Welcome all to my next installment of my blog.

Previously I had reported on the build and first shakedown/test run of my 801x.

Leaving the setup the same Chris and I headed out to ARC this past Saturday to see if I could fair against our local fast guys with the 801x.

 Practice went well, in the last practice session we had some engine trouble that turned out to be a cracked engine case.

 Luckily I had just rebuilt another engine the night before. That engine was tuned and installed for the first qualifier which was going very well for the first 3 minutes. During the first qualifier I had stripped out a servo horn and had erratic steering. That first 3 minutes I was running a solid 3rd which I was happy about. The buggy was very easy to race. It did everything I asked it to.

Second round we got the servo horn replaced and went out to set TQ. Things were going great for the first 5 minutes....... Yep.... While running 2nd on a faster pace than previous, I clipped a pipe and pulled the screw out of the bottom of the left side knuckle (which was already loose I figured from the ease it came out).

So....... two DNF's landed me in 9th qualifying position. From here it was going to be difficult. Some of the fastest racers in SoCal are running tonite so I had to really put down some good first laps to get by them.

The tone was sounded and off we go! First corner meyhem and I'm already up to fifth. Working my way through another racer makes a mistake flipping over the back double, now in fourth. The field is widening as the really fast guys are pulling away and I'm doing what I can to catch them. A few laps later I get by, and take over 3rd. We are all seperated at this point and it doesn't seem like I'm catching anyone nor losing ground.

 The first round of pit stops comes up and we stick it out until pit lane is clear. Finally at the 8 minute mark Chris calls me in and he makes a lightening quick pit stop and we are back out! Taking one lap to hit the loop I here the announcer call out that I have moved into second! (Thanks Chris!!) To spare boring lap after lap details we were catching first by about a 1/2 second a lap until the 27 minute mark and suddenly I started losing positions..... Hey wait no one has passed me.... Uh-oh!........

The receiver battery quit. It didn't go dead as I thought maybe happened. One of the 2 cells of the lipo pack let go or came detached internally and the scoring loop wouldn't count the low signal and the servo's went dead slow......

 But hey! I was disappointed sure. But the buggy was so good, I was more disappointed that I couldn't keep driving it. And the best thing was the great comments I got on how well the 801x looked out there for it's first time out.

I can't wait for this weekend!