John Cravotta lead the X Factory Team to a clean sweep of the podium of 2WD Open SC in the R/C Madness Short Course Nationals this past weekend.  Cravotta’s slim-design all-CF SCX – 60CF was unbeatable all weekend as he TQed all three qualifiers and won the A main to finish the weekend.

Photo Caption L-to-R:  7^th Chris Proctor, 3^rd Jim Edmonds, TQ & Winner John Cravotta, 2^nd Paul Sinclair, Team Manager Chris Cristo

Four of the 10 trucks in the A were SCX – 60CF, with Paul Sinclair qualified third, Jim Edmonds sixth, and Chris Proctor eighth.  Sinclair took second in the main and Edmonds completed the podium for X Factory.

It was an exciting race, under beautiful conditions at the superb R/C Madness outdoor track.  The surface was hard packed and developed a black groove as the Madness crew ran the track dry all weekend, blowing the track off between rounds.  Rough spots developed in various places, and depending on the wind, there might be a thin layer of dust on the groove, with thickening fluff off the line.  It was a great test of man and machine.

TQ John Cravotta bobbled just before the triple on the first lap, falliong well back in the pack.  Third qualifier Paul Sinclair led at the end of lap one, with Tony Phalen and X-Teamer Jim Edmonds right behind.  On lap two, Tony tapped Paul on the off-camber.  Sinclair rolled and Phalen waited for him, allowing Edmonds through into the lead, and they stayed that way through the first half of the race.  Cravotta was beginning his charge up through the pack.

About the three minute mark, Phalen bobbled getting on the straight, letting Cravotta through into third.  Moments later at the end of the straight, Paul got by Jim, and it was X Factory 1-2-3, Sinclair, Edmonds, Cravotta.  On the next lap, Sinclair pulled a wheelie on the main straight, a gust of wind caught his SCX – 60CF flipping it over onto its lid, and much to the amazement of the crowd the truck slid all the way to the sweeper.  Edmonds lost a bit of concentration at all this, and Cravotta vaulted into the lead, with Edmonds right behind, Sinclair falling to fourth.

Knowing that his Team-mate was behind him, Cravotta put it on cruise control, while Sinclair worked his way into third.  Two corners from the end, Paul passed Jim to finish Cravotta, Sinclair, Edmonds.  X Factory driver Chris Proctor finished 7^th.

Watch the 2wd Open A Main for a first hand look at the action!