Castro had turn with the young pilot Daniel Olmos for the lead, all at the end of the Final (10 minutes), saw a clean victory for Juan, with its somewhat old but reliable LOSI, followed by Daniel second and in third place peering into our, always a character and friend Stefan, this despite the difficult conditions that gradually he our race truck turns to into, because of the high temperature and the constant punishment of the vehicles had on it, leaving a thin layer of loose soil on the hard carpet, turning almost uncontrollable the 2WD machines.Now we gave way to the more serious Classes, if you can them that, beginning with Truggy Final (15 minutes), who after two rounds of mounting a very good show, mastery in the jumps, the PRO Pilot Pato Concha(Santiago), showing how its done, claimed the top spot with its AGAMA Truggy, but follow very closely by our pilot and Club Treasurer (the money guy), Juan Miguel Cuadra (OFNA), showing how good his driving technique has come, leaving him with the more than honorable second place and another "PRO" Pilot form Santiago would close the podium in this Class, Marcelo Echeverria (Agama).The Buggy's final was undoubtedly the main course of the Championship, where after two Heats run in Group 1 and Group 2 two (15 minutes each) the top 10 drivers were measured in the Grand Final (25 minutes), here we saw it all, spectacular jumps, high speeds, tight curves, cumbersome collisions, battles for several intermediate positions, complex strategies for refueling, Pits crashes, etc. but the "expertise" of Pato Concha (Stgo)and Luis Cellino (Stgo) was undeniable, however the locals hope remained, leaving the podium as follows, 1st place Pato Concha with his AGAMA Buggy, closely followed in 2nd place by Luis Cellino with his MUGEN and somewhat further back, the local pilot in 3rd place Juan Castro with his LOSI 8ight 2.0 Buggy

This championship was the best organized so far in the north of our country, CHILE, I had all any one could ask for in a major Championship; a track with a good solid level (with water for irrigation , in the driest desert in the world!), food and beverage, compressed air, security, lap counter system (AMB / My Laps), good prizes and even female models that gave out the prices and to some even a kiss or two (not for all, sorry Juan Miguel)Thanks, to our local Sponsors, that supported this event in our lovely city, Antofagasta.As always there are many lessons learned that this Championship left, which will be implemented and we are looking forward in 2013 to have a better and racing calendar, and even think of organizing one of the National Races here our Local Off-Road track???.