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Writer's pictureRyan Lutz

2018 Season Recap

Wow, where has the time gone!? My 13th season of doing this professionally is coming to a close here in 2018. It’s been another good year, not my best, but not my worst either. I’ve had some really good High’s and some Low’s but all in all I’ve been blessed yet again to do this. 


2018 Trophies!

I started off the year going to visit one of my favorite locations because the people are so awesome! That is the January Jam in Flowood, Mississippi. I was able to get off to a strong start with a sweep of the event. 


Trifecta Complete!

I had some good results as I went to SIC in Alabama as well before heading to the DNC, in what we now know was it’s last time at the Fear Farm. After that I went up to the Pacific NW to attend the Holiday Hangover RC Arena-cross event. This was a great event with a unique practice feature with punch cards. I also got to put on a great clinic and meet a lot of really good people!



Practice Punch Cards

Trifecta!

Next I shot across the pond to China where the IFMAR 1/10th worlds were last year. Though this time I was running my 1/8th buggies. I had some good competition from the current Japanese National Champion but I was able to come away with the victories in this one and really enjoy my time there!




It was then time to go to a race I feel I am pretty known for. That is the iconic PNB! I again decided to be crazy and drive 5 classes! It was a lot of fun like always and I defended my iron man title taking 5 podiums and 3 victories!




After that it was time for Silver State in a new venue! In a very nice building at the South Point Hotel and Casino. It was a last minute location find and it turned out awesome. I can’t wait to see what they come up with for 2019 having a year to plan it all out! This is one to attend for sure! I had some great results and could have been even better with a little luck and a better compound decision. But still came away with 3rd in truggy and victory in E-buggy!




As we got into summer I made a special trip to the MDA benefit race at Corbyn Showers track for a great event for a great cause which got me ready to head to Florida for the ROAR Nitro Nats. The crew did an amazing job beating the rain and keeping the track good and I was able to get yet another truggy podium at the ROAR Nationals!




As the dog days began we had AMS 9.0 and the ROAR E-Scale Nats. I battled with Joe in 4×4 SC but he squeezed out the overall victory from me and I took 2nd. I did win some more concourses at the ROAR race because my painter Diggity Paints is simply awesome at what he does!





Next was one of the most memorable events I will have ever been a part of and that was the Wicked Weekend where I was able to donate a car to a deserving young man with Cystic Fibrosis. It was so awesome to see the R/C community rally behind him, as he tried it out on the track and just made the moment so special!





Next was another Jet set across the world to South Korea to hang out with my friend Kevin Lee and crew and finally do some racing on Korean soil. It went great with double TQ and victory and was awesome to avenge my total rainout in Korea 8 years ago.




Our final race before the IFMAR Worlds was the Southern Nats in Louisiana. I had some great qualifying efforts at a race I usually have bad luck at. But it turned out the bad luck just saved itself for the main. Still always such an awesome fun event. 




After that we had a private company test session in preparation for the worlds before we embarked on an across the world  journey (Literally). Joe and I took 42 hours door to door to get home! The event was amazing, the club who put it on did such an amazing job they really couldn’t have done anything better in my mind. The results weren’t there for me but that’s racing. I will use it as motivation for the next time!



We finished out the racing portion of the year at the Fall Brawl in Myrtle Beach. It’s always a great time and the track is so much fun to race on. Unfortunately the rains came and washed us out of the final round of quals and the mains. We did some fun stuff with the R/C family though, going to Dave and Busters and Bowling. All in all it was fun and a great time seeing everyone!




So here I sit at the end of another season of R/C car racing. I have had such great support from family and sponsors over the years and I can’t thank them all enough for all they have done for me. Here is how long I have been with each of my 2018 sponsors.


Tekno RC – 4+ years

Blok Engines – 2 years

Byron Fuels –  8 years

AKA Tires – 11 years (since day 1)

Futaba – 7 years

Tekin – 9 years

ProTek RC – 7 years

PT RC Oils – 7 years

Dutch Oven Designs – 3 years

Diggity Paints – 3 years

LutzRC – 7 years


I want to thank all of my sponsors from 2018!


Tekno RC – (NB48.4, NT48.3, EB48.4,  ET48.3, SCT410.3, EB410)

-Blok Engines – (Blok 21aM, Block 21aP)

AKA Racing (Amazing tires, wheels, foams, that keep me fast on any surface!)

Byron Fuels (30/8 Worlds Blend fuel, The most consistent fuel in the industry!)

Futaba (7PX Radio, S9373SV Servos, R304SB Rx)

Tekin (RX-8 Gen 2, Redline T8 Gen 2 1900 motor (2000 truggy), RSX, Redline Gen 3 motors) ProTek RC (2600 Lipo Rx packs, 100C full size LiHV packs)

Dutch Oven Designs (Graphics, stickers)

PT RC Racing Oils (Shock and Diff oils)

Diggity Paints (Paintjobs!)

LutzRC.com (my small business that keeps me busy on my ‘off days’ haha)

R/C Hobby of Medina (My fathers Hobby Shop)


-Daniel Lewis and Matt Wolter at Tekno RC for all the support and help throughout the year and making sure we had fun and didn’t take ourselves to seriously! Keep an eye out here shortly for my end of the year Charity Auction December 9-13th

-Lutzinator

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